title: LET-distributions and doses of HZE radiation components at near-Earth orbits.
abstract: Among cosmic rays, the heavy nuclei ranging from carbon to iron provide the principal contribution to the dose equivalent. The LET-distributions and absorbed dose aid dose equivalent have been calculated and are presented as a function of shielding and tissue self-shielding. At solar minimum, outside the magnetosphere, the unshielded dose equivalent of nuclei with atomic number Z > or = 6 is about 47 rem/year. The contribution of the target nuclei adds 7 rem/year. With 4 g/cm2 aluminum shielding, and at a depth of 5 cm in a biological phantom of 30 cm diameter, the respective values are 11 and 10 rem/year. Corresponding dose rates for orbits with various inclinations are presented, as well as the LET distributions of various components of cosmic rays.
authors.affiliation: Naval Research Laboratory, E.O. Hulburt Center for Space Research, Washington, DC 20375, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Silberberg
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Letaw
mesh_terms: D003359:Cosmic Radiation; D019471:Elementary Particle Interactions; D020450:Heavy Ions; D018499:Linear Energy Transfer; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011522:Protons; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection; D012062:Relative Biological Effectiveness; D019445:Solar Activity; D013026:Space Flight
chemical_list: D011522:Protons