CoChat
Sign Up
Cited by 40Solar and Space Plasma DynamicsPlanetary Science and ExplorationRadiation Therapy and Dosimetry

A Generalized Approach to Model the Spectra and Radiation Dose Rate of Solar Particle Events on the Surface of Mars

Open access
Guo, Jingnan, Zeitlin, Cary, Wimmer-Schweingruber, Robert F., McDole, Thoren, Kühl, Patrick, Appel, Jan C., Matthiä, Daniel, Krauss, Johannes +1 more·2018·The Astronomical Journal
DOI 10.3847/1538-3881/aaa085
Open this paper in CoChat — free accountOpen PDF

Abstract

For future human missions to Mars, it is important to study the surface radiation environment during extreme and elevated conditions. In the long term, it is mainly galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) modulated by solar activity that contribute to the radiation on the surface of Mars, but intense solar energetic particle (SEP) events may induce acute health effects. Such events may enhance the radiation level significantly and should be detected as immediately as possible to prevent severe damage to humans and equipment. However, the energetic particle environment on the Martian surface is significantly different from that in deep space due to the influence of the Martian atmosphere. Depending on the intensity and shape of the original solar particle spectra, as well as particle types, the surface spectra may induce entirely different radiation effects. In order to give immediate and accurate alerts while avoiding unnecessary ones, it is important to model and well understand the atmospheric effect on the incoming SEPs, including both protons and helium ions. In this paper, we have developed a generalized approach to quickly model the surface response of any given incoming proton/helium ion spectra and have applied it to a set of historical large solar events, thus providing insights into the possible variety of surface radiation environments that may be induced during SEP events. Based on the statistical study of more than 30 significant solar events, we have obtained an empirical model for estimating the surface dose rate directly from the intensities of a power-law SEP spectra.

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.3847/1538-3881/aaa085

Cites

48 of 48 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Protons with incident energies less than 165 MeV (± 25 MeV, depending on seasonal surface pressure) do not reach the surface of Mars.

    “protons with incident energies less than 165 MeV (± 25 MeV, depending on the seasonal surface pressure, Guo et al. 2018c) do not reach the surface of Mars.”

    From Radiation environment for future human exploration on the surface of Mars: the current understanding based on MSL/RAD dose measurements (2021) · cites this paper as Guo et al. 2018c

    The Introduction states that primary protons below about 150 MeV lack the range to reach the Martian surface. Section 6 gives a cutoff of roughly 140–160 MeV depending on elevation, but does not support the claimed 165 ± 25 MeV range or attribute that variation to seasonal surface pressure. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • In the worst case, integrated dose equivalent resulting from a 2 h exposure to SEPs reaches approximately 8 mSv (comparable to a chest CT scan).

    “In the worst case, integrated dose equivalent resulting from a 2 h exposure to the SEPs reaches approximately 8 mSv (comparable to a chest CT scan).”

    From Radiation environment for future human exploration on the surface of Mars: the current understanding based on MSL/RAD dose measurements (2021) · cites this paper as Guo et al. (2018c)

    The Discussion and Conclusion (page unavailable) evaluates Martian-surface SEP dose equivalents over 2 hours and compares the Sep89 exposure to a CT scan. It says the comparison is to a head CT, not a chest CT, and does not give approximately 8 mSv as the worst-case dose. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Calculations of particle transport through the Martian atmosphere show that some historical SEP events with higher intensities could pose even higher radiation levels for astronauts on the Martian surface.

    “Calculations of particle transport through the Martian atmosphere show that some historical SEP events with higher intensities could pose even higher radiation levels for astronauts on the Martian surface (Norman et al. 2014;Townsend et al. 2006;Guo et al. 2018cGuo et al. , 2019b)).”

    From Radiation environment for future human exploration on the surface of Mars: the current understanding based on MSL/RAD dose measurements (2021) · cites this paper as Guo et al. 2018c

  • The atmospheric cutoff energy for particles reaching RAD is lower, about 160 MeV.

    “The atmospheric cutoff energy for particles reaching RAD is lower, about 160 MeV (Guo et al. 2018c).”

    From Radiation environment for future human exploration on the surface of Mars: the current understanding based on MSL/RAD dose measurements (2021) · cites this paper as Guo et al. 2018c

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Related

Authors
Guo, J., Zeitlin, C., Wimmer-Schweingruber, R. F., McDole, T., Kühl, P., Appel, J. C., Matthiä, D., Krauss, J., & Köhler, J.
Affiliations
  • Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (DE)
  • Leidos (United States) (US)
Corresponding author
Guo, Jingnan
ORCID
Venue
The Astronomical Journal
Publisher
American Astronomical Society
Published
2018-01-01
Volume
155
Issue
1
Pages
49
ISSN
  • 0004-6256 (ISSN-L)
  • 1538-3881
DOI
10.3847/1538-3881/aaa085
OpenAlex
W2617773808
Cited by
40
References
48
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 1
FWCI
3.08
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • The Astronomical Journal (publishedVersion)
  • elib (German Aerospace Center) (acceptedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Planetary Science and Exploration
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Radiation Therapy and Dosimetry
Keywords
solar energetic particle events, radiation dose rate, power-law spectrum, galactic cosmic rays

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review