In-field calibration of the Navigation Dosimetry System (NAVIDOS) during solar minimum conditions

Abstract

The NAVIgation DOsimetry System (NAVIDOS) comprises a complete readout system for a radiation detec- tor, an air pressure sensor and a GPS receiver. The detector system DOSTEL uses silicon detectors which make NAVI- DOS light weighted and compact in size. Therefore, NAVI- DOS is well suited to be installed on board aircraft. The cal- ibration of NAVIDOS in terms of ambient dose equivalent is done by an in-field comparison with the PTB reference in- strument DOS. We also show that the dependence of these results on the vertical cut-off rigidity can be explained by the low response of the silicon detectors for neutrons. Therefore, in-flight measurements have been performed together with the PTB reference instrument DOS. The dose rates, cal- culated using the PTB code FDOScalc, were verified with these DOS measurements. The calibration of NAVIDOS was done with FDOScalc and results in calibration factors between 3.4 in the polar and 2.4 in the equator region.