Monte Carlo simulations for the space radiation superconducting shield project (SR2S)

Area of Science:

• Space physics
• Radiation shielding
• Astrophysics

Background:

• Astronauts face significant space radiation exposure on long-duration missions.
• Galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and Solar Particle Events (SPE) pose health risks.
• Current passive shielding is insufficient against GCRs, necessitating advanced solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the radiation protection efficiency of an active magnetic shielding system.
• To investigate the impact of secondary particles on shielding effectiveness.
• To evaluate a toroidal magnetic system based on MgB2 superconductors for space radiation shielding.

Main Methods:

• Detailed Monte Carlo simulations using Geant4 interface GRAS.
• Modeling of spacecraft, superconducting magnets, and support structures.
• Simulation of radiation transport through magnetic fields and materials for a deep-space mission scenario.

Main Results:

• Active shielding effectiveness decreases significantly when spacecraft structures are included.
• Large production of secondary radiation within surrounding materials reduces protection.
• Previous studies overestimated shielding efficiency by not accounting for secondary particles and structural materials.

Conclusions:

• Active magnetic shielding requires careful design to mitigate secondary radiation.
• The presence of structural materials severely impacts the radiation protection efficiency of magnetic fields.
• Further research is needed to optimize active shielding systems for deep-space missions.