title: Cross-section scaling for track structure simulations of low-energy ions in liquid water.
abstract: Radiation damage by low-energy ions significantly contributes to the high biological efficiency of ion beams in distal Bragg peak regions as well as to the energy-dependent efficiency of neutron irradiation. To enable assessing biological effects of ions at energies <1 MeV u(-1) with track-structure based models, a Barkas-like scaling procedure is developed that provides ion cross sections in liquid water based on those for hydrogen ions. The resulting stopping power and range for carbon ions agree with the ICRU 73 database and other low-energy stopping power data. The method represents the basis for extending PARTRAC simulations of light ion track structures and biological effects down to the keV u(-1) range.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiation Protection, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany elke.schmitt@helmholtz-muenchen.de.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiation Protection, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Friedland
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiation Protection, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kundrát
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dingfelder
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Pavia, and INFN Section of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ottolenghi
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D009502:Neutrons; D011522:Protons; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D011522:Protons; D014867:Water; D002244:Carbon