An Investigation of Dose Estimates inside a Space Station Using Solar Protons Spectrum

Abstract

This paper investigates the interaction of energetic solar protons measured by the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES), with the aluminum shielding structure of different thicknesses and calculates the dose distribution inside an tissue equivalent phantom inside the aluminum structure. In addition to the incident energetic protons, the major contributors to the total dose inside the phantom are the secondary protons and neutrons generated by spallation reactions in the aluminum structure and the phantom. Three modes of incidence of source protons are considered: center seeking, planar, and isotropic. The center seeking mode is the most conservative, resulting in the highest dose values and distribution inside the phantom, compared to those at the phantom’s outer surface. Both the planar and isotropic modes result in much lower dose values that are more evenly distributed throughout the phantom.