An extensive study of depth dose distribution and projectile fragmentation cross-section for shielding materials...

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Physics
• Materials Science
• Space Radiation Physics

Background:

• Space radiation poses a significant risk to astronauts and electronics.
• Effective shielding materials are crucial for mitigating radiation exposure.
• Understanding ion interactions with matter is key to developing advanced shielding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the ion characteristics and shielding efficacy of various materials against 16O beams.
• To compare the fragmentation properties and depth dose reduction of hydrogenous and elemental materials.
• To validate the Geant4 simulation tool for space radiation shielding applications.

Main Methods:

• Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations were performed for 16O beams.
• Simulations covered various elemental and hydrogenous materials.
• Energy-dependent comparisons were made at 200-594 MeV/n.

Main Results:

• Hydrogenous materials and low Z elements (C, Al) exhibited lower peak-to-entrance ratios, indicating higher fragmentation.
• Depth dose reduction was significantly higher for hydrogenous materials (up to 1.72%) compared to non-hydrogenous targets (up to 0.82%).
• Lithium Hydride (LiH) showed the lowest peak-to-entrance ratio and highest depth dose reduction, outperforming polyethylene.

Conclusions:

• Hydrogenous materials with low Z elements are recommended for effective space radiation shielding.
• LiH demonstrates superior shielding effectiveness, attributed to the contribution of Lithium (Li).
• Geant4 simulations provide reliable data for material selection in space radiation environments.