Design of a TEPC for Use in Space

by Leslie A. BRABY (Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas)

Wednesday 26 May 2010, 11:00 → 12:30 Europe/Rome

VILLI Meeting Room (INFN LNL)

The radiation environment in space includes nearly all types of ionizing radiation, with almost all possible values of LET. Tissue Equivalent Proportional Counters (TEPC) simulating 2 micrometer tissue volumes have generally been used to measure absorbed dose and estimate dose equivalent in space because of their nearly ideal response to different types of ionizing radiation, and the relationship between measured energy deposition and LET. The space radiation environment imposes many requirements on the design and construction of the TEPC and its associated data acquisition system. These requirements include long term unattended operation, immunity to high levels of electronic and acoustic noise, minimal sensitivity to temperature variation, isotropic response, wide dose rate range. The design of the TEPC currently in use on the International Space Station, the limitations of that design, and some options for the design of better detectors will be described. Some of those options are being implemented in a prototype detector designed for use in a new generation of real time dosimeter for the space station. The properties of this new detector will be discussed.