Scientists Collect New, Quantifiable Measurement of Cosmic Radiation

New, quantifiable measurements of space radiation taken by scientists at University of New Hampshire will play a crucial role in the development of future techniques to shield astronauts and sensitive equipment from cosmic radiation, according to the researchers behind the study.

Writing in a special edition of the journal Space Weather, Nathan Schwadron of the UNH Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space (EOS), details the measurements of deep-space radiation made by the Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) radiation detector.

"These data are a fundamental reference for the radiation hazards in near Earth 'geospace' out to Mars and other regions of our sun's vast heliosphere," Schwadron said.

Measurements will be incredibly useful for designers of spacecraft, satellites and other equipment, as the harmful radiation from galactic cosmic rays and other solar energy particles can easily penetrate typical shielding and cause damage to electronic systems. When this cosmic radiation impacts biological cells, it can cause increased risk of cancer, the researchers said.

The CRaTER measurements provide more accurate and reliable radiation data than other methods used in the past.

"CRaTER's seminal measurements now provide quantified, radiation hazard data from lunar orbit and can be used to calculate radiation dosage from deep space down to airline altitudes. The data will be crucial in developing techniques for shielding against space-based radiation dosage," the University of New Hampshire wrote in a news release.

The UNH team also developed a detection tool known as DoSEN (short for Dose Spectra from Energetic Particles and Neutrons), which calculates the dose of direct and indirect ionizing radiation absorbed in both matter and tissue. Ionizing radiation can cause changes in cells on the atomic level and levy irreparable damage.

"DoSEN is an innovative concept that will lead to a new generation of radiation detectors, or dosimeters, to aid in understanding the hazards posed by the radiation environment of space," Schwadron said. "The ability to accurately understand these hazards will be critical to protect astronauts sent beyond low-Earth orbit on extended space missions."

By combining two complementary radiation detection techniques, the DoSEN system offers numerous advantages over traditional dosimetry and allows the researchers to understand cosmic radiation better than ever before.

"Understanding how different particles such as neutrons and heavy ions pose hazards will be extremely important in completely characterizing the types of environments we will operate in," Schwadron said. "For example, on the moon, there are additional hazards from neutrons that are created by high-energy radiation interacting in the lunar soil and radiating outward from the surface."