Induced activity in scintillation detectors in space

https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-583X(91)95074-NGet rights and content

Abstract

An experimental system was flown on the Space Shuttle Columbia from August 8 to 13, 1989 as part of the Shuttle Activation Monitor (SAM) program [P.S. Haskins et al., IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. NS-37 (6) (1990) 1256]. Gamma-ray spectra were collected both during flight and after landing from two 3 in. × 3 in. scintillation detectors, Nal and BGO. The shuttle was in a high inclination (57 °) orbit, at an altitude of 300 km which provided exposure to the trapped charged particles in the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) as well as the electrons in the Polar regions. The induced radiation observed by the detectors resulted from both external and internal sources activated by the interaction with the energetic charged particles. The flight data analysis indicates variation of the induced external radiation as a function of geomagnetic coordinates and amount of shielding, whereas the post-landing data exhibits induced internal radiation from the two different types of detector materials.

References (5)

  • C.S. Dyer et al.

    Nucl. Instr. and Meth.

    (1980)
  • G.J. Fishman et al.

    Adv. Space Res.

    (1987)
There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (0)

The SAM experiment is sponsored by the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization and flew under the management of the Department of Defense Space Test Program.

View full text