Simulations on the shielding performance of composite materials around Jupiter’s radiation belts

Abstract

The radiation environment in the vicinity of Jupiter is extremely harsh. In this context, dominant high-energy electrons are the main cause of the total ionizing dose that seriously threatens the service life of electronic devices aboard spacecraft. In this study, we explore the shielding effect of aluminum–tantalum composite materials in the energy spectrum of the radiation environment of a probe orbiting Jupiter and the planet’s gravity assist orbit at the edge of the solar system by using Monte Carlo simulations. The results show that when the shielding material was sufficiently thick, the composite shield was superior to a shield composed of a single element. Moreover, the lower the apogee of the orbit around Jupiter was, the higher was the flux in the energy spectrum of the electrons, and it was advantageous to use a thin material in the composite shield in this case. As the thickness of the material increased, the mass ratio of Al in the optimal ratio of the Al–Ta composite material gradually increased. The results of this study provide a reference for designing strong shielding materials to protect against radiation in deep space exploration.