A methodology is presented for collecting and analysing exposure measurements from galactic cosmic radiation using a portable equipment suite and encapsulating these data into a semi-empirical model/Predictive Code for Aircrew Radiation Exposure (PCAIRE) for the assessment of aircrew radiation exposure on any flight over the solar cycle. The PCAIRE code has been validated against integral route dose measurements at commercial aircraft altitudes during experimental flights made by various research groups over the past 5 y with code predictions typically within +/-20% of the measured data. An empirical correlation, based on ground-level neutron monitoring data, is detailed further for estimation of aircrew exposure from solar particle events. The semi-empirical models have been applied to predict the annual and career exposure of a flight crew member using actual flight roster data, accounting for contributions from galactic radiation and several solar energetic-particle events over the period 1973-2002.
During 2003, a portable instrument suite was used to conduct cosmic radiation measurements on 49 jet-altitude flights, which brings the total number of in-flight measurements by this research group to over 160 flights since 1999. From previous measurements, correlations have been developed to allow for the interpolation of the dose-equivalent rate for any global position, altitude and date. The result was a Predictive Code for Aircrew Radiation Exposure (PCAIRE), which has since been improved. This version of the PCAIRE has been validated against the integral route dose measurements made at commercial aircraft altitudes during the 49 flights. On most flights, the code gave predictions that agreed to the measured data (within AE25%), providing confidence in the use of PCAIRE to predict aircrew exposure to galactic cosmic radiation. An empirical correlation, based on ground-level neutron monitoring data, has also been developed for the estimation of aircrew exposure from solar energetic particle (SEP) events. This model has been used to determine the significance of SEP exposure on a theoretical jet altitude flight during GLE 42.
In situ irradiations of 15Cr/15Ni-Ti and 15Cr/25Ni-Ti model austenitic steels were performed at the Intermediate Voltage Electron Microscope (IVEM)-Tandem user Facility (Argonne National Laboratory) at 600°C using 1MeV Kr ++ . The experiment was designed in the framework of cladding development for the GEN IV Sodium Fast Reactors (SFR). It is an extension of previous high dose irradiations on those model alloys at JANNuS-Saclay facility in France, aimed at investigating swelling mechanisms and microstructure evolution of these alloys under irradiation [1]. These studies showed a strong influence of Ni in decreasing swelling. In situ irradiations were used to continuously follow the microstructure evolution during irradiation using both diffraction contrast imaging and recording of diffraction patterns. Defect analysis, including defect size, density and nature, was performed to characterize the evolving microstructure and the swelling. Comparison of 15Cr/15Ni-Ti and 15Cr/25Ni-Ti irradiated microstructure has lent insight into the effect of nickel content in the development of radiation damage caused by heavy ion irradiation. The results are quantified and discussed in this paper.
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