GSI-ESA-NASA Nuclear Cross-section Database: Update II. Elemental and Isotopic Fragment-production Cross Sections.

Area of Science:

• Nuclear physics
• Space radiation physics

Background:

• Accurate nuclear fragment-production cross-sections are vital for radiation transport codes.
• These codes are essential for radiation protection and health risk assessments in space exploration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compile and discuss experimentally measured nuclear fragment-production cross-section data from literature.
• To identify gaps in existing data for space exploration relevant systems.
• To compare collected data with nuclear fragmentation models in NASA's HZETRN2020 code.

Main Methods:

• Literature data compilation for nuclear fragment-production cross-sections.
• Creation of a publicly available database.
• Comparison of experimental data with NUCFRG3 and RAADFRG models.

Main Results:

• A database of cross-section data for space exploration systems was created, highlighting literature gaps.
• NUCFRG3 model neglects nuclear-structure effects.
• RAADFRG model incorporates nuclear-structure effects, improving helium fragment prediction accuracy.
• RAADFRG shows overestimation of odd-even effects at high energies for certain systems.

Conclusions:

• RAADFRG offers improved accuracy for projectile fragment production, particularly helium, due to its consideration of nuclear-structure effects.
• Further refinement of fragmentation models is needed to address overestimations of odd-even effects at high energies.