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Ambrožová I, Kákona M, Dvořák R, Kákona J, Lužová M, Povišer M, Sommer M, Velychko O, Ploc O. Latitudinal effect on the position of Regener-Pfotzer maximum investigated by balloon flight HEMERA 2019 in Sweden and balloon flights FIK in Czechia. RADIATION PROTECTION DOSIMETRY 2023; 199:2041-2046. [PMID: 37819338 DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncac299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
When primary space radiation particles enter into the atmosphere of the Earth, they generate showers of secondary radiation. The intensity of secondary radiation reaches its maximum, called the Regener-Pfotzer maximum; its exact position depends on the geomagnetic effective vertical cut-off rigidity, the phase of the solar cycle and also on the type of detected particles. In this paper, several balloon flight experiments are described focusing on the study of the latitudinal effect on the position of the Regener-Pfotzer maximum. Altitude profile of ionization in the atmosphere was measured using radiation detectors flown during several flights at locations with different effective vertical cut-off rigidities (flight HEMERA over Sweden and flights FIK-5 and FIK-6 over Czech Republic). The measured results are supplemented also with simulations using EXPACS 4.11 and the variation of obtained positions of Regener-Pfotzer maximum is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iva Ambrožová
- Department of Radiation Dosimetry, Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Truhlářce 39/64, Praha 180 00, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Kákona
- Department of Radiation Dosimetry, Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Truhlářce 39/64, Praha 180 00, Czech Republic
| | - Roman Dvořák
- Department of Radiation Dosimetry, Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Truhlářce 39/64, Praha 180 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Kákona
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Technická 2, Prague 166 27, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Lužová
- Department of Radiation Dosimetry, Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Truhlářce 39/64, Praha 180 00, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Břehová 7, Prague 115 19, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Povišer
- Department of Radiation Dosimetry, Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Truhlářce 39/64, Praha 180 00, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Sommer
- Department of Radiation Dosimetry, Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Truhlářce 39/64, Praha 180 00, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Břehová 7, Prague 115 19, Czech Republic
| | - Olena Velychko
- Department of Radiation Dosimetry, Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Truhlářce 39/64, Praha 180 00, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Břehová 7, Prague 115 19, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Ploc
- Department of Radiation Dosimetry, Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Truhlářce 39/64, Praha 180 00, Czech Republic
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Rad-Bio-App: a discovery environment for biologists to explore spaceflight-related radiation exposures. NPJ Microgravity 2021; 7:15. [PMID: 33976230 PMCID: PMC8113475 DOI: 10.1038/s41526-021-00143-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In addition to microgravity, spaceflight simultaneously exposes biology to a suite of other stimuli. For example, in space, organisms experience ionizing radiation environments that significantly differ in both quality and quantity from those normally experienced on Earth. However, data on radiation exposure during space missions is often complex to access and to understand, limiting progress towards defining how radiation affects organisms against the unique background of spaceflight. To help address this challenge, we have developed the Rad-Bio-App. This web-accessible database imports radiation metadata from experiments archived in NASA’s GeneLab data repository, and then allows the user to explore these experiments both in the context of their radiation exposure and through their other metadata and results. Rad-Bio-App provides an easy-to-use, graphically-driven environment to enable both radiation biologists and non-specialist researchers to visualize, and understand the impact of ionizing radiation on various biological systems in the context of spaceflight.
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Cortesão M, Siems K, Koch S, Beblo-Vranesevic K, Rabbow E, Berger T, Lane M, James L, Johnson P, Waters SM, Verma SD, Smith DJ, Moeller R. MARSBOx: Fungal and Bacterial Endurance From a Balloon-Flown Analog Mission in the Stratosphere. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:601713. [PMID: 33692763 PMCID: PMC7937622 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.601713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Whether terrestrial life can withstand the martian environment is of paramount interest for planetary protection measures and space exploration. To understand microbial survival potential in Mars-like conditions, several fungal and bacterial samples were launched in September 2019 on a large NASA scientific balloon flight to the middle stratosphere (∼38 km altitude) where radiation levels resembled values at the equatorial Mars surface. Fungal spores of Aspergillus niger and bacterial cells of Salinisphaera shabanensis, Staphylococcus capitis subsp. capitis, and Buttiauxella sp. MASE-IM-9 were launched inside the MARSBOx (Microbes in Atmosphere for Radiation, Survival, and Biological Outcomes Experiment) payload filled with an artificial martian atmosphere and pressure throughout the mission profile. The dried microorganisms were either exposed to full UV-VIS radiation (UV dose = 1148 kJ m-2) or were shielded from radiation. After the 5-h stratospheric exposure, samples were assayed for survival and metabolic changes. Spores from the fungus A. niger and cells from the Gram-(-) bacterium S. shabanensis were the most resistant with a 2- and 4-log reduction, respectively. Exposed Buttiauxella sp. MASE-IM-9 was completely inactivated (both with and without UV exposure) and S. capitis subsp. capitis only survived the UV shielded experimental condition (3-log reduction). Our results underscore a wide variation in survival phenotypes of spacecraft associated microorganisms and support the hypothesis that pigmented fungi may be resistant to the martian surface if inadvertently delivered by spacecraft missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Cortesão
- Aerospace Microbiology Research Group, Department of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center, Cologne, Germany
| | - Katharina Siems
- Aerospace Microbiology Research Group, Department of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center, Cologne, Germany
| | - Stella Koch
- Aerospace Microbiology Research Group, Department of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center, Cologne, Germany
| | - Kristina Beblo-Vranesevic
- Astrobiology Research Group, Department of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center, Cologne, Germany
| | - Elke Rabbow
- Astrobiology Research Group, Department of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center, Cologne, Germany
| | - Thomas Berger
- Biophysics Research Group, Department of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center, Cologne, Germany
| | - Michael Lane
- NASA Kennedy Space Center, Engineering Directorate, Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, FL, United States
| | - Leandro James
- NASA Kennedy Space Center, Engineering Directorate, Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, FL, United States
| | - Prital Johnson
- NASA Kennedy Space Center, Engineering Directorate, Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, FL, United States
| | - Samantha M. Waters
- Universities Space Research Association, Moffett Field, CA, United States
- NASA Ames Research Center, Space Biosciences Research Branch, Moffett Field, CA, United States
| | - Sonali D. Verma
- NASA Ames Research Center, Space Biosciences Research Branch, Moffett Field, CA, United States
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Moffett Field, CA, United States
| | - David J. Smith
- NASA Ames Research Center, Space Biosciences Research Branch, Moffett Field, CA, United States
| | - Ralf Moeller
- Aerospace Microbiology Research Group, Department of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center, Cologne, Germany
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Dachev TP, Tomov BT, Matviichuk YN, Dimitrov PG, Semkova JV, Koleva RT, Jordanova MM, Bankov NG, Shurshakov VA, Benghin VV. Solar modulation of the GCR flux and dose rate, observed in space between 1991 and 2019. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2020; 26:114-124. [PMID: 32718677 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2020.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Revised: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The paper presents the solar modulation of the long-term galactic cosmic rays (GCR) flux and dose rates variations, observed during 14 space experiments by 10 Bulgarian build Liulin-type spectrometers (LTS) (Dachev et al., 2015a). They worked in near Earth space and in the interplanetary radiation environment between January 1991 and January 2019. Data were collected by LTS in the low Earth orbit (LEO) in the L range between 4 and 6.2 or outside the magnetosphere. The major advantage of the data sets are that they are obtained by the electronically identical LTS. The Liulin measurements of about monthly averaged flux and dose rate data are compared with the monthly values of the modulation parameter, reconstructed from the ground based cosmic ray data (Usoskin et al., 2017). A good correlation between the two data sets is observed. The most important achievement of the paper is that for the first time a proof of the solar modulation of the long-term variations of the monthly averaged dose rates is obtained. These long-term experimentally obtained dose rate data could be used for modeling of the GCR space radiation risks to humans in the near Earth radiation environment. Parallel to the long-term dose rate varitions, the monthly averaged flux variations are also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsvetan P Dachev
- Space Research and Technology Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Block 1, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria.
| | - Borislav T Tomov
- Space Research and Technology Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Block 1, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Yuri N Matviichuk
- Space Research and Technology Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Block 1, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Plamen G Dimitrov
- Space Research and Technology Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Block 1, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Jordanka V Semkova
- Space Research and Technology Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Block 1, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Rositsa T Koleva
- Space Research and Technology Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Block 1, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Malina M Jordanova
- Space Research and Technology Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Block 1, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Nikolay G Bankov
- Space Research and Technology Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Block 1, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Viacheslav A Shurshakov
- State Research Center, Institute of Biomedical Problems, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Victor V Benghin
- State Research Center, Institute of Biomedical Problems, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, Russian Federation
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5
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Norbury JW, Slaba TC, Aghara S, Badavi FF, Blattnig SR, Clowdsley MS, Heilbronn LH, Lee K, Maung KM, Mertens CJ, Miller J, Norman RB, Sandridge CA, Singleterry R, Sobolevsky N, Spangler JL, Townsend LW, Werneth CM, Whitman K, Wilson JW, Xu SX, Zeitlin C. Advances in space radiation physics and transport at NASA. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2019; 22:98-124. [PMID: 31421854 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2019.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The space radiation environment is a complex mixture of particle types and energies originating from sources inside and outside of the galaxy. These environments may be modified by the heliospheric and geomagnetic conditions as well as planetary bodies and vehicle or habitat mass shielding. In low Earth orbit (LEO), the geomagnetic field deflects a portion of the galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and all but the most intense solar particle events (SPE). There are also dynamic belts of trapped electrons and protons with low to medium energy and intense particle count rates. In deep space, the GCR exposure is more severe than in LEO and varies inversely with solar activity. Unpredictable solar storms also present an acute risk to astronauts if adequate shielding is not provided. Near planetary surfaces such as the Earth, moon or Mars, secondary particles are produced when the ambient deep space radiation environment interacts with these surfaces and/or atmospheres. These secondary particles further complicate the local radiation environment and modify the associated health risks. Characterizing the radiation fields in this vast array of scenarios and environments is a challenging task and is currently accomplished with a combination of computational models and dosimetry. The computational tools include models for the ambient space radiation environment, mass shielding geometry, and atomic and nuclear interaction parameters. These models are then coupled to a radiation transport code to describe the radiation field at the location of interest within a vehicle or habitat. Many new advances in these models have been made in the last decade, and the present review article focuses on the progress and contributions made by workers and collaborators at NASA Langley Research Center in the same time frame. Although great progress has been made, and models continue to improve, significant gaps remain and are discussed in the context of planned future missions. Of particular interest is the juxtaposition of various review committee findings regarding the accuracy and gaps of combined space radiation environment, physics, and transport models with the progress achieved over the past decade. While current models are now fully capable of characterizing radiation environments in the broad range of forecasted mission scenarios, it should be remembered that uncertainties still remain and need to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W Norbury
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia 23681, USA.
| | - Tony C Slaba
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia 23681, USA
| | - Sukesh Aghara
- University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Kerry Lee
- NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas 77058, USA
| | - Khin M Maung
- University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, USA
| | | | - Jack Miller
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Ryan B Norman
- NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia 23681, USA
| | | | | | - Nikolai Sobolevsky
- Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Jan L Spangler
- Science and Technology Corporation, Hampton, Virginia 23666, USA
| | | | | | | | - John W Wilson
- Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 23529, USA
| | | | - Cary Zeitlin
- Leidos Innovations Corporation, Houston, Texas 77058, USA
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