[A simple dosimetry method for biological experiments on the International Space Station]

For interpretation of results from future biological experiments in the International Space Station (ISS), radiation doses received by the biological samples must be accurately determined. This paper demonstrates that small integrating detectors, such as thermoluminescent dosemeters (TLDs) and glasses, can be used in a simple way for evaluation of biological doses from space radiation. Statistical errors (type-A uncertainty) of this method would be satisfactorily small relative to those generally observed in biological responses. Permissible levels of systematic errors (type-B uncertainty) should depend on both dosimetry purpose (most-probable or conventional evaluation) and reproducibility of the biological responses. It is expected that this method will be suitably applied to future experiments in the ISS where any instruments have to be small-scale, light-weight, physico-chemically stable and simple in handling.