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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
DOE OSTI2016

In vitro and in vivo assessment of direct effects of simulated solar and galactic cosmic radiation on human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells

Future deep space missions to Mars and near-Earth asteroids will expose astronauts to chronic solar energetic particles (SEP) and galactic cosmic ray (GCR) radiation,and likely one or more solar particle events (SPEs).Given the inherent radiosensitivity of hematopoietic cells and short latency period of leukemias, space radiation-induced hematopoietic damage poses a particular threat to astronauts on extended missions.We show that exposing human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells(HSC) toextended mission-relevant doses of accelerated high-energyprotons andiron ions leads to the following: (1) introduces mutations that are frequently located within genes involved in hematopoiesis and are distinct from those induced by γ-radiation; (2) markedly reduces in vitro colony formation; (3)markedly alters engraftment and lineage commitment in vivo; and (4) leads to the development, in vivo, ofwhat appears to be T-ALL. Sequential exposure to protons and iron ions (as typically occurs in deep space) proved far more deleterious to HSC genome integrity and function than either particle species alone.Our results represent a critical step for more accurately estimating risks to the human hematopoietic system from space radiation, identifying and better defining molecular mechanisms by which space radiation impairs hematopoiesis and induces leukemogenesis, as well as for developing appropriately targeted countermeasures.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Exposure of the Bone Marrow Microenvironment to Simulated Solar and Galactic Cosmic Radiation Induces Biological Bystander Effects on Human Hematopoiesis

The stem cell compartment of the hematopoietic system constitutes one of the most radiosensitive tissues of the body and leukemias represent one of the most frequent radiogenic cancers with short latency periods. As such, leukemias may pose a particular threat to astronauts during prolonged space missions. Control of hematopoiesis is tightly governed by a specialized bone marrow (BM) microenvironment/niche. As such, any environmental insult that damages cells of this niche would be expected to produce pronounced effects on the types and functionality of hematopoietic/immune cells generated. We recently reported that direct exposure of human HSC to simulated SEP and GCR radiation dramatically altered the differentiative potential of these cells, and that simulated GCR exposures can directly induce DNA damage and mutations within human HSC, which led to leukemic transformation when these cells repopulated murine recipients. In the present study, we performed the first in depth examination to define changes that occur in mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) present in the human BM niche following exposure to accelerated protons and iron ions, and assess the impact these changes have upon human hematopoiesis. Here, our data thus provides compelling evidence that simulated SEP/GCR exposures can also contribute to defective hematopoiesis/immunity through so-called “biological bystander effects” by damaging the stromal cells that comprise the human marrow microenvironment, thereby altering their ability to support normal hematopoiesis.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Evaluating Use of the NASA Nowcastof Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation for Aviation Safety (NAIRAS) System for Verifying/Validating AMS Cosmic Background Radiation Measurements, RSLA-006-20, Year 1

This presentation will be presented at FY 2020 SDRD Annual (Webex) Meeting scheduled for September 23–24, 2020. Evaluating Use of the NASA Nowcastof Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation for Aviation Safety (NAIRAS) System for Verifying/Validating AMS Cosmic Background Radiation Measurements, RSLA-006-20, Year 1

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2016

DNDO Report: Predicting Solar Modulation Potentials for Modeling Cosmic Background Radiation

The modeling of the detectability of special nuclear material (SNM) at ports and border crossings requires accurate knowledge of the background radiation at those locations. Background radiation originates from two main sources, cosmic and terrestrial. Cosmic background is produced by high-energy galactic cosmic rays (GCR) entering the atmosphere and inducing a cascade of particles that eventually impact the earth’s surface. The solar modulation potential represents one of the primary inputs to modeling cosmic background radiation. Usosokin et al. formally define solar modulation potential as “the mean energy loss [per unit charge] of a cosmic ray particle inside the heliosphere…” Modulation potential, a function of elevation, location, and time, shares an inverse relationship with cosmic background radiation. As a result, radiation detector thresholds require adjustment to account for differing background levels, caused partly by differing solar modulations. Failure to do so can result in higher rates of false positives and failed detection of SNM for low and high levels of solar modulation potential, respectively. This study focuses on solar modulation’s time dependence, and seeks the best method to predict modulation for future dates using Python. To address the task of predicting future solar modulation, we utilize both non-linear least squares sinusoidal curve fitting and cubic spline interpolation. This material will be published in transactions of the ANS winter meeting of November, 2016.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

LiteBIRD: A Satellite for the Studies of B-Mode Polarization and Inflation from Cosmic Background Radiation Detection

LiteBIRD is a candidate satellite for a strategic large mission of JAXA. With its expected launch in the middle of the 2020s with a H 3 rocket, LiteBIRD plans to map the polarization of the cosmic microwave background radiation over the full sky with unprecedented precision. The full success of LiteBIRD is to achieve δr<0.001, where δr is the total error on the tensor-to-scalar ratio r. The required angular coverage corresponds to 2 ≤ ℓ ≤ 00 , where ℓ is the multipole moment. This allows us to test well-motivated cosmic inflation models. Full-sky surveys for 3 years at a Lagrangian point L2 will be carried out for 15 frequency bands between 34 and 448 GHz with two telescopes to achieve the total sensitivity of 2.5 μ K arcmin with a typical angular resolution of 0.5° at 150 GHz. Each telescope is equipped with a half-wave plate system for polarization signal modulation and a focal plane filled with polarization-sensitive TES bolometers. A cryogenic system provides a 100 mK base temperature for the focal planes and 2 K and 5 K stages for optical components.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2023

The Astroparticle Detectors Array—An Educational Project in Cosmic Ray Physics

ADA, short for Astroparticle Detectors Array, is an educational project aiming to detect cosmic radiation and possibly high-energy particles known as ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) or even to spot a supernova event. Its working process is the same as that used in professional cosmic ray observatories: it consists of simple detectors spread over the entire Italian territory and beyond. The detectors are hosted among high schools, associations, and private astronomical observatories. ADA has been operating since 2013 and was brought about with the intention of promoting astroparticle physics to any given level of outreach. Furthermore, ADA is becoming an interesting tool not only for teachers but also for independent and keen scientists. Over the years, we have discovered the importance of having a long series of data for studying the relation between and among cosmic rays, weather, and space weather and to investigate the main cause of oscillations in cosmic ray data. In this paper, we show what we find to be the most compelling results, such as the beautiful symmetry of the behavior between muons and the atmospheric temperature and, likewise, the evident anti-correlation between the intensity of the muons at ground level compared with solar activity.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2020

Effects of Six Sequential Charged Particle Beams on Behavioral and Cognitive Performance in B6D2F1 Female and Male Mice

The radiation environment astronauts are exposed to in deep space includes galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) with different proportions of all naturally occurring ions. To assist NASA with assessment of risk to the brain following exposure to a mixture of ions broadly representative of the GCR, we assessed the behavioral and cognitive performance of female and male C57BL/6J × DBA2/J F1 (B6D2F1) mice two months following rapidly delivered, sequential 6 beam irradiation with protons (1 GeV, LET = 0.24 keV, 50%), 4 He ions (250 MeV/n, LET = 1.6 keV/μm, 20%), 16 O ions (250 MeV/n, LET = 25 keV/μm 7.5%), 28 Si ions (263 MeV/n, LET = 78 keV/μm, 7.5%), 48Ti ions (1 GeV/n, LET = 107 keV/μm, 7.5%), and 56 Fe ions (1 GeV/n, LET = 151 keV/μm, 7.5%) at 0, 25, 50, or 200 cGy) at 4–6 months of age. When the activity over 3 days of open field habituation was analyzed in female mice, those irradiated with 50 cGy moved less and spent less time in the center than sham-irradiated mice. Sham-irradiated female mice and those irradiated with 25 cGy showed object recognition. However, female mice exposed to 50 or 200 cGy did not show object recognition. When fear memory was assessed in passive avoidance tests, sham-irradiated mice and mice irradiated with 25 cGy showed memory retention while mice exposed to 50 or 200 cGy did not. The effects of radiation passive avoidance memory retention were not sex-dependent. There was no effect of radiation on depressive-like behavior in the forced swim test. There was a trend toward an effect of radiation on BDNF levels in the cortex of males, but not for females, with higher levels in male mice irradiated with 50 cGy than sham-irradiated. Finally, sequential 6-ion irradiation impacted the composition of the gut microbiome in a sex-dependent fashion. Taxa were uncovered whose relative abundance in the gut was associated with the radiation dose received. Thus, exposure to sequential six-beam irradiation significantly affects behavioral and cognitive performance and the gut microbiome.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Connecting primordial gravitational waves and dark energy

Cosmic acceleration manifested in the early universe as inflation, generating primordial gravitational waves detectable in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation. Cosmic acceleration is occurring again at present as dark energy, detectable in cosmic distance and structure surveys. We explore the intriguing idea of connecting the two occurrences through quintessential inflation by an α-attractor potential without a cosmological constant. For this model we demonstrate robustness of the connection 1 + w 0 ≈ 4/(3N 2 r) between the present day dark energy equation of state parameter w 0 and the primordial tensor to scalar ratio r for a wide range of initial conditions. Analytic and numerical solutions produce current thawing behavior, resulting in a tight relation w a ≈ -1.53(1 + w 0 )≈ -0.2 (4 × 10 -3 /r). Upcoming CMB and galaxy redshift surveys can test this consistency condition. In conclusion, within this model, lack of detection of a dark energy deviation from Λ predicts a higher r, and lack of detection of r predicts greater dark energy dynamics.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Origin of Gamma-Ray Families Accompanied by Halos and Detected in Experiments with X-Ray Emulsion Chambers

The phenomenon of gamma-ray families featuring halos that is observed in an experiment with x-ray emulsion chambers (XREC) in the Pamir experiment and in other XREC experiments is explained. The experimental properties of halos are analyzed via a comparison with the results of their simulation. It is shown that gamma-ray families featuring halos are predominantly produced (more than 96% of them) by protons and heliumnuclei. This makes it possible to employ the experimental properties of halos to estimate the fraction of protons and helium nuclei in the mass composition of primary cosmic radiation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

{sup 14}C Entry into the Atmosphere

{sup 14}C enters the atmosphere in amounts equivalent to 1.4 PBq/yr with total accumulation 140 PBq via cosmic radiation. As a result of nuclear explosions (1950–1969), its activity in the atmosphere exceeded 200 PBq. At present, {sup 14}C has been completely removed into bottom waters and sedimentary rocks in the ocean. The activity of the {sup 14}C entering the atmosphere from all operating nuclear reactors equals ~0.3 PBq/yr and the amount from all spent fuel reprocessing facilities equals ~0.06 PBq/yr. The admissible levels of {sup 14}C emissions must not exceed levels corresponding to peroral intake dose 10 μSv/yr. This is can be accomplished by means of a system of measures: reduction of the volume of technogenic gases and their {sup 12}CO{sub 2} content, combining high-efficiency purification with dispersion through high exhaust-stacks, and developing new technologies and reagents binding {sup 14}C in compact forms.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗
DOE OSTI2016

Galactic cosmic ray origins and ob associations: evidence from supertiger observations of elements {sub 26}Fe through {sub 40}Zr

We report abundances of elements from {sub 26}Fe to {sub 40}Zr in the cosmic radiation measured by the SuperTIGER (Trans-Iron Galactic Element Recorder) instrument during 55 days of exposure on a long-duration balloon flight over Antarctica. These observations resolve elemental abundances in this charge range with single-element resolution and good statistics. These results support a model of cosmic ray origin in which the source material consists of a mixture of 19{sub −6}{sup +11}% material from massive stars and ∼81% normal interstellar medium material with solar system abundances. The results also show a preferential acceleration of refractory elements (found in interstellar dust grains) by a factor of ∼4 over volatile elements (found in interstellar gas) ordered by atomic mass (A). Both the refractory and volatile elements show a mass-dependent enhancement with similar slopes.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Experiment for search for sterile neutrino at SM-3 reactor

In connection with the question of possible existence of sterile neutrino the laboratory on the basis of SM-3 reactor was created to search for oscillations of reactor antineutrino. A prototype of a neutrino detector with scintillator volume of 400 l can be moved at the distance of 6–11 m from the reactor core. The measurements of background conditions have been made. It is shown that the main experimental problem is associated with cosmic radiation background. Test measurements of dependence of a reactor antineutrino flux on the distance from a reactor core have been made. The prospects of search for oscillations of reactor antineutrino at short distances are discussed.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Formation of Methylamine and Ethylamine in Extraterrestrial Ices and Their Role as Fundamental Building Blocks of Proteinogenic α -amino Acids

The –CH–NH{sub 2} moiety represents the fundamental building block of all proteinogenic amino acids, with the cyclic amino acid proline being a special case (–CH–NH– in proline). Exploiting a chemical retrosynthesis, we reveal that methylamine (CH{sub 3}NH{sub 2}) and/or ethylamine (CH{sub 3}CH{sub 2}NH{sub 2}) are essential precursors in the formation of each proteinogenic amino acid. In the present study we elucidate the abiotic formation of methylamine and ethylamine from ammonia (NH{sub 3}) and methane (CH{sub 4}) ices exposed to secondary electrons generated by energetic cosmic radiation in cometary and interstellar model ices. Our experiments show that methylamine and ethylamine are crucial reaction products in irradiated ices composed of ammonia and methane. Using isotopic substitution studies we further obtain valuable information on the specific reaction pathways toward methylamine. The very recent identification of methylamine and ethylamine together with glycine in the coma of 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko underlines their potential to the extraterrestrial formation of amino acids.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Anomalous Galactic Cosmic Rays in the Framework of AMS-02

The cosmic-ray (CR) energy spectra of protons and helium nuclei, which are the most abundant components of cosmic radiation, exhibit a remarkable hardening at energies above 100 GeV/nucleon. Recent data from AMS-02 confirm this feature with a higher significance. These data challenge the current models of CR acceleration in Galactic sources and propagation in the Galaxy. Here, we explain the observed break in the spectra of protons and helium nuclei in light of recent advances in CR diffusion theories in turbulent astrophysical sources as being a result of a transition between different CR diffusion regimes. We reconstruct the observed CR spectra using the fact that a transition from normal diffusion to superdiffusion changes the efficiency of particle acceleration and causes the change in the spectral index. We find that calculated proton and helium spectra match the data very well.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Combined Effects of Three High-Energy Charged Particle Beams Important for Space Flight on Brain, Behavioral and Cognitive Endpoints in B6D2F1 Female and Male Mice

The radiation environment in deep space includes the galactic cosmic radiation with different proportions of all naturally occurring ions from protons to uranium. Most experimental animal studies for assessing the biological effects of charged particles have involved acute dose delivery for single ions and/or fractionated exposure protocols. Here, we assessed the behavioral and cognitive performance of female and male C 57 BL/6J × DBA2/J F1 (B6D2F1) mice 2 months following rapidly delivered, sequential irradiation with protons (1 GeV, 60%), 16 O (250 MeV/n, 20%), and 28 Si (263 MeV/n, 20%) at 0, 25, 50, or 200 cGy at 4-6 months of age. Cortical BDNF, CD68, and MAP-2 levels were analyzed 3 months after irradiation or sham irradiation. During the dark period, male mice irradiated with 50 cGy showed higher activity levels in the home cage than sham-irradiated mice. Mice irradiated with 50 cGy also showed increased depressive behavior in the forced swim test. When cognitive performance was assessed, sham-irradiated mice of both sexes and mice irradiated with 25 cGy showed normal responses to object recognition and novel object exploration. However, object recognition was impaired in female and male mice irradiated with 50 or 200 cGy. For cortical levels of the neurotrophic factor BDNF and the marker of microglial activation CD68, there were sex × radiation interactions. In females, but not males, there were increased CD68 levels following irradiation. In males, but not females, there were reduced BDNF levels following irradiation. A significant positive correlation between BDNF and CD68 levels was observed, suggesting a role for activated microglia in the alterations in BDNF levels. Finally, sequential beam irradiation impacted the diversity and composition of the gut microbiome. These included dose-dependent impacts and alterations to the relative abundance of several gut genera, such as Butyricicoccus and Lachnospiraceae . Thus, exposure to rapidly delivered sequential proton, 16 O ion, and 28 Si ion irradiation significantly affects behavioral and cognitive performance, cortical levels of CD68 and BDNF in a sex-dependent fashion, and the gut microbiome.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗