Mertens Christopher J
NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, USA.
Space Weather. 2016 Nov;14(11):921-934. doi: 10.1002/2016SW001399. Epub 2016 Oct 25.
The NASA Radiation Dosimetry Experiment (RaD-X) stratospheric balloon flight mission addresses the need to reduce the uncertainty in predicting human exposure to cosmic radiation in the aircraft environment. Measurements were taken that characterize the dosimetric properties of cosmic ray primaries, the ultimate source of aviation radiation exposure, and the cosmic ray secondary radiations that are produced and transported to aviation altitudes. In addition, radiation detectors were flown to assess their potential application to long-term, continuous monitoring of the aircraft radiation environment. RaD-X was successfully launched from Fort Sumner, New Mexico (34.5°N, 104.2°W), on 25 September 2015. Over 18 h of science data were obtained from a total of four different type dosimeters at altitudes above 20 km. The RaD-X flight mission was supported by laboratory radiation exposure testing of the balloon flight dosimeters and also by coordinated radiation measurements taken on ER-2 and commercial aircraft. This paper provides the science background and motivation for the RaD-X flight mission, a brief description of the balloon flight profile and the supporting aircraft flights, and a summary of the articles included in the RaD-X special collection and their contributions to the science goals of the RaD-X mission.
美国国家航空航天局辐射剂量测定实验（RaD-X）平流层气球飞行任务旨在满足降低预测人类在飞机环境中受到宇宙辐射剂量不确定性的需求。该实验进行了相关测量，以表征宇宙射线初级粒子（航空辐射暴露的最终来源）以及在航空高度产生和传输的宇宙射线次级辐射的剂量学特性。此外，还搭载了辐射探测器，以评估其在长期、连续监测飞机辐射环境方面的潜在应用。RaD-X于2015年9月25日从新墨西哥州萨姆纳堡（北纬34.5°，西经104.2°）成功发射。在20千米以上的高度，从总共四种不同类型的剂量计中获取了超过18小时的科学数据。RaD-X飞行任务得到了气球飞行剂量计的实验室辐射暴露测试以及在ER-2飞机和商用飞机上进行的协同辐射测量的支持。本文介绍了RaD-X飞行任务的科学背景和动机，简要描述了气球飞行概况和支持性飞机飞行情况，并总结了RaD-X特刊中的文章及其对RaD-X任务科学目标的贡献。
