Radioactivity induced in detector materials by cosmic rays, trapped protons and secondary neutrons is a major source of background in gamma-ray astronomy and remote sensing spectroscopy of the moon and the planets. A calculation scheme for assessing this component has been developed based on semi-empirical cross-sections and stochastic calculations of energy-loss spectra of radioactive nuclides. In addition, predictive methods are available based on experimental data obtained from monoenergetic proton beam irradiations of scintillators at energies of 155, 600, 800 MeV and 6 GeV. Application of these methods to in-flight results from scintillator detectors carried on lightweight OSO spacecraft, for which trapped protons of 20-200 MeV dominate, shows that the induced radioactivity at lower photon energies can be well explained by spallation interactions of primary protons in the central crystal detector elements.
Calculation of radioactivity induced in gamma-ray spectrometers during Spaceflight
Berechnung der bei Raumfluegen induzierten Radioaktivitaet
Nuclear Instruments and Methods ; 173 , 3 ; 585-601
1980
17 Seiten, 12 Bilder, 7 Tabellen, 19 Quellen
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Englisch