US-12625287-B2 - System and method for simulating non-homogenous space radiation environment

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for simulating a non-homogenous space environment. A system can include a ion beam generator, a moderator block, a radiation detector, at least one processor which can execute operations including: transmitting, 7o the ion beam generator, a beam generation signal, the beam generation signal specifying an energy level of an ion beam and a duration of the ion beam, the ion beam making first contact with the moderator block and subsequent contact with a test animal; receiving, from the radiation detector after the duration of the ion beam is completed, energy deposition within the test animal. The system can then execute computational models to determine moderator block computational results animal computational results, then generate projected human results for the ion beam based on the moderator block computational results and the animal computational results.

Inventors

• Jeff Chancellor
• Megan CHESAL

Assignees

• BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY AND AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20221019

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A system comprising: a ion beam generator: a moderator block: a radiation detector: at least one processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising: transmitting, from the at least one processor to the ion beam generator, a beam generation signal, the beam generation signal specifying an energy level of an ion beam and a duration of the ion beam, wherein the beam generation signal causes the ion beam generator to create the ion beam with the energy level for the duration, the ion beam making first contact with the moderator block and subsequent contact with a test animal: receiving, at the at least one processor from the radiation detector after the duration of the ion beam is completed, energy deposition within the test animal; executing, via the at least one processor, a moderator block computational model using the energy level, the duration, and the energy deposition, resulting in moderator block computational results: executing, via the at least one processor, an animal computational model using the energy level, the duration, and the energy deposition, resulting in animal computational results; and generating, via the at least one processor, projected human results for the ion beam based on the moderator block computational results and the animal computational results.
2. 2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the projected human results are three-dimensional.
3. 3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the generating of the projected human results via the at least one processor comprises executing a Monte Carlo simulation, wherein inputs to the Monte Carlo simulation comprise the moderator block computational results and the animal computational results.
4. 4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the ion beam comprises iron ions.
5. 5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the iron ions are selectively degraded by the moderator block, resulting in a degraded ion beam, such that the subsequent contact of the degraded ion beam with the test animal simulates an intravehicular space radiation environment.
6. 6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the intravehicular space radiation environment is based on at least one of: data collected by a space shuttle mission, data collected during the Mir 18 mission, data collected during the Mir 19 mission, and data collected by a satellite.
7. 7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the moderator block is constructed of a single heterogenous material.
8. 8 . A method comprising: transmitting, from at least one processor to a ion beam generator, a beam generation signal, the beam generation signal specifying an energy level of an ion beam and a duration of the ion beam, wherein the beam generation signal causes the ion beam generator to create the ion beam with the energy level for the duration, the ion beam making first contact with the moderator block and subsequent contact with a test animal: receiving, at the at least one processor from a radiation detector after the duration of the ion beam is completed, energy deposition within a test animal; executing, via the at least one processor, a moderator block computational model using the energy level, the duration, and the energy deposition, resulting in moderator block computational results: executing, via the at least one processor, an animal computational model using the energy level, the duration, and the energy deposition, resulting in animal computational results; and generating, via the at least one processor, projected human results for the ion beam based on the moderator block computational results and the animal computational results.
9. 9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the projected human results are three-dimensional.
10. 10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the generating of the projected human results via the processor comprises executing a Monte Carlo simulation, wherein inputs to the Monte Carlo simulation comprise the moderator block computational results and the animal computational results.
11. 11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the ion beam comprises iron ions.
12. 12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the iron ions are selectively degraded by the moderator block, resulting in a degraded ion beam, such that the subsequent contact of the degraded ion beam with the test animal simulates an intravehicular space radiation environment.
13. 13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the intravehicular space radiation environment is based on at least one of: data collected by a space shuttle mission, data collected during the Mir 18 mission, data collected during the Mir 19 mission, and data collected by a satellite.
14. 14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the moderator block is constructed of a single heterogenous material.
15. 15 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising: transmitting, from at least one processor to the ion beam generator, a beam generation signal, the beam generation signal specifying an energy level of an ion beam and a duration of the ion beam, wherein the beam generation signal causes the ion beam generator to create the ion beam with the energy level for the duration, the ion beam making first contact with the moderator block and subsequent contact with a test animal; receiving, at the at least one processor from the radiation detector after the duration of the ion beam is completed, energy deposition within the test animal; executing, via the at least one processor, a moderator block computational model using the energy level, the duration, and the energy deposition, resulting in moderator block computational results; executing, via the at least one processor, an animal computational model using the energy level, the duration, and the energy deposition, resulting in animal computational results; and generating, via the at least one processor, projected human results for the ion beam based on the moderator block computational results and the animal computational results.
16. 16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the projected human results are three-dimensional.
17. 17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the generating of the projected human results via the at least one processor comprises executing a Monte Carlo simulation, wherein inputs to the Monte Carlo simulation comprise the moderator block computational results and the animal computational results.
18. 18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the ion beam comprises iron ions.
19. 19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the iron ions are selectively degraded by the moderator block, resulting in a degraded ion beam, such that the subsequent contact of the degraded ion beam with the test animal simulates an intravehicular space radiation environment.
20. 20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the intravehicular space radiation environment is based on at least one of: data collected by a space shuttle mission, data collected during the Mir 18 mission, data collected during the Mir 19 mission, and data collected by a satellite.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE This application is a U.S. National Stage of PCT/US2022/047093, filed Oct. 19, 2022, which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/257,434 filed Oct. 19, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field The present disclosure relates to simulating a non-homogenous space environment, and more specifically to a system which replicates the multi-ion species and energies found in the space radiation environment and predicts the impact of those species and energies on biological systems. 2. Introduction Current radiobiology studies on the effects of galactic cosmic ray (GCR) radiation utilize monoenergetic beams, where the projected dose for an exploration mission is given using highly acute exposures. This methodology, however, does not accurately replicate the multi-ion species and energies found in the space radiation environment: nor does it reflect the low dose-rate found in interplanetary space. Studies have shown that the biological response and disease pathogenesis due to space radiation is unique to the dose distribution generated by a nonhomogeneous, multi-energetic spectrum. Another factor to consider is the interaction of space radiation with the spacecraft hull. The GCR spectrum is attenuated through the material, decreasing the energy of heavy charged particles, and frequently causing fragmentation into lighter, less energetic elements, further increasing the complexity of the of the intravehicular (IVA) radiation spectrum which the astronauts are exposed to. As such, in order to correctly assess the impact GCR has on biological systems, accurate modeling of the spectrum astronauts are exposed to is critical. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1 and 1A show a side elevation and front elevation view, respectively, of a moderator block in accordance with at least some embodiments: FIGS. 2 and 2A show a side elevation and front elevation, respectively, view of a moderator block in accordance with at least some embodiments: FIG. 3 illustrates example results from a Monte Carlo simulation on CT (Computerized Tomography) scans of a human male (left) and a mouse (right). FIG. 4 illustrates the concept of the moderator block geometry: FIG. 5 illustrates an example method embodiment: and FIG. 6 illustrates an example computer system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Various embodiments of the disclosure are described in detail below. While specific implementations are described, it should be understood that this is done for illustration purposes only. Other components and configurations may be used without parting from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. In order to understand the systematic effect that radiation has on the human body, the three-dimensional dose distribution measured in humans needs to be accurately replicated in the animal models. Most animal experiment use pig or mice models, and due to the large difference in size between an average human and these animals, the original GCR spectrum can produce different dose distributions in each. For example, because humans are thicker than most test animals, which allows for more interactions and deposition to occur within the body, the spatial dose distribution in the mouse model that is typically used for space radiobiology experiments does not emulate that which would be incurred by astronauts. This not only hampers translation of data obtained from animal models to humans, but also limits the understanding of the effects GCR on humans' biology, and the development of effective radiation countermeasures. In order to accurately examine biological responses, the animals need to be exposed to a completely different radiation spectrum which mimics space radiation. This distinct ground-based space radiation analog exposes each major organ and tissue in animal, at which point a mammalian model can be used to determine values of absorbed dose and radiation quality that correspond to those in astronauts. The combination of the distinct radiation exposure and the mammalian model results in a physiological scalable analog that can simulate the non-homogenous space radiation environment in a laboratory setting. The space radiation environment emulator described herein uses principles of energy loss and spallation of highly energetic iron ions to produce a spectrum with a wide range of particle species and energies (illustrated in FIG. 4 and described below). Moderator blocks developed as described herein take into account the anatomy and physiology of the model in order to mimic the energy disposition for humans from the original moderator block design (illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and described below). 1 GeV/n (1 Giga electronic Volt/nucleon) iron (56Fe) was chosen as the ion species and energy of the primary ion given that iron is the heaviest nuclei with significant contribution to absorbed dose in the GCR environment. The LET (Linear Energy Transfer) is app