The Radiation Environment on the Moon from Galactic Cosmic Rays in a Lunar Habitat

• Published in: Radiation research Vol. 173; no. 2; pp. 238 - 244
• Main Authors: Jia, Y., Lin, Z. W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The Radiation Research Society 01-02-2010; Radiation Research Society
• Subjects: Albedo; Computer simulation; Cosmic Radiation; Domes; Earths Moon; Habitats; Ions; Mathematical analysis; Monte Carlo Method; Monte Carlo methods; Moon; Neutrons; Photons; Pions; Positrons; Protons; Radiation dosage; Regolith; REGULAR ARTICLES; Space life sciences
• ISSN: 0033-7587; 1938-5404
• DOI: 10.1667/RR1846.1

We calculated how the radiation environment in a habitat on the surface of the Moon would have depended on the thickness of the habitat in the 1977 galactic cosmic-ray environment. The Geant4 Monte Carlo transport code was used, and a hemispherical dome made of lunar regolith was used to simulate the lunar habitat. We investigated the effective dose from primary and secondary particles including nuclei from protons up to nickel, neutrons, charged pions, photons, electrons and positrons. The total effective dose showed a strong decrease with the thickness of the habitat dome. However, the effective dose values from secondary neutrons, charged pions, photons, electrons and positrons all showed a strong increase followed by a gradual decrease with the habitat thickness. The fraction of the summed effective dose from these secondary particles in the total effective dose increased with the habitat thickness, from ∼5% for the no-habitat case to about 47% for the habitat with an areal thickness of 100 g/cm2.