An easy-to-use function to assess deep space radiation in human brains

Abstract

Abstract Health risks from radiation exposure in space are an important factor for astronauts’ safety as they venture on long-duration missions to the Moon or Mars. It is important to assess the radiation level inside the human brain to evaluate the possible hazardous effects on the central nervous system especially during solar energetic particle (SEP) events. We use a realistic model of the head/brain structure and calculate the radiation deposit therein by realistic SEP events, also under various shielding scenarios. We then determine the relation between the radiation dose deposited in different parts of the brain and the properties of the SEP events and obtain some simple and ready-to-use functions which can be used to quickly and reliably forecast the event dose in the brain. Such a novel tool can be used from fast nowcasting of the consequences of SEP events to optimization of shielding systems and other mitigation strategies of astronauts in space.