Comparison of aluminum and lucite for shielding against 1 GeV protons
Journal article, 2007

Shielding is the only countermeasure currently available for exposure to cosmic radiation during space travel. We compared aluminum (Al) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA, or lucite) shields of 20 g/cm^2 thickness using 1 GeV protons accelerated at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory. The dose rate increased after the shield, and the increase was more pronounced after the Al than the PMMA shield. No significant differences in the induction of chromosomal aberrations were observed in human lymphocytes exposed to the same dose with no shield or behind the Al and PMMA blocks. However, the biological effectiveness per incident proton was increased by the shields. Simulations using the General-Purpose Particle and Heavy-Ion Transport Code System (PHITS) show that the increase in dose is caused by target fragments, and aluminum produces more secondary protons than PMMA. Nevertheless, the spectrum of particles behind the shield is confined within the low-LET region, and the biological effectiveness is consequently similar.

Fragmentation

Protons

Shielding

Chromosome aberrations

Author

Davide Mancusi

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Nuclear Engineering

Antonella Bertucci

University of Naples Federico II

Giancarlo Gialanella

University of Naples Federico II

Gianfranco Grossi

University of Naples Federico II

Lorenzo Manti

University of Naples Federico II

Mariagabriella Pugliese

University of Naples Federico II

Adam Rusek

Brookhaven National Laboratory

Paola Scampoli

University of Naples Federico II

Lembit Sihver

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Nuclear Engineering

Marco Durante

University of Naples Federico II

Advances in Space Research

0273-1177 (ISSN) 18791948 (eISSN)

Vol. 40 4 581-585

Subject Categories

Subatomic Physics

Other Biological Topics

DOI

10.1016/j.asr.2006.11.033

More information

Latest update

4/11/2018