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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2016

First Results from the ISS-RAD Charged Particle Detector

The Charged Particle Detector (CPD) subsystem of the ISS-RAD detector has been making measurements of high-energy charged and neutral particles since the unit was deployed on Feb. 1, 2016. The CPD is nearly identical to the MSL-RAD instrument, but onboard data processing has been significantly modified to meet ISS requirements. We will present dose rates and LET spectra obtained over the first six months of operations, as well as preliminary results obtained from the limited sample of pulse-height analyzed raw data that has been telemetered to Earth.

Semones, Edward↗
NASA NTRS1974

The Sisyphus particle detector

The particle measurement subsystem planned for the MJS 77 mission is described. Scientific objectives with respect to Saturn's rings are as follows: (1) measure particles outside the visible rings, including particulates orbiting in more distant rings and particles scattered out of visible rings, (2) measure meteoroid environment in vicinity of Saturn, and (3) develop an understanding of the dynamics of the rings with respect to their collisional interaction with the environment.

Soberman, R. K.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Proposal for a Universal Particle Detector Experiment

The Universal Particle Detector Experiment (UPDE), which consists of parallel planes of two diode laser beams of different wavelengths and a large surface metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) impact detector, is proposed. It will be used to perform real-time monitoring of contamination particles and meteoroids impacting the spacecraft surface with high resolution of time, position, direction, and velocity. The UPDE will discriminate between contaminants and meteoroids, and will determine their velocity and size distribution around the spacecraft environment. With two different color diode lasers, the contaminant and meteroid composition will also be determined based on laboratory calibration with different materials. Secondary particles dislodged from the top aluminum surface of the MOS detector will also be measured to determine the kinetic energy losses during energetic meteoroid impacts. The velocity range of this instrument is 0.1 m/s to more than 14 km/s, while its size sensitivity is from 0.2 microns to millimeter-sized particles. The particulate measurements in space of the kind proposed will be the first simultaneous multipurpose particulate experiment that includes velocities from very slow to hypervelocities, sizes from submicrometer- to pellet-sized diameters, chemical analysis of the particulate composition, and measurements of the kinetic energy losses after energetic impacts of meteroids. The experiment will provide contamination particles and orbital debris data that are critically needed for our present understanding of the space environment. The data will also be used to validate contamination and orbital debris models for predicting optimal configuration of future space sensors and for understanding their effects on sensitive surfaces such as mirrors, lenses, paints, and thermal blankets.

Lesho, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Calibration and Readiness of the ISS-RAD Charged Particle Detector

The International Space Station (ISS) Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) is an intravehicular energetic particle detector designed to measure a broad spectrum of charged particle and neutron radiation unique to the ISS radiation environment. In this presentation, a summary of calibration and readiness of the RAD Sensor Head (RSH) - also referred to as the Charged Particle Detector (CPD) - for ISS will be presented. Calibration for the RSH consists of p, He, C, O, Si, and Fe ion data collected at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) and Indiana University Cyclotron Facility (IUCF). The RSH consists of four detectors used in measuring the spectroscopy of charged particles - A, B, C, and D; high-energy neutral particles and charged particles are measured in E; and the last detector - F - is an anti-coincidence detector. A, B, and C are made from Si; D is made from BGO; E and F are made from EJ260XL plastic scintillator.

Rios, R.↗
NASA NTRS2016

The "Puck" Energetic Charged Particle Detector: Design, Heritage, and Advancements

Energetic charged particle detectors characterize a portion of the plasma distribution function that plays critical roles in some physical processes, from carrying the currents in planetary ring currents to weathering the surfaces of planetary objects. For several low-resource missions in the past, the need was recognized for a low-resource but highly capable, mass-species-discriminating energetic particle sensor that could also obtain angular distributions without motors or mechanical articulation. This need led to the development of a compact Energetic Particle Detector (EPD), known as the "Puck" EPD (short for hockey puck), that is capable of determining the flux, angular distribution, and composition of incident ions between an energy range of approximately 10 kiloelectronvolts to several megaelectronvolts. This sensor makes simultaneous angular measurements of electron fluxes from the tens of kiloelectronvolts to about 1 megaelectronvolt. The same measurements can be extended down to approximately 1 kiloelectronvolt per nucleon,with some composition ambiguity. These sensors have a proven flight heritage record that includes missions such as MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) and New Horizons, with multiple sensors on each of Juno, Van Allen Probes, and Magnetospheric Multiscale. In this review paper we discuss the Puck EPD design, its heritage, unexpected results from these past missions and future advancements. We also discuss high-voltage anomalies that are thought to be associated with the use of curved foils, which is a new foil manufacturing processes utilized on recent Puck EPD designs. Finally, we discuss the important role Puck EPDs can potentially play in upcoming missions.

Clark, G.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The Galileo Energetic Particles Detector

Amongst its complement of particles and fields instruments, the Galileo spacecraft carries an Energetic Particles Detector (EPD) designed to measure the characteristics of particle populations important in determining the size, shape, and dynamics of the Jovian magnetosphere. To do this the EPD provides 4pi angular coverage and spectral measurements for Z greater than or equal to 1 ions from 20 keV to 55 MeV, for electrons from 15 keV to greater than 11 MeV, and for the elemental species helium through iron from approximately 10 keV/nucl to 15 MeV/nucl. Two bidirectional telescopes, mounted on a stepping platform, employ magnetic deflection, energy loss versus energy, and time-of-flight techniques to provide 64 rate channels and pulse height analysis of priority selected events. The EPD data system provides a large number of possible operational modes from which a small number will be selected to optimize data collection during the many encounter and cruise phases of the mission. The EPD employs a number of safeing algorithms that are to be used in the event that its self-checking procedures indicate a problem. The instrument and its operation are described.

Williams, D. J.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Reflective laser-based particle detector

A reflective laser-based particle detector for detecting contamination particles moving through a vacuum. Laser light is directed through a vacuum access window in the containment vessel and toward a reflective surface on an inner surface opposite the window. A photonic detector is positioned to monitor reflected laser from the opposite inner surface inside the vessel and is capable of detecting perturbations of the reflected light. The system makes use of optical interferometry techniques embodied as a photonic integrated circuit to detect the particles. The reflective laser-based system can be placed entirely outside the vacuum thereby avoiding the need for breaking the vacuum environment to check for accumulation of contaminant particles.

Xi, Wenze↗
NASA NTRS1973

Radiation and particle detector and amplifier

A radiation or charged particle detector is described which incorporates a channel multiplier structure to amplify the detected rays or particles. The channel multiplier structure has a support multiplying element with a longitudinal slot along one side. The element supports a pair of plates positioned contiguous with the slot. The plates funnel the particles or rays to be detected into the slotted aperture and the element, thus creating an effectively wide aperture detector of the windowless type.

Schmidt, K. C.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Monte Carlo Simulation of Spacecraft Particle Detectors to Assess the True Human Risk

Particle detectors (DOSTEL, CPDS, and TEPC) measure the energy deposition spectrum inside earth orbiting - manned spacecraft (shuttle, space station). These instruments attempt to emulate the deposition of energy in human tissue to evaluate the health risk. However, the measurements are often difficult to relate to tissue equivalent because nuclear fragmentation (internuclear cascade/evaporation), energy-loss straggling, heavy ions, spacecraft shielding and detector geometry/orientation, and coincidence thresholds significantly affect the measured spectrum. 'A le have developed a high fidelity Monte Carlo model addressing each of these effects that significantly improves interpretation of these instruments and the resulting assessment of radiation risk to humans.

O'Neill, Patrick M.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Thin film charged particle detectors

Silicon tracking detectors have grown to cover larger surface areas up to hundreds of square meters, and are even taking over other sub-detectors, such as calorimeters. However, further improvements in tracking detector performance are more likely to arise from the ability to make a low mass detector comprised of a high ratio of active sensor to inactive materials, where dead materials include electrical services, cooling, mechanical supports, etc. In addition, the cost and time to build these detectors is currently large. Therefore, advancements in the fundamental technology of tracking detectors may need to look at a more transformative approach that enables extremely large area coverage with minimal dead material and is easier and faster to build. The advancement of thin film fabrication techniques has the potential to revolutionize the next-to-next generation of particle detector experiments. Some thin film deposition techniques have already been developed and widely used in the industry to make LED screens for TVs and monitors. If large area thin film detectors on the order of several square meters can be fabricated with similar performance as current silicon technologies, they could be used in future particle physics experiments. This paper aims to review the key fundamental performance criteria of existing silicon detectors and past research to use thin films and other semi-conductor materials as particle detectors in order to explore the important considerations and challenges to pursue thin film detectors.

Solid state detectors↗
DOE OSTI2022

Two bright, optically clear, intrinsic fast-neutron and charged-particle detector materials for neutron imaging and other applications

Two optically clear, bright, scintillating ZnS materials have been identified that, like previous opaque ZnS scintillators, are excellent charged particle detectors. We show that ZnS is a good fast-neutron-to charged-particle converter making optically clear ZnS an intrinsic fast-neutron detector that does not require layering or mixing of converter materials and scintillator materials, and removes the limitations imposed by opaque ZnS scintillator materials used for more than a century. Thermal neutron detection using optically clear 6 LiF or 10 BN and clear ZnS may benefit from improved spatial resolution and light transmission. Properties and tests of clear scintillating ZnS are described. Fast-neutron imaging applications benefit from increased efficiency of these scintillators, minimal scattering in the scintillator, and increased useful detector volume. Charged particle and fast-neutron detectors have numerous applications in nuclear non-proliferation and security, nuclear and particle physics, and non-destructive testing and environmental measurements.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
NASA NTRS2005

SiC As An Energetic Particle Detector

Several new technologies have been introduced recently in the region of semiconductor material for solid state detectors (SSD). Of particular interest is silicon carbide (SIC) since its band gap is larger than that of pure silicon, reducing its dark current and making SIC capable of operating at high temperatures and more tolerant of radiation damage. But the trade off is that a higher band gap also means fewer electron hole pairs generated, and thus a smaller signal, for detecting incident radiation. To determine what the lower limit of SiC detectors to energetic particles is, we irradiated a SiC diode with particles ranging in energy from 50 keV to 1.6 MeV and masses from 1 to 16 amu. We found that the SiC detectors sensitivity was comparable to that of pure silicon, with the SiC detector being able to measure particles down to 50 keV/amu and possibly lower.

Yan, F.↗