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24 May 2012

Answer to Question #396 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Category: Environmental and Background Radiation — Space Flight

The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field:

Where could I find information about proton radiation in space? I would also like information dealing with the penetration of protons in matter with energies typical of those found in space.

Since protons are present in the Van Allen belts, and in solar and galactic cosmic rays, good places to search are various National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) websites, including the NOAA Space Environment Center in Boulder, NASA Goddard and Marshall Space Flight Centers, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA Langley and Lewis Research Centers, NASA Johnson Space Center, and the education links on the NASA Headquarters Website. Another excellent source of information is the Proceedings of the Biennial COSPAR (Committee on Space Research) plenary meeting. These are published in Advances in Space Research. Representative URLs include:

The Exploration of the Earth's Magnetosphere
Science @ NASA
NASA Technical Reports Server (Search the keyword protons and then authors Cucinotta, Townsend, and Wilson. Many of the reports can be downloaded as PDF files).
NOAA's Space Environment Center (Proton spectra and particle data from the GOES satellites can be viewed and downloaded for use.)
Cosmic Rays
Solar-Terrestrial Physics Division of the National Geophysical Data Center
Spaceflight Radiation Health Program at the Johnson Space Center

Lawrence W. Townsend, PhD

Answer posted on 31 August 2000. The information and material posted on this website is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may alter the concepts and applications of materials and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice specific to whatever facts and circumstances are presented in any given situation. Answers are correct at the time they are posted on the Website. Be advised that over time, some requirements could change, new data could be made available, or Internet links could change. For answers that have been posted for several months or longer, please check the current status of the posted information prior to using the responses for specific applications.