Lembit Sihver

Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System, PHITS, version 2.52

An upgraded version of the Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System, PHITS2.52, was developed and released to the public. The new version has been greatly improved from the previously released version, PHITS2.24, in terms of not only the code itself but also the contents of its package, such as the attached data libraries. In the new version, a higher accuracy of simulation was achieved by implementing several latest nuclear reaction models. The reliability of the simulation was improved by modifying both the algorithms for the electron-, positron-, and photon-transport simulations and the procedure for calculating the statistical uncertainties of the tally results. Estimation of the time evolution of radioactivity became feasible by incorporating the activation calculation program DCHAIN-SP into the new package. The efficiency of the simulation was also improved as a result of the implementation of shared-memory parallelization and the optimization of several time-consuming algorithms. Furthermore, a number of new user-support tools and functions that help users to intuitively and effectively perform PHITS simulations were developed and incorporated. Due to these improvements, PHITS is now a more powerful tool for particle transport simulation applicable to various research and development fields, such as nuclear technology, accelerator design, medical physics, and cosmic-ray research.

Development of PARMA: PHITS-based Analytical Radiation Model in the Atmosphere

Abstract Sato, T., Yasuda, H., Niita, K., Endo, A. and Sihver, L. Development of PARMA: PHITS-based Analytical Radiation Model in the Atmosphere. Radiat. Res. 170, 244–259 (2008). Estimation of cosmic-ray spectra in the atmosphere has been essential for the evaluation of aviation doses. We therefore calculated these spectra by performing Monte Carlo simulation of cosmic-ray propagation in the atmosphere using the PHITS code. The accuracy of the simulation was well verified by experimental data taken under various conditions, even near sea level. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the simulation results, we proposed an analytical model for estimating the cosmic-ray spectra of neutrons, protons, helium ions, muons, electrons, positrons and photons applicable to any location in the atmosphere at altitudes below 20 km. Our model, named PARMA, enables us to calculate the cosmic radiation doses rapidly with a precision equivalent to that of the Monte Carlo simulation, which requires much more computational time. With these properties, PARMA is capable of improving the accuracy and efficiency of the cosmic-ray exposure dose estimations not only for aircrews but also for the public on the ground.

Biological Dose Estimation for Charged-Particle Therapy Using an Improved PHITS Code Coupled with a Microdosimetric Kinetic Model

Abstract Sato, T., Kase, Y., Watanabe, R., Niita, K. and Sihver, L. Biological Dose Estimation for Charged Particle Therapy Using an Improved PHITS Code Coupled with a Microdosimetric Kinetic Model. Radiat. Res. 171, 107–117 (2009). Microdosimetric quantities such as lineal energy, y, are better indexes for expressing the RBE of HZE particles in comparison to LET. However, the use of microdosimetric quantities in computational dosimetry is severely limited because of the difficulty in calculating their probability densities in macroscopic matter. We therefore improved the particle transport simulation code PHITS, providing it with the capability of estimating the microdosimetric probability densities in a macroscopic framework by incorporating a mathematical function that can instantaneously calculate the probability densities around the trajectory of HZE particles with a precision equivalent to that of a microscopic track-structure simulation. A new method for estimating biological dose, the product of physical dose and RBE, from charged-particle therapy was established using the improved PHITS coupled with a microdosimetric kinetic model. The accuracy of the biological dose estimated by this method was tested by comparing the calculated physical doses and RBE values with the corresponding data measured in a slab phantom irradiated with several kinds of HZE particles. The simulation technique established in this study will help to optimize the treatment planning of charged-particle therapy, thereby maximizing the therapeutic effect on tumors while minimizing unintended harmful effects on surrounding normal tissues.

Temporal and spatial evolution of the solar energetic particle event on 20 January 2005 and resulting radiation doses in aviation

The solar energetic particle event on 20 January 2005 was one of the largest ground level events ever observed. Neutron monitor stations in the Antarctic recorded count rate increases of several thousand percent caused by secondary energetic particles, and it took more than 36 h to return to background level. Such huge increases in high energetic solar cosmic radiation on the ground are obviously accompanied by considerable changes in the radiation environment at aviation altitudes. Measurements of 28 neutron monitor stations were used in this work to numerically approximate the primary solar proton spectra during the first 12 h of the event by minimizing the differences between measurements and the results of Monte-Carlo calculated count rate increases. The primary spectrum of solar energetic protons was approximated by a power law in rigidity and a linear angular distribution. The incoming direction of the solar energetic particles was determined and compared to the interplanetary magnetic field direction during the event. The effects on the radiation exposure at altitudes of about 12 km during that time were estimated to range from none at low latitudes up to almost 2 mSv/h for a very short time in the Antarctic region and about 0.1 mSv/h at high latitudes on the Northern Hemisphere. After 12 h, dose rates were still increased by 50% at latitudes above 60 degrees whereas no increases at all occurred at latitudes below 40 degrees during the whole event.

Measurements of Total and Partial Charge-changing Cross Sections for 200-400 MeV/nucleon 12C in Water and Polycarbonate

We have studied charged nuclear fragments produced by 200 - 400 MeV/nucleon carbon ions, interacting with water and polycarbonate, using a newly developed emulsion detector. Total and partial charge-changing cross sections for the production of B, Be, and Li fragments were measured and compared with both previously published measurements, and model predictions. This study is of importance for validating and improving carbon ion therapy treatment planning systems, and for estimating the radiological risks for personnel on space missions, since carbon is a significant component of the Galactic Cosmic Rays.

Nuclear Fragmentation of High-Energy Heavy-Ion Beams in Water

As a part of the physical-technical program of the heavy-ion therapy project at GSI we have investigated the nuclear fragmentation of high-energy ion beams delivered by the heavy-ion synchrotron SIS, using water as a tissue-equivalent target. For a direct comparison of fragmentation properties, beams of 10B, 12C, 14N, and 16O were produced simultaneously as secondary beams from a primary 18O beam and separated in flight by magnetic beam analysis. The Z-distributions of beam fragments produced in the water target were measured via energy loss in a large ionisation chamber and a scintillator telescope. From these data we obtained both total and partial charge-changing cross sections. In addition we have performed Bragg measurements using two parallel-plate ionization chambers and a water target of variable length. The detailed shape of the measured Bragg curves and the measured cross sections are in good agreement with model calculations based on semi-empirical formulae.

Calculations of depth-dose distributions, cross sections and momentum loss

The ability to know with precision the depth-dose, dose average LET, fluence and energy distributions is of great importance in many research fields, including therapeutic and diagnostic medicine when using heavy ion beams, as well as in space research. We have therefore developed a model and a computer code for calculating these distributions when using high energy proton or heavy ion beams. In this model, we use semi-empirical total reaction and partial cross section formulas developed by us and a new prescription to take into account the energy and momentum loss of the secondary nuclei. In this paper, we will also present an empirical equation for the total inelastic 4He-p cross section, as well as the partial cross sections for the production of 3He, 3H, 2H, p and n.

Simulations of the MATROSHKA experiment at the international space station using PHITS

Concerns about the biological effects of space radiation are increasing rapidly due to the perspective of long-duration manned missions, both in relation to the International Space Station (ISS) and to manned interplanetary missions to Moon and Mars in the future. As a preparation for these long-duration space missions, it is important to ensure an excellent capability to evaluate the impact of space radiation on human health, in order to secure the safety of the astronauts/cosmonauts and minimize their risks. It is therefore necessary to measure the radiation load on the personnel both inside and outside the space vehicles and certify that organ- and tissue-equivalent doses can be simulated as accurate as possible. In this paper, simulations are presented using the three-dimensional Monte Carlo Particle and Heavy-Ion Transport code System (PHITS) (Iwase et al. in J Nucl Sci Tech 39(11):1142–1151, 2002) of long-term dose measurements performed with the European Space Agency–supported MATROSHKA (MTR) experiment (Reitz and Berger in Radiat Prot Dosim 120:442–445, 2006). MATROSHKA is an anthropomorphic phantom containing over 6,000 radiation detectors, mimicking a human head and torso. The MTR experiment, led by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), was launched in January 2004 and has measured the absorbed doses from space radiation both inside and outside the ISS. Comparisons of simulations with measurements outside the ISS are presented. The results indicate that PHITS is a suitable tool for estimation of doses received from cosmic radiation and for study of the shielding of spacecraft against cosmic radiation.

Transport of light ions in matter

A recent set of light ion experiments are analyzed using the Greens function method of solving the Boltzmann equation for ions of high charge and energy (the GRNTRN transport code) and the NUCFRG2 fragmentation database generator code. Although the NUCFRG2 code reasonably represents the fragmentation of heavy ions, the effects of light ion fragmentation requires a more detailed nuclear model including shell structure and short range correlations appearing as tightly bound clusters in the light ion nucleus. The most recent NUCFRG2 code is augmented with a quasielastic alpha knockout model and semiempirical adjustments (up to 30 percent in charge removal) in the fragmentation process allowing reasonable agreement with the experiments to be obtained. A final resolution of the appropriate cross sections must await the full development of a coupled channel reaction model in which shell structure and clustering can be accurately evaluated.

Galactic cosmic ray simulation at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory

Most accelerator-based space radiation experiments have been performed with single ion beams at fixed energies. However, the space radiation environment consists of a wide variety of ion species with a continuous range of energies. Due to recent developments in beam switching technology implemented at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), it is now possible to rapidly switch ion species and energies, allowing for the possibility to more realistically simulate the actual radiation environment found in space. The present paper discusses a variety of issues related to implementation of galactic cosmic ray (GCR) simulation at NSRL, especially for experiments in radiobiology. Advantages and disadvantages of different approaches to developing a GCR simulator are presented. In addition, issues common to both GCR simulation and single beam experiments are compared to issues unique to GCR simulation studies. A set of conclusions is presented as well as a discussion of the technical implementation of GCR simulation.