Christer Fuglesang

Study of cosmic rays and light flashes on board Space Station MIR: The SilEye experiment

The SilEye experiment aims to study the cause and processes related to the anomalous Light Flashes (LF) perceived by astronauts in orbit and their relation with Cosmic Rays. These observations will be also useful in the study of the long duration manned space flight environment. Two PC-driven silicon detector telescopes have been built and placed aboard Space Station MIR. SilEye-1 was launched in 1995 and provided particles track and LF information; the data gathered indicate a linear dependence of FLF(Hz) ( 4 2) 10(3) 5.3 1.7 10(4) Fpart(Hz) if South Atlantic Anomaly fluxes are not included. Even though higher statistic is required, this is an indication that heavy ion interactions with the eye are the main LF cause. To improve quality and quantity of measurements, a second apparatus, SilEye-2, was placed on MIR in 1997, and started work from August 1998. This instrument provides energetic information, which allows nuclear identification in selected energy ranges; we present preliminary measurements of the radiation field inside MIR performed with SilEye-2 detector in June 1998.

Geant4 Monte Carlo Simulations of the Belt Proton Radiation Environment On Board the International Space Station/Columbus

A detailed characterization of the trapped-proton-induced radiation environment on board Columbus and the International Space Station (ISS) has been carried out using the Geant4 Monte Carlo particle transport toolkit. Dose and dose equivalent rates, as well as penetrating particle spectra are presented. These results are based on detailed Geant4 geometry models of Columbus and ISS, comprising a total of about 1000 geometry volumes. Simulated trapped-proton dose rates are found to be strongly dependent on ISS altitude. Dose rates for different locations inside the Columbus cabin are presented, as well as for different models of the incident trapped-proton flux. Dose rates resulting from incident anisotropic trapped protons are found to be lower than, or equal to, those of omnidirectional models. The anisotropy induced by the asymmetric shielding distribution of Columbus/ISS is also studied. The simulated trapped-proton dose (equivalent) rates, averaged over different locations inside Columbus, are 120 muGy/d (154 muSv/d) and 79 muGy/d (102 muSv/d) for solar minimum and maximum conditions according to AP8 incident proton spectra and an ISS orbit of 380 km. The solar maximum dose rates are found to be of the same order as measurements in other modules in the present ISS.

Geant4 Monte Carlo Simulations of the Galactic Cosmic Ray Radiation Environment On-Board the International Space Station/Columbus

A characterization of the Galactic cosmic ray (GCR) induced radiation environment on-board Columbus and the International Space Station (ISS) has been carried out using the Geant4 Monte Carlo particle transport toolkit and detailed geometry models of Columbus and ISS. Dose and dose equivalent rates, as well as penetrating particle spectra are presented. Simulation results indicate that the major part of the dose rates due to GCR protons are associated with secondary particles produced in the hull of ISS. Neutrons contribute about 15% of the GCR proton dose equivalent rate and mesons about 10%. More than 40% of the simulated GCR proton dose and dose equivalent rates are due to protons in the energy range above 10 GeV. Protons in the energy range above 50 GeV contribute only 5% to the dose rates. The total simulated dose and dose equivalent rates at solar maximum are 63 muGy/d and 123 muSv/d, respectively. The dose equivalent rate underestimates measurements made during the 2001 solar maximum. The discrepancy can be attributed to deficiencies in hadronic ion-nuclei interaction models for heavy ions and to the lack of such models above 10 GeV/N in Geant4.

Mars-500 — A testbed for psychological crew support during future human exploration missions

This paper gives a general description of a full 520-day Mars mission simulation (Mars-500) with an international crew of three Russians, one Chinese and two Europeans (French and Italian) from the European Space Agency (ESA) and implemented in a space simulation facility at the Institute for Biomedical Problems (IBMP) in Moscow between 3 June 2010 and 4 November 2011. It provides an overview of the constraints potentially impacting psychological crew health in future interplanetary missions in general and the Mars-500 mission in particular. It describes the psychological support programme implemented during the Mars-500 mission and it shows some of the results in terms of efficiency of the psychological countermeasures. It focuses on the role and importance of crew communication and shows the results of a preliminary analysis of crew information support and private crew communication with the “outside world” which provides some initial basic indication in terms of crew information support and private crew communication requirements for future human exploration missions.

Measurements of heavy-ion anisotropy and dose rates in the Russian section of the International Space Station with the Sileye-3/Alteino detector

In this work we present data on linear energy transfer (LET), dose and dose equivalent rates from different locations of the Russian part of the International Space Station (ISS) measured by the Sileye-3/Alteino detector. Data were taken as part of the ESA ALTCRISS project from late 2005 through 2007. The LET rate data shows a heavy-ion (LET keV/?m) anisotropy. From the heavy-ion LET rate in the Zvezda service module we find ISS (Starboard) and (Nadir) to be about 10?15 times higher than in (Forward). The situation is similar for dose and dose equivalent rates, ranging from 25?40 ?Gy d?1 in to about 75 ?Gy d?1 in , whereas for the dose equivalent the rate peaks in with around 470 ?Sv d?1. The heavy-ion anisotropy confirms what has been reported by the ALTEA collaboration. Measurements using two sets of passive detectors, DLR-TLDs and PADLES (TLD+CR-39), have also been performed in conjunction with Alteino measurements, both shielded and unshielded. The passive detectors register a dose rate about 3?5 times as high as Alteino, 260?280 ?Gy d?1 for PADLES and 200?260 ?Gy d?1 for DLR-TLDs. For the dose equivalent PADLES measurements ranges from 560?740 ?Sv d?1.

Relative nuclear abundance from C to Fe and integrated flux inside the Russian part of the ISS with the Sileye-3/Alteino experiment

In this work we present data from the Sileye-3/Alteino detector on board the International Space Station (ISS), which was gathered following a recalibration after several years in orbit. We also measure the relative nuclei abundance and integratedflux,whichwerenormalizedtothesolarmodulationvaluesofAugust 2007. The measurements were made at different locations of the Russian part of the ISS. The relative nuclear abundances of C to Fe in relation to C, in an energyrangeabove � 60MeV/n,showshighlevelsofoddZparticlesinsidethe ISS and an under-abundance of C and O compared with the galactic spectrum, as presented by Simpson in 1983. In addition, the values of the integrated flux varies primarily according to location and detector orientation. An additional polyethylene shield also reduces the flux, although in a lower amount than changes in the orientation of the telescope. Data were taken as part of the ESA ALTCRISS project from late 2005 through to 2007.

A wide aperture telescope for high energy gamma rays detection

In this paper new techniques for the realization of a high energy gamma-ray telescope are presented, based on the adoption of silicon strip detectors and lead scintillating fibers. The simulated performances of this instrument show that the silicon strip technology adopted by GILDA (Gamma-ray Imaging Large Detector for Astrophysics) could improve the performance of EGRET, which is so far the most successful experiment of a high energy gamma-ray telescope, though having less volume and weight.

Long narrow CsI(Tl) rods as calorimeter elements

Abstract A new layout of a crystal calorimeter for gamma ray space experiments is presented. It employs layers of narrow rods of CsI(Tl) crystals arranged perpendicular to the central incident photon direction. Simulation results for the angular and energy resolutions are given. For the first time the uniformity of narrow CsI(Tl) rods have been measured, with excellent results.

Mini-EUSO flight software and operations on ISS

The Mini-EUSO instrument is designed by the JEM-EUSO collaboration to pave the way for space-based observations of Extreme Energy Cosmic Rays (EECRs). To be placed inside the International Space St ...

Summary of recent results obtained by the Sileye-3/Alteino detector in the Russian part of the International Space Station as part of the ALTCRISS project

The Sileye3/Alteino experiment is devoted to the investigation of the light flash phenomenon and particle composition of the cosmic ray spectrum inside the ISS. The particle detector is a silicon telescope consisting of eight planes, each divided into 32 strips. Data acquisition was initiated in 2002 in the Russian Pirs module. The data on nuclei from C to Fe in the energy range above about 60 MeV/n presented here were taken as part of the ESA Altcriss project [ 1] from late 2005 through 2007. Here we report on LET, from different locations and orientations, in both the Pirs and Zvezda modules. Taking solar modulation into account the results are in agreement with ALTEA measurements from USLab [ 2]. To convert the energy deposition in Si to the equivalent in water, the logarithmic relation between LET in Si and water adopted from [ 3]. In Fig. 1, the LET spectra in water for Alteino and ALTEA are compared with DOSTEL spectrum from 2001 [ 4], and we see a good overall agreement. We are currently in the process of preparing a detailed paper on the dose and dose equivalent rates in different places inside the Zvezda and Pirs modules and a novel analysis of the contribution to the different doses as a function of strip hit multiplicity.Fig. 1. LET spectra in water from Alteino (red triangle), ALTEA (black diamond) [ 2], DOSTEL 2001 (solid line) [ 4].