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Research Containing: neutron

Time serial analysis of the induced LEO environment within the ISS 6A

by on 9 June 2015in Technology Development & Demonstration No comment

Anisotropies in the low Earth orbit (LEO) radiation environment were found to influence the thermoluminescence detectors (TLD) dose within the (International Space Station) ISS 7A Service Module. Subsequently, anisotropic environmental models with improved dynamic time extrapolation have been developed including westward and northern drifts using AP8 Min & Max as estimates of the historic spatial distribution of trapped protons in the 1965 and 1970 era, respectively. In addition, a directional dependent geomagnetic cutoff model was derived for geomagnetic field configurations from the 1945 to 2020 time frame. A dynamic neutron albedo model based on our atmospheric radiation studies has likewise been required to explain LEO neutron measurements. The simultaneous measurements of dose and dose rate using four Liulin instruments at various locations in the US LAB and Node 1 has experimentally demonstrated anisotropic effects in ISS 6A and are used herein to evaluate the adequacy of these revised environmental models.

Related URLs:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273117706007885

Tests of shielding effectiveness of Kevlar and Nextel onboard the International Space Station and the Foton-M3 capsule

by on 9 June 2015in Technology Development & Demonstration No comment

Radiation assessment and protection in space is the first step in planning future missions to the Moon and Mars, where mission and number of space travelers will increase and the protection of the geomagnetic shielding against the cosmic radiation will be absent. In this framework, the shielding effectiveness of two flexible materials, Kevlar and Nextel, were tested, which are largely used in the construction of spacecrafts. Accelerator-based tests clearly demonstrated that Kevlar is an excellent shield for heavy ions, close to polyethylene, whereas Nextel shows poor shielding characteristics. Measurements on flight performed onboard of the International Space Station and of the Foton-M3 capsule have been carried out with special attention to the neutron component; shielded and unshielded detectors (thermoluminescence dosemeters, bubble detectors) were exposed to a real radiation environment to test the shielding properties of the materials under study. The results indicate no significant effects of shielding, suggesting that thin shields in low-Earth Orbit have little effect on absorbed dose.

Related URLs:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20364264

Measurements of neutron environment inside and outside of ISS

by on 9 June 2015in Physical Sciences No comment

Results of neutron dose measurements inside and outside International Space Station are presented. Measurements outside module «Zvezda» were conducted with Board Neutron Telescope (BTN) from 2007 to 2010. The telescope consists of three 3He counters and organic scintillator crystal (stylbene). BTN performs to work within the range of 0.1eV –10MeV. Measurements inside module «Zvezda» were conducted with so called Bubble Detectors in the same energy interval. Comparison of results is presented.

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Evaluation of solid state nuclear track detector stacks exposed on the international space station

by on 9 June 2015in Physical Sciences No comment

The aim of the study was to investigate the contribution of secondary neutrons to the total dose inside the International Space Station (ISS). For this purpose solid-state nuclear track detector (SSNTD) stacks were used. Each stack consisted of three CR-39 sheets. The first and second sheets were separated by a Ti plate, and the second and third sheets sandwiched a Lexan polycarbonate foil. The neutron and proton responses of each sheet were studied through MC calculations and experimentally, utilising monoenergetic protons. Seven stacks were exposed in 2001 for 249 days at different locations of the Russian segment ‘Zvezda’. The total storage time before and after the exposure onboard was estimated to be seven months. Another eight stacks were exposed at the CERF high-energy neutron field for calibration purposes.The CR-39 detectors were evaluated in four steps: after 2, 6, 12 and 20 h etching in 6 N NaOH at 70°C (VB = 1.34 µm h−1). All the individual tracks were investigated and recorded using an image analyser. The stacks provided the averaged neutron ambient dose equivalent (H*) between 200 keV and 20 MeV, and the values varied from 39 to 73 μSv d−1, depending on the location. The Lexan detectors were used to detect the dose originating from high-charge and high-energy (HZE) particles. These results will be published elsewhere.

Related URLs:
http://rpd.oxfordjournals.org/content/110/1-4/393.abstract

Outburst of LSV+44 17 Observed by MAXI and RXTE, and Discovery of a Dip Structure in the Pulse Profile

by on 9 June 2015in Earth Science and Remote Sensing No comment

We report on the first observation of an X-ray outburst of a Be/X-ray binary pulsar, LS V +44 17/ RX J0440.9+4431, and the discovery of an absorption dip structure in the pulse profile. An outburst of this source was discovered by MAXI GSC in 2010 April. It was the first detection of transient activity of LS V +44 17 since the source was identified as a Be/X-ray binary in 1997. From the data of a follow-up RXTE observation near the peak of the outburst, we found a narrow dip structure in its pulse profile, which was clearer in the lower-energy bands. The pulse-phase-averaged energy spectra in the 3–100 keV band could be fitted with a continuum model containing a power-law function with an exponential cutoff and a blackbody component, which are modified at low energy by an absorption component. A weak iron Kα emission line was also detected in the spectra. From the pulse-phase-resolved spectroscopy we found that the absorption column density at the dip phase was much higher than those in the other phases. The dip was not seen in subsequent RXTE observations at lower flux levels. These results suggest that the dip in the pulse profile originates from the eclipse of the radiation from the neutron star by the accretion column.

Related URLs:
http://pasj.oxfordjournals.org/content/64/4/79.abstract

Measurements of Cosmic-Ray Neutron Energy Spectra from Thermal to 15 MeV with Bonner Ball Neutron Detector in Aircraft

by on 9 June 2015in Biology & Biotechnology No comment

Cosmic-ray neutron energy spectra from thermal to 15MeV were measured with a multimoderator spectrometer known as the Bonner Ball Neutron Detector (BBND) at aviation altitude (9?11 km). Four flights were carried out around Nagoya Airport in Japan. The measured data were unfolded using the maximum entropy deconvolution code MAXED, and the derived spectra agreed with the calculated results using the PHITS-based analytical radiation model in the atmosphere (PARMA). The results of the in-flight measurement verified the accuracy of model calculation in regard to the neutrons within a certain energy range.

Related URLs:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/18811248.2010.9711934

Large-volume protein crystal growth for neutron macromolecular crystallography

by on 9 June 2015in Biology & Biotechnology No comment

Neutron macromolecular crystallography (NMC) is the prevailing method for the accurate determination of the positions of H atoms in macromolecules. As neutron sources are becoming more available to general users, finding means to optimize the growth of protein crystals to sizes suitable for NMC is extremely important. Historically, much has been learned about growing crystals for X-ray diffraction. However, owing to new-generation synchrotron X-ray facilities and sensitive detectors, protein crystal sizes as small as in the nano-range have become adequate for structure determination, lessening the necessity to grow large crystals. Here, some of the approaches, techniques and considerations for the growth of crystals to significant dimensions that are now relevant to NMC are revisited. These include experimental strategies utilizing solubility diagrams, ripening effects, classical crystallization techniques, microgravity and theoretical considerations.

Related URLs:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1107/S2053230X15005348
http://scripts.iucr.org/cgi-bin/paper?S2053230X15005348

Evaluation of the neutron radiation environment inside the International Space Station based on the Bonner Ball Neutron Detector experiment

by on 9 June 2015in Biology & Biotechnology No comment

The Bonner Ball Neutron Detector (BBND) experiment was conducted onboard the US Laboratory Module of the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Human Research Facility project of NASA in order to evaluate the neutron radiation environment in the energy range from thermal up to 15 MeV inside the ISS. The BBND experiment was carried out over an eight-month period from 23 March through 14 November 2001, corresponding to the maximum period of solar-activity variation. The neutron differential-energy spectra are compared with the model neutron spectrum predicted for the inside of the ISS, and are found to be in good agreement for E > 10 keV . In contrast, the ISS model spectrum has lower flux for E < 10 keV , which is likely due to the difference in the shielding environment. The neutron dose equivalent rates are 69 and 88 μ Sv / day for the two locations inside the US Laboratory Module, representing a 30% increase due to the difference in the localized shielding environment inside the same pressurized module. The influence of the ISS altitude variation is estimated for the neutron dose equivalent rate to increase by a factor of 2 over the ISS altitude variation of 300–500 km. The increase in the cumulative neutron dose equivalent due to the most significant solar event during the BBND experiment is 0.15 mSv, which contributes less than 1% to the annual neutron dose equivalent estimated from the BBND experiment.

Related URLs:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1350448707001679