Estimates of Significant Post-Carrington Solar Particle Event Radiation Exposures on Mars

Abstract

1864, 1878, 1894, 1895, and 1896), are made for male and female crew members located at the mean surface elevation and at an altitude of 8 km in the Martian atmosphere. The incident solar particle event proton energy distributions for these events are assumed to be similar to that of the Band function t of the February 1956 event. Radiation exposure estimates were performed using NASA’s On-Line Tool for the Assessment of Radiation in Space (OLTARIS). The HZETRN (High charge (Z) and Energy TRaNsport) space radiation transport code, which is incorporated into OLTARIS, was used to describe the transport of incident protons and any secondary particles generated by their interactions with the atmosphere of Mars, through spacesuit, surface lander, or permanent habitat shielding, and body organ self-shielding. Estimates of eective dose and organ dose are made using the Computerized Anatomical Male (CAM), Computerized Anatomical Female (CAF), Male Adult voXel (MAX), and Female Adult voXel (FAX) human geometry models. The predicted exposures are compared with current NASA Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs).