Radiation Dangers for a Moon Colony ASTR 8510, April 20, 2006 Phillip Mitchem

Overview 1.Types of Radiation 2.Effects of Radiation on You 3.Radiation Effecting a Moon Colony 4.Possible Solutions 5.Questions and References

Types of Radiation Photons Photons –UV –X-Rays –Gamma Rays Sources –Sun’s corona and flares

Types of Radiation Baryons Baryons –Cosmic Rays (protons-89%, alpha-10%, iron, silicon and carbon) –Neutrons Sources –Supernova, solar system, Sun’s corona and flares –Moon Surface (Cosmic Rays)

A Few Radiation Terms Rad (Radiation Absorbed Dose) 100 ergs of energy absorbed by 1 gram of tissue Rem (roentgen-equivalent man) = rad x Q Q (quality factor) the scaling factor

A Few Radiation Terms (cont.) X-rays, Gamma Rays, Q~1 Neutrons, Q=5 Alpha particles, Q=20 Make it so, Todd Give him an A.

Radiation Exposures SourceAmount (mrem/yr) Cigarette smoking (Pb210 Po-210)1300 Grand Central Station525 Average annual184 Cosmic radiation (31 mrem/yr Atlanta)27 From our own bodies25 Per dental x-ray6 TV watching1 Drinking a quart Gatorade a week (K-40)0.2 Sleeping with significant other (K-40, C-14)0.1

Effects of Radiation on You Radiation sickness –Interferes with cell division (#1) –Reduction in red blood cells –Repress immune system –Redding of skin –Cataracts, lost of hair, bleeding –Genetic mutation –Cancer, death

Radiation Effecting a Moon Colony Moon more dangerous than Mars UV, X-Rays, Gamma Rays, Cosmic Rays and Neutrons

What is Known about the Radiation on the Moon? NOT A HELL OF A LOT!

Here’s What We Do Know Cosmic Rays 0.6 millirads/hr on Moon Twice that at solar minimum 33 of 36 of the Apollo astronauts have cataracts caused by exposure to cosmic rays cataracts

Moon Radiations Data Collected Average Radiation Doses of the Flight Crews Individual readings varied approximately 20 percent from the average Apollo Mission Dose, rads EVATraverse, km

Future Mission Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Launch: Oct 2008 CRaTER LEND

Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector LEND’s Mission Create a global model of the neutron radiation on the Moon

Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation CRaTER Misson Research the impact of the Moon’s radiation environment on biological systems

Possible Solutions Metal Walls Underground Water EM Shield

Questions and References Human Heredity" by Michael R Cummings (3rd ed.), West Publishing Company, St. Paul Chapter 12: Mutagens, Carcinogesn and Teratogens, Page 337 Radiological Emergency Management, FEMA manual The Oncologist Pyrimidine dimer in DNA, lttd at the Protein Data Bank Radiation Protection and Instrumentation, J. Vernon Bailey, SP-368 Biomedical Results of Apollo

Maximum DNA Repair Rates in Human Cells DamageNormal Damage per hourRepairs per hour Single- stranded breaks x10^5 Pyrimidine dimers Noon-day sun 5x10^4

Copyright ©2001 AlphaMed Press Goodsell, D. S. Oncologist 2001;6: Pyrimidine dimer (in violet) in DNA