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Schaefer, H. J.

Publications and source records attributed to Schaefer, H. J..

At least 19 records

Study of high speed combustion flows by laser velocimetry

The feasibility of laser velocimetry in a high temperature jet was assessed in a model of an aircraft engine combustor. Experiments show that the problems encountered in measuring combustion flow can flow can be overcome by a carefully designed optical set-up and an appropriate signal processing and data acquisition system. Laser Doppler velocimetry provides useful information about coherent structures in hot free jets. The measurements agree with measurements in an isothermal jet.

Schaefer, H. J.↗

A note on the revised galactic neutron spectrum of the Ames collaborative study

Energy distributions of the neutron dose equivalents in the 0.1 to 300 Mev interval for the Ames and Hess spectra are compared. The Ames spectrum shows no evaporation peak, moves the bulk of the flux away from the region of elastic collision and spreads it more evenly over higher energies. The neutron spectrum in space does not seem to hear out the Ames model. Emulsion findings on all manned missions of the past consistently indicate that evaporation events are a prolific source of neutrons in space.

Schaefer, H. J.↗

A combined TLD/emulsion method of sampling dosimetry applied to Apollo missions

A system which simplifies the complex monitoring methods used to measure the astronaut's radiation exposure in space is proposed. The excess dose equivalents of trapped protons and secondary neutrons, protons, and alpha particles from local nuclear interactions are determined and a combined thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD)/nuclear emulsion method which measures the absorbed dose with thermoluminescent dosimeter chips is presented.

Schaefer, H. J.↗

Personnel neutron monitoring in space

A brief review is presented of available information on the galactic neutron spectrum. An examination is made of the difficulties encountered in the determination of the dose equivalent of neutron recoil protons in the presence of a substantially larger background of trapped and star-produced protons as well as other ionizing particles in space.

Schaefer, H. J.↗

A note on the tissue star dose in personnel radiation monitoring in space

Secondaries from nuclear interactions of high energy primaries in the body tissues themselves contribute substantially to the astronaut's radiation exposure in space. The so-called tissue star dose is assessed from the prong number distribution of disintegration stars in emulsion. Prong counts of 1,000 emulsion stars from the Apollo-Soyuz mission reported earlier were re-evaluated. The original scores were divided into sets of 250, 500, 750, and 1,000 emulsion stars and the respective prong number distributions established. The statistical error of the gelatin star number for the four consecutively larger was found to vary, on the 67 percent confidence level, from + or - 25 percent for the count of 250 emulsion stars to + or - 11 percent for 1,000 stars. Seen in the context of the other limitations of the experimental design, the lowest effort of prong-counting 250 stars appears entirely appropriate.

Schaefer, H. J.↗

Nuclear emulsion measurements of the dose contribution from tissue disintegration stars on the Apollo-Soyuz mission

A total of 996 disintegration stars were prong-counted in two 100 micron llford K.2 emulsions from the dosimeter of the Docking Pilot on Apollo-Soyuz. The change of slope of the distribution at a prong number of about 6 or 7 indicates 219 stars as originating in gelatin. Applying the QF values set forth in official regulations to the energy spectra of the proton and a alpha prongs of the gelatin stars leads to a tissue star dose of 7.8 millirad or 45 millirem. The quoted values do not include the dose contribution from star-produced neutrons since neutrons do not leave visible prongs in emulsion. Nuclear theory, in good agreement with measurements of galactic radiation in the earth's atmosphere, indicates that the dose equivalent from neutrons is about equal to the one from all ionizing secondaries of stars. Application of this proposition to the star prong spectrum found on Apollo-Soyuz would set the total tissue star dose for the mission at approximately 90 millirem.

Schaefer, H. J.↗

Nuclear emulsion measurements of the astronauts' radiation exposure on the Apollo-Soyuz mission

On the Apollo-Soyuz mission each astronaut carried one passive dosimeter containing nuclear photographic emulsions, plastic foils, TLD chips, and neutron-activation foils for recording radiation exposure. This report is limited to the presentation of data retrieved from nuclear emulsions. Protons, most of them trapped particles encountered in numerous passes through the South Atlantic Anomaly, contributed by far the largest share to the mission dose. Their linear energy transfer (LET) spectrum was established from track and grain counts in a G.5 emulsion which is used for medium and high energies, and from ender counts in a K.2 emulsion which is used for low energies. The total mission fluence of protons was found to be equivalent to a unidirectional beam of 448,500 square centimeters. The broad spectrum was broken down into small LET intervals, which allowed for the computation of absorbed doses and dose equivalents. The totals are 51 millirad and 74 millirem. Counts of disintegration stars in K.2 emulsion are incomplete at present. While a total of 467 stars were identified, counting their prong numbers is still in progress. It was concluded that the Apollo-Soyuz astronauts' radiation exposure as such did not contain anything out of the ordinary that would seem to require special attention.

Schaefer, H. J.↗

Atlas of nuclear emulsion micrographs from personnel dosimeters of manned space missions

A collection of micrographs is presented taken from nuclear emulsions of personnel dosimeter packs carried by the astronauts on near-earth orbital and lunar missions. It is intended as a pictorial record and illustration of the radiation environment in space and as a supplement to earlier reports and publications of the laboratory in which the emulsion findings have been presented in detail for individual missions. A complete list of those earlier accounts precedes the picture sections.

Schaefer, H. J.↗

Nuclear emulsion measurements of the astronauts' radiation exposures on Skylab missions 2, 3, and 4

On the Skylab missions, Ilford G.5 and K.2 emulsions were flown as part of passive dosimeter packs carried by the astronauts on their wrists. Due to the long mission times, latent image fading and track crowing imposed limitations on a quantitative track and grain count analysis. For Skylab 2, the complete proton energy spectrum was determined within reasonable error limits. A combined mission dose equivalent of 2,490 millirems from protons, tissue stars and neutrons was measured on Skylab 2. A stationary emulsion stack, kept in a film vault drawer on the same mission, displayed a highly structured directional distribution of the fluence of low-energy protons (enders) reflecting the local shield distribution. On the 59 and 84-day mission 3 and 4, G.5 emulsions had to be cut on the microtom to 5-7 microns for microscopic examination. Even so, the short track segments in such thin layers precluded a statistically reliable grain count analysis. However, the K.2 emulsions still allowed accurate proton ender counts without special provisions.

Schaefer, H. J.↗

Microdosimetric structure of HZE particle tracks in tissue

Heavy nuclei of the primary galactic radiation in space can have the same linear energy transfer yet greatly different lateral distribution patterns of the energy in the microstructure of tissue. Track structure thus presents itself as a new dosimetric parameter for HZE particles which is at present incompletely understood in its radiobiological significance. The theory of track structure distinguishes two regions: core and penumbra. The core is a narrow region with a radius far below 1 micron in tissue where energy deposition occurs mainly through excitations and collective oscillations of electrons. Energy density in the core accounts for slightly more than half the total LET. The penumbra surrounding the core extends laterally several to many microns depending on the energy of the primary. Energy density in the penumbra decreases steeply with the square of increasing radius. The relationships are illustrated with nuclear emulsion micrographs and plots of energy density profiles. The implications of the findings for a dosimetric system for HZE particles are discussed.

Schaefer, H. J.↗

Apollo mission experience

Dosimetric implications for manned space flight are evaluated by analyzing the radiation field behind the heavy shielding of a manned space vehicle on a near-earth orbital mission and how it compares with actual exposure levels recorded on Apollo missions. Emphasis shifts from flux densities and energy spectra to incident radiation and absorbed doses and dose equivalents as they are recorded within the ship at locations close to crew members.

Schaefer, H. J.↗