Space plasma physics: isotopic stack: measurement of heavy cosmic rays.

A stack of plastic nuclear track detectors was exposed to heavy cosmic rays on the pallet of Spacelab 1. Some layers of the stack were rotated with respect to the main stack to determine the arrival time of the particles. After return of the stack the latent particle tracks are revealed by chemical etching. Under the optical microscope the charge, mass, energy, and impact direction of the particles can be deduced from the track geometry.

Life sciences: radiobiological advanced biostack experiment.

The radiobiological properties of the heavy ions of cosmic radiation were investigated on Spacelab 1 by use of biostacks, monolayers of biological test organisms sandwiched between thin foils of different types of nuclear track detectors. Biostacks were exposed to cosmic radiation at several locations with different shielding environments in the module and on the pallet. Evaluations of the physical and biological components of the experiment to date indicate that in general they survived the spaceflight in good condition. Dosimetric data are presented for the different shielding environments.

Heavy ion measurement on LDEF.

A stack of CR-39 track detectors was exposed on the NASA satellite LDEF and recovered after almost 6 years in space. The quick look analysis yielded heavy ion tracks on a background of low energy secondaries from proton interactions. The detected heavy ions show a steep energy spectrum which indicates a radiation belt origin.

On the origin of trapped heavy ions at L = 1.4-1.6.

Aboard the NASA satellite Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) heavy ions of nuclear charge Z = 8-26 were detected with energies between 15 and 50 MeV/nuc which are far below the cutoff energy required of fully stripped ions to reach the LDEF orbit. The arrival directions and the falling energy spectra of these particles are consistent with a trapped component incident in the South Atlantic Anomaly at L = 1.4-1.6. The trapped oxygen, neon and argon ions probably originate from the anomalous cosmic rays, whereas the origin of the other particles like magnesium, silicon and iron is not yet solved but may be associated with the October 89 solar energetic particle events.

Dosimetric mapping inside BIORACK.

The experiment was flown in different locations inside BIORACK on the D1 mission. It contained different plastic detectors (cellulose nitrate, Lexan, and CR 39) and emulsions to measure the high LET components of the radiation environment. For low LET measurements thermoluminescence dosimeters (LiF) were used. The paper gives data about total dose, charge, energy, and LET spectra so far obtained. These data are compared with data of previous spaceflights.

Embryogenesis and organogenesis of Carausius morosus under spaceflight conditions.

The influence of cosmic radiation and/or microgravity on insect development was studied during the 7 day German Spacelab Mission D1. Eggs of Carausius morosus of five stages differing in sensitivity to radiation and in capacity to regeneration were allowed to continue their development in the BIORACK 22 degrees C incubator, either at microgravity conditions or on the 1 g reference centrifuge. Using the Biostack concept--eggs in monolayers were sandwiched between visual track detectors--and the 1 g reference centrifuge, we were able to separate radiation effects from microgravity effects and also from combined effects of these two factors in space. After retrieval, hatching rates, growth kinetics and anomaly frequencies were determined in the different test samples. The early stages of development turned out to be highly sensitive to single hits of cosmic ray particles as well as to the temporary exposure to microgravity during their development. In some cases, the combined action of radiation and microgravity even amplified the effects exerted by the single parameters of space. Hits by single HZE particles caused early effects, such as body anomalies, as well as late effects, such as retarded growth after hatching. Microgravity exposure lead to a reduced hatching rate. A synergistic action of HZE particle hits and microgravity was established in the unexpectedly high frequency of anomal larvae. However, it cannot be excluded, that cosmic background radiation or low LET HZE particles are also causally involved in damage observed in the microgravity samples.

Influence of cosmic radiation and/or microgravity on development of Carausius morosus.

Eggs of Carausius morosus were exposed to spaceflight conditions in two spaceflight missions, the German 7 day Spacelab Mission D1 and the Soviet 12.56 day Biosatellite Mission "COSMOS 1887". During spaceflight the eggs continued their development. Eggs of five different ages representing different sensitivity to radiation and different capacity to regeneration were used to investigate the influence of cosmic radiation and/or microgravity on insect development. Using the Biostack concept--eggs in monolayers sandwiched between nuclear track detectors--and the 1 g reference centrifuge of BIORACK in D1 we were able to separate effects of heavy ions of the cosmic radiation from microgravity effects and also from combined effects of these two factors in space. After retrieval, hatching rates, embryonic and larval growth kinetics and anomaly frequencies were determined. Microgravity leads to a reduced hatching rate of eggs exposed in the early stages of development. Hatching was normal in eggs which were exposed on the 1 g reference centrifuge. Hits by heavy ions caused body anomalies. The combined action of heavy ions and microgravity resulted in an unexpectedly high frequency of anomalies. These results obtained from the Spacelab Mission D1, were confirmed in an experiment onboard of COSMOS 1887. In addition to the previous analysis, embryonic development before hatching was followed which showed no major difference between flight and the ground control specimens. Since a reconfirmation of reduced hatching rates was observed in COSMOS 1887, too, the above results suggest some microgravity induced functional impairment of the hatching activity, rather than blockage in embryonic development.

Advanced biostack: experiment 1 ES 027 on Spacelab-1.

The radiobiological properties of the heavy ions of cosmic radiation were investigated on Spacelab 1 by use of biostacks, monolayers of biological test organisms sandwiched between thin foils of different types of nuclear track detectors. Biostacks were exposed to cosmic radiation at several locations with different shielding environments in the module and on the pallet. Evaluations of the physical and biological components of the experiment to date indicate that in general they survived the spaceflight in good condition. Dosimetric data are presented for the different shielding environments.

Energy spectra of geomagnetically trapped oxygen ions.

In a series of COSMOS satellite flights plastic nuclear track detectors have been exposed in low-earth orbits to monitor anomalous cosmic rays (ACR) at energies below 25 MeV/nuc. The analysis of energy spectra has now been extended to energies up to 40 MeV/nuc for two exposures aboard COSMOS 2260 in 1993 and COSMOS 2311 in 1995. Our data on trapped ACR (TACR) oxygen energy spectra might indicate the influence of energy-dependent stripping probabilities and the presence of multiply charged ACR oxygen at high energies as reported by latest SAMPEX observations.

Heavy ion results from different locations on LDEF.

Heavy ions (Z = 8-26) with energies far below the geomagnetic cutoff energy were measured in three different plastic nuclear track detector experiments on the 28.5 degrees inclination orbit of the NASA satellite Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) at 460 km mean altitude. The results of the three experiments M0002 (Kiel University, Germany), A0015 (Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Luft- und Raumfahrt (= DLR) Koln, Germany) and HIIS (Naval Research Laboratory (= NRL) Washington, DC, U.S.A.), which were exposed at different satellite locations, agree with each other. At E < or = 70 MeV/nuc all particle groups showed a steeply falling energy spectrum and an anisotropic arrival direction distribution. The results were consistent with magnetically trapped particles registered in the South Atlantic. The detected particles originated from the anomalous cosmic rays (O, Ne, Ar) and from an unknown source (Mg, Si, Fe). At E > or = 70 MeV/nuc measured particles of the Fe-group showed a flattening energy spectrum.

HZE dosimetry in space using plastic track detectors.

Plastic nuclear track detectors were used to measure the contribution of High charge Z and energy E (HZE) particles to the radiation exposure of manned space missions. Results from numerous space missions in the orbit planned for the International Space Station are compared. The measurements cover the declining phase of the last solar cycle during the past 7 years and various shielding conditions inside the US Space Shuttle and the Russian MIR-station.

Thermal patterning of a critical polymer blend.

Utilizing the Soret effect, we have employed a moderately focused laser beam (30 microm, 20 mW) to write spatial composition patterns into layers of the critical polymer blend poly(dimethyl siloxane)/poly(ethyl-methyl siloxane) (PDMS/PEMS, M(w)=16.4/22.8 kg/mol) both in the one- and in the two-phase region a few degrees above and below the critical temperature T(c)=37.7 degrees C. Because of the critical divergence of the Soret coefficient, moderate temperature gradients are sufficient to induce composition modulations of large amplitude. In the two-phase regime the spinodal demixing pattern can be locally manipulated in a controlled way. 2D simulations based on a modified Cahn-Hilliard equation are able to reproduce the essential spatial and temporal features observed in the experiments.

Correlation between the Soret coefficient and the static structure factor in a polymer blend.

Mutual mass diffusion and thermal diffusion has been investigated in poly(dimethylsiloxane)/poly(ethylmethylsiloxane) (PDMS/PEMS) polymer blends of equal weight fractions. Molar masses ranged from below 1 to over 20 kg/mol. Both the mutual mass (D) and the thermal diffusion (D(T)) coefficient contain a thermally activated factor with an activation temperature of 1415 K. The molar mass dependence of D(T) is due to an end-group effect of the local friction coefficient. The thermal diffusion coefficient in the limit of long chains and infinite temperature is D(T)(0,infinity) = -1.69 x 10(-7) cm2(sK)(-1). The Soret coefficient S(T) of blends far enough away from a critical point is proportional to the static structure factor S(q = 0).

The charge spectrum of heavy cosmic ray nuclei measured in the Biostack experiment aboard Apollo 16 using plastic detectors.

In the Biostack experiment flown aboard Apollo 16 plastic detectors were used to select those individual biological objects which were hit by single heavy cosmic-ray nuclei during the 266 hours of space flight. The energy loss deposited in the biological object can be determined. This method needs a separate calibration in every experiment, i.e. an individual track etching rate as function of the energy loss. This calibration is given. An area of 36 cm2 of eight cellulose nitrate sheets was scanned for tracks of heavy cosmic-ray particles that stopped in the sheets. About 200 particles could be evaluated. Calibration was achieved using the oxygen isotope 16O of the cosmic-ray ions and the charge spectrum of all measured particles (Z=5-16) could be obtained.

Study with a multi-threshold HZE-particle dosimeter using plastic detectors.

During the Apollo 16 and 17 missions two units of the Biostack experiment were exposed to cosmic radiation. In this experiment plastic detector sheets were used for recording and tracing the heavy ions. In some of these sheets the integral energy loss spectrum was measured. The measurements were performed in two different cellulose nitrate materials and in Lexan polycarbonate under 4 g cm-2 and 20 g cm-2 absorber thickness. The individual materials have different energy loss thresholds for the registration of heavy ions. The measured number of particles per cm2 with an restricted energy loss REL greater than REL0, follows a power law a REL(b) with b= -2.18 +/- 0.1 while the value of a depends on the exposure time and the absorber thickness. Calculations show that more than 70% of the fluence in the measured REL region is coming from particles with Z> or =20.

Microbial studies in the Biostack experiment of the Apollo 16 mission: germination and outgrowth of single Bacillus subtilis spores hit by cosmic HZE particles.

Bacillus subtilis spores were flown in the Biostack experiment aboard the Apollo 16 command module. The spores embedded in plastic foils were stacked between physical track detectors. The energy loss spectrum of the heavy particles of cosmic radiation was determined. Biological studies were restricted to the high-energy loss component of these particles. Spores that had received single hits whose positions were determined with a typical accuracy of +/- 1 micrometers, were investigated for radiation effects on germination and outgrowth. It was found that germination was not influenced by a hit by an HZE particle, but outgrowth was reduced significantly.

Dosimetry results of COSMOS 1887.

The objective of the experiment was to measure the radiation environment inside and outside of the biosatetlite COSMOS 1887. For this purpose, detector packages were built up consisting of plastic detectors and nuclear emulsions having different linear energy transfer (LET) thresholds in particle registration, and thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLD). Particle fluence rates, LET-spectra and absorbed dose are presented. Absorbed dose is measured as a function of shielding depth. The data are compared with those of other missions.

Effects on ontogenesis of Carausius morosus hit by cosmic heavy ions.

Among the biological problems that arise in long duration spaceflights, the effects of weightlessness and ionizing radiation appear to be the two main risk factors. Eggs of the stick insect Carausius morosus were exposed to spaceflight conditions during the 12.56 day Biosatellite mission Cosmos 1887. Five different ages were used, representing different sensitivities to radiation and different capacities for regeneration. During spaceflight the eggs continued their development. Already, in the Spacelab D1 mission in 1985, it has been shown that microgravity leads to a reduced hatching rate of eggs exposed during the early steps of development. When the eggs were hit by a heavy ion, a further but not significant reduction of the hatching rate was observed. Hatching was normal for eggs which were exposed on a 1 g reference centrifuge in space. Heavy ion hits caused body anomalies. The combined action of heavy ions and microgravity resulted in an unexpectedly high rate of anomalies. In the experiment on Cosmos 1887 these results were confirmed. Studies on the embryonic development before hatching showed no major difference between flight and ground control specimen, neither in speed of development nor in morphological anomalies. Hatching therefore seems to be the critical point in insect ontogenesis.

The Biostack experiment on Apollo 16.

The object of the Biostack experiment is to study the biological effects of high ZE particles of cosmic radiation in order to obtain information on the mechanism of these particles in biological matter. For this purpose individual local evaluation methods have been developed which allow one to identify each biologically effective particle and to correlate the individual hitting particle with the biological effect produced. The Biostack experimental package contains a series of monolayers of selected biological objects (Bacillus subtilis spores, Arabidopsis thaliana seeds, Vicia faba radiculae, Artemia salina eggs) with each layer sandwiched between several different cosmic ion track detectors (nuclear emulsions, cellulose nitrate, polycarbonate). By this arrangement a variety of biological effects due to a single penetrating particle can be analysed. Influence on cellular and tissue development, nuclear damages, and mutation induction are the main investigated effects. These space flight findings will be completed by results of balloon flight and accelerator experiments.