Development and Exploitation of a Novel Multi-Purpose Particle Detector for Radiation Monitoring in Space Exploration

辐射监测和防护是医学物理学的关键课题，与载人空间探索特别相关。目前的辐射探测技术缺乏确保宇航员在地球保护性大气层以外旅行（如前往月球或火星）时安全的关键能力。精确了解宇宙辐射的组成对于了解辐射的生物效应和开发更好的屏蔽技术是重要的，我们正在开发一种新的探测器概念，称为多用途有源目标粒子望远镜，它结合了目前使用的系统的许多优点，克服了它们的许多局限性。我们使用最先进的光传感器和反射器来构建一个紧凑，轻便，功耗低的设备，可以测量能量和方向的单个粒子与准全向接受。凭借其新颖的探测器概念，MAPT可以比传统的粒子望远镜更好地识别能量低于1 GeV/n的粒子种类。虽然比复杂的光谱仪功率小，但它的构造和操作要简单得多。我们计划与美国合作，在国际空间站（ISS）上部署一项技术演示实验。基于合作伙伴。如果成功证明，MAPT可以取代目前在国际空间站上使用的大多数固定辐射探测器。它的设计还允许在整个车站进行更灵活的部署。未来的深空任务可以根据每个使命的要求，配备稍微修改过的MAPT，除了将仪器的性能与现有设备进行比较外，实验还将提供目前无法获得的数据。我们计划在真实的时间内测量宇宙辐射的成分、能量和角谱以及粒子种类特定的通量分布。MAPT的独特功能还使我们能够对带电的初级辐射和（带电和不带电的）次级辐射进行相关测量，例如在宇宙射线与航天器相互作用中产生的次级辐射。我们所得的数据可与实验室测量不同辐射粒子在细胞层面的影响所得的数据互相补充和结合，有助进一步了解高电离辐射（例如高能原子核）对宇航员的影响。这一领域的大的不确定性是限制使命持续时间的主要因素。MAPT概念还提供了许多允许在其他领域应用的特征。其中包括通过精确确定比能量损失以及识别其他探测器概念无法达到的极低能量下的反粒子，在与放射治疗相关的能量下获得出色的能量分辨率。

Radiation monitoring and protection are key topics in medical physics and are of particular relevance to manned space exploration. Current radiation detection technologies lack capabilities that are crucial to ensure astronaut safety on journeys beyond Earth’s protective atmosphere, such as to the moon or Mars. A precise knowledge of the composition of cosmic radiation is important to understand the biological effectiveness of radiation and to develop better shielding technologies.We are developing a new detector concept, called the Multipurpose Active-target Particle Telescope (MAPT), that combines many of the advantages of currently used systems and overcomes many of their limitations. We use state-of-the-art photosensors and scintillators to construct a compact, lightweight device with low power consumption that can measure energy and direction for individual particles with a quasi-omnidirectional acceptance. With its novel detector concept, MAPT can better identify particle species than traditional particle telescopes at energies below 1 GeV/n. While being less powerful than a complex spectrometer, it would be significantly simpler to construct and operate. This has both scientific and operational advantages.We plan to deploy a technology demonstration experiment to the International Space Station (ISS) in cooperation with U.S.-based partners. If successfully proven, MAPT could replace most stationary radiation detectors that are currently in use on the ISS. Its design also allows a more flexible deployment throughout the station. Future deep-space missions could be equipped with slightly modified versions of MAPT, accounting for each mission’s requirements.Besides comparing the instrument’s capabilities to existing devices, the experiment shall provide data that is so far unavailable. We plan to measure the composition, the energy and angular spectra, and particle species-specific flux profiles of cosmic radiation in real time. MAPT’s unique capabilities also allow us to take correlated measurements of charged primary radiation and (charged and uncharged) secondary radiation that is for example created in interactions of cosmic rays with the spacecraft. The accessible energy range of 25 MeV/n to about 1 GeV/n is particle species-specific.Data obtained by us could be supplemented and combined with laboratory measurements of the impact of different radiation particles at the cellular level, helping to further the understanding of the effects of highly-ionizing radiation, e.g. high-energy atomic nuclei, on astronauts. Large uncertainties in this area are the main factor driving limitations on mission durations.The MAPT concept also provides many features that allowing applications in other fields. Among these are excellent energy resolution at energies relevant to radiation therapy through precise determination of the specific energy loss and the identification of antiparticles at very low energies out of reach for other detector concepts.