A double-hyperfragment event has been found in a hybrid-emulsion experiment. It is identified uniquely as the sequential decay of ( 6)(LambdaLambda)He emitted from a Xi(-) hyperon nuclear capture at rest. The mass of ( 6)(LambdaLambda)He and the Lambda-Lambda interaction energy DeltaB(LambdaLambda) have been measured for the first time devoid of the ambiguities due to the possibilities of excited states. The value of DeltaB(LambdaLambda) is 1.01+/-0.20(+0.18)(-0.11) MeV. This demonstrates that the Lambda-Lambda interaction is weakly attractive.

With exciting new NASA plans for a sustainable return to the moon, astronauts will once again leave Earth's protective magnetosphere only to endure higher levels of radiation from galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) and the possibility of a large solar particle event (SPE). Gateway, lunar landers, and surface habitats will be designed to protect crew against SPEs with vehicle optimization, storm shelter concepts, and/or active dosimetry; however, the ever penetrating GCR will continue to pose the most significant health risks especially as lunar missions increase in duration and as NASA sets its aspirations on Mars. The primary risks of concern include carcinogenesis, central nervous system (CNS) effects resulting in potential in-mission cognitive or behavioral impairment and/or late neurological disorders, degenerative tissue effects including circulatory and heart disease, as well as potential immune system decrements impacting multiple aspects of crew health. Characterization and mitigation of these risks requires a significant reduction in the large biological uncertainties of chronic (low-dose rate) heavy-ion exposures and the validation of countermeasures in a relevant space environment. Historically, most research on understanding space radiation-induced health risks has been performed using acute exposures of monoenergetic single-ion beams. However, the space radiation environment consists of a wide variety of ion species over a broad energy range. Using the fast beam switching and controls systems technology recently developed at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) at Brookhaven National Laboratory, a new era in radiobiological research is possible. NASA has developed the "GCR Simulator" to generate a spectrum of ion beams that approximates the primary and secondary GCR field experienced at human organ locations within a deepspace vehicle. The majority of the dose is delivered from protons (approximately 65%-75%) and helium ions (approximately 10%-20%) with heavier ions (Z � 3) contributing the remainder. The GCR simulator exposes state-of-the art cellular and animal model systems to 33 sequential beams including 4 proton energies plus degrader, 4 helium energies plus degrader, and the 5 heavy ions of C, O, Si, Ti, and Fe. A polyethylene degrader system is used with the 100 MeV/n H and He beams to provide a nearly continuous distribution of lowenergy particles. A 500 mGy exposure, delivering doses from each of the 33 beams, requires approximately 75 minutes. To more closely simulate the low-dose rates found in

The ⌳ 13 C hypernucleus was studied by measuring ␥ rays in coincidence with the 13 C(K Ϫ , Ϫ ) reaction. ␥ rays from the 1/2 Ϫ and 3/2 Ϫ states, which are the partners of the spin-orbit doublet states with a predominant configuration of ͓ 12 C g.s. (0 ϩ ) p ⌳ ͔, to the ground state were measured. The splitting of the states was found to be ⌬E(1/2 Ϫ Ϫ3/2 Ϫ )ϭϩ152Ϯ54(stat)Ϯ36(syst) keV. This value is 20-30 times smaller than that of single particle states in nuclei around this mass region. The j ⌳ ϭl ⌳ Ϫ1/2͓(p 1/2 ) ⌳ ͔ state appeared higher in energy, as in normal nuclei. The value gives new insight into the Y N interaction. The excitation energies of the 1/2 Ϫ and 3/2 Ϫ states were obtained as 10.982Ϯ0.031(stat)Ϯ0.056(syst) and 10.830Ϯ0.031(stat)Ϯ0.056(syst) MeV, respectively. We also observed ␥ rays from the 3/2 ϩ state, which has a ͓ 12 C(2 ϩ ) s ⌳ ͔ configuration, to the ground state in ⌳ 13 C. The excitation energy of the 3/2 ϩ state was obtained as 4.880Ϯ0.010(stat) Ϯ0.017(syst) MeV. Nuclear ␥ rays with energies of 4.438 and 15.100 MeV had similar yields, which suggests that a quasifree knockout of a ⌳ particle is dominant in highly excited regions.

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