Development of scalable deconvolution methods for determining secondary target neutron yields from dual-thick-target cosmic-ray ion accelerator experiments

Abstract

Experiments emulating the deep-space radiation environment within an enclosed spacecraft were conducted at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory; this was achieved by bombarding various combinations of two consecutive thick targets with Galactic Cosmic Ray-like particle beams. While all secondary particles generated in the first of these two targets could be characterized using time-of-flight techniques, characterization of the neutrons produced in the second target, emulating the “back wall” of a spacecraft, required the development and implementation of deconvolution techniques. This work covers this methodology, its validation, and the systematic results present within this benchmark dataset of neutron yields from the secondary target.