title: Linear energy transfer (LET) spectra of cosmic radiation in low Earth orbit.
abstract: Integral linear energy transfer (LET) spectra of cosmic radiation (CR) particles were measured on five Cosmos series spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO).  Particular emphasis is placed on results of the Cosmos 1887 biosatellite which carried a set of joint U.S.S.R.-U.S.A. radiation experiments involving passive detectors that included thermoluminescent detectors (TLDs), plastic nuclear track detectors (PNTDs), fission foils, nuclear photo-emulsions, etc. which were located both inside and outside the spacecraft.  Measured LET spectra are compared with those theoretically calculated.  Results show that there is some dependence of LET spectra on orbital parameters.  The results are used to estimate the CR quality factor (QF) for the Cosmos 1887 mission.
authors.affiliation: Yerevan Institute of Physics, U.S.S.R.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Akopova
authors.forename: N V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Magradze
authors.forename: V E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Dudkin
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Kovalev
authors.lastname: Potapov YuV
authors.forename: E V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Benton
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Benton
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Parnell
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Watts
mesh_terms: D003359:Cosmic Radiation; D018499:Linear Energy Transfer; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000295:instrumentation; D013026:Space Flight / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014586:USSR; D014481:United States