Radiation measured for MATROSHKA-1 experiment with passive dosimeters

Abstract

The radiation field in low Earth orbit (LEO) and deep space is complicated. The radiation impact on astronauts depends strongly on the particles’ linear energy transfer (LET) and is dominated by high LET radiation. Radiation risk is a key concern for human space flight and can be estimated with radiation LET spectra measured for the different organs of an astronaut phantom. At present the best passive personal dosimeters used for astronauts are thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLDs) and optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters (OSLDs) for low LET and CR-39 plastic nuclear track detectors (PNTDs) for high LET. CR-39 PNTDs, TLDs and OSLDs were used for the MATROSHKA-1 experiment to measure radiation experienced by astronauts outside the international space station (ISS). LET spectra and radiation field quantities (differential and integral fluence, absorbed dose and dose equivalent) were measured for the different organs and skin locations of the MAROSHKA phantom using CR-39 PNTDs and TLDs. The spectra and results can be used to determine the radiation quantities for astronaut's extra vehicular activity (EVA) and for the further in-depth study of the radiation risk for astronauts. Sensitivity fading of CR-39 detectors was observed for the MATROSHKA experiment and a practical method was developed to correct it. This paper presents the radiation LET spectra measured with CR-39 PNTDs and the total radiation quantities combined from results measured with CR-39 PNTDs and TLDs.