Table of Contents

APPENDIX B

IONIZING RADIATION IN SPACE

The principal ionizing radiations to be found in space are summarized in table 2-2. Ionizing radiation endangers humans because it is capable of breaking chemical bonds in tissue. The damaging power depends upon the amount of energy deposited per unit volume, the rapidity with which the energy is transferred, and its concentration along the track of the particle of radiation.Radiation which deposits 100 ergs of energy(3) per g is said to deliver a dose of 1 rad. Because different forms of radiation may deposit this energy at different rates and with different intensities along the track, the biological damage of a dose of 1 rad varies with the type of radiation. To correct for this effect the radiation dose in rads is multiplied by the "relative biological effectiveness" (RBE) of the particular kind of radiation. The product is then a measure of danger of the particular kind of radiation, and that product is described in units of rems. Thus, 1 rem of neutrons and 1 rem of X-rays represent the same amount of biological danger. (For X-rays 1 rem results from the exposure of 1 roentgen.) The RBEs of most of the common kinds of radiation are given in the table.

TABLE 2-2. (gif format)

TABLE 2-2.- IONIZING RADIATIONS IN SPACE

Name Charge (Z) RBE Location
X-rays
Gamma Rays		 0
0		 1
1		 Radiation Belts, solar radiation and
in the secondaries made by nuclear reactions,
and by stopping electrons
Electrons=1.0 MeV
0.1MeV		 1
1		 1
1.08		 Radiation belts
Protons=100MeV
1.5 MeV
0.1 MeV		 1
1		 1 - 2
8.5
10		 Cosmic rays, inner radiation belts,
solar cosmic rays
Neutrons=0.05 eV(thermal)
.0001 Mev
.005 MeV
.02 MeV
.5 MeV
1.0 MeV
10.0 MeV		 0
0
0
0
0
0
0		 2.8
2.2
2.4
5
10.2
10.5
6.4		 Produced by nuclear interactions;
found near the planets and the Sun
and other matter
Alpha particles=5.0 MeV
1.0 MeV		 2
2		 15
20		 Cosmic rays
Heavy primaries >= 3 (see text) Cosmic rays

The damaging power of heavy charged particles with charge numbers equal to or greater than 3 is most conveniently described in terms of their ionizing power. This measures how many chemical bonds per unit of bodymass are broken and thereby gives a rough measure of the tissue damage sustained.

Figure 2-8 plots the ionizing power of protons in silicon dioxide as a function of proton energy. Since the units of ionizing power are in units of mass traversed, the same values are reasonably accurate for all matter with a low charge number (Z), for example, human tissue. This basic curve holds for any ion species when the vertical axis is multiplied by the ion's charge number squared (Z^2).

Essentially the result is that the ionizing power increases as the particle energy decreases, so as to cause the more slowly moving particles to be the most damaging. In the extreme relativistic energy region the damage effects are basically constant - at a level which is termed the ionization minimum. At the lowest velocities the charged particles are finally neutralized by picking up electrons.

(3) The most commonly used unit to measure energy ofradiation is the electron volt (eV). This very small unit isdefined as equal to the energy imparted to a particlewith unit electric charge when it is acclelerated througha potential difference of 1 V, or 1.6x10^-12 ergs. Becauseof the small value of this unit, super multitudes are morecommon - keV for 10^3 eV, MeV for 10^6 eV, and GeVfor 10^9 eV.

Return to Chapter 2

Table of Contents

Curator: Al Globus
If you find any errors on this page contact Al Globus. 		Space Settlement hompage

This site was hosted by the NASA Ames Research Center from 1994-2018 and is now hosted by:

National Space Society