{"title":"Evaluation of shielding materials against galactic cosmic rays for protecting astronauts.","authors":"Xiaoyu Li, Yutao He, Huanyu Han, Zhi Chen","doi":"10.1093/rpd/ncaf022","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Exposure to Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) presents significant health risks to astronauts during long-duration deep space missions. Although existing studies have examined dose and particle energy spectra under GCR exposure scenarios, there is still a lack of studies covering various shielding quantities, especially regarding the self-shielding transmission characteristics of the human body. In this study, we used Monte Carlo simulations with the PHITS codes, coupled with the ICRP male reference phantom, to evaluate the performance of shielding materials against GCR. We comprehensively analyzed several physical quantities, including organ dose equivalent, absorbed dose, effective dose equivalent, and the flux and dose of secondary particles. Our findings analyzed the body's self-shielding effect and proton dose buildup effect. This study provides systematic data that offers valuable insights into astronaut safety during deep space exploration.</p>","PeriodicalId":20795,"journal":{"name":"Radiation protection dosimetry","volume":" ","pages":"361-377"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Radiation protection dosimetry","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1093/rpd/ncaf022","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Exposure to Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) presents significant health risks to astronauts during long-duration deep space missions. Although existing studies have examined dose and particle energy spectra under GCR exposure scenarios, there is still a lack of studies covering various shielding quantities, especially regarding the self-shielding transmission characteristics of the human body. In this study, we used Monte Carlo simulations with the PHITS codes, coupled with the ICRP male reference phantom, to evaluate the performance of shielding materials against GCR. We comprehensively analyzed several physical quantities, including organ dose equivalent, absorbed dose, effective dose equivalent, and the flux and dose of secondary particles. Our findings analyzed the body's self-shielding effect and proton dose buildup effect. This study provides systematic data that offers valuable insights into astronaut safety during deep space exploration.
期刊介绍:
Radiation Protection Dosimetry covers all aspects of personal and environmental dosimetry and monitoring, for both ionising and non-ionising radiations. This includes biological aspects, physical concepts, biophysical dosimetry, external and internal personal dosimetry and monitoring, environmental and workplace monitoring, accident dosimetry, and dosimetry related to the protection of patients. Particular emphasis is placed on papers covering the fundamentals of dosimetry; units, radiation quantities and conversion factors. Papers covering archaeological dating are included only if the fundamental measurement method or technique, such as thermoluminescence, has direct application to personal dosimetry measurements. Papers covering the dosimetric aspects of radon or other naturally occurring radioactive materials and low level radiation are included. Animal experiments and ecological sample measurements are not included unless there is a significant relevant content reason.