Space Radiation Dosimetry: Overview and Recent Developments
J.A. Caffrey and D.M. Hamby
Affiliation: Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Health Physics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-5902, USA.
Recent developments in space dosimetry hardware are reviewed, primarily considering microdosimetry,
including a selection of recently deployed instruments and experimental technology. An introduction is first provided for
background in concepts of radiation health physics as they relate to space radiation dosimetry. Multiple approaches for
space dosimetry are discussed, including the conventional method and more recent microdosimetric and fluence-based
approaches. Two newly deployed instruments are covered: the latest NASA Tissue Equivalent Proportional Counter, and
the Timepix portable dosimeter/spectrometer. Recent experimental work in solid-state microdosimetry is also discussed,
including silicon-on-insulator (SOI), diamond, and ΔE-E instrumentation. Relevant patents in space dosimetry are
provided for reference.
Keywords: Dosimetry, microdosimetry, radiation, silicon-on-insulator, space, spectrometer.
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