The activity of the LIP group for "Radiation Environment Studies and Applications for Space Missions" is based on the LIP knowhow in the areas of radiation interaction simulations, radiation detection and instrumentation for experimental particle physics. The Space Radiation Environment and Effects activities were triggered by the application of the Geant4 simulation toolkit to astroparticle experiments in a first contract celebrated between LIP and the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2003. Since then, the work developed has been supported mainly by contracts between LIP and ESA, LIP being either fully responsible for the projects or for parts of the projects. These activities have been a source of collaboration between LIP and other institutes, companies and the industry, and also of collaboration with external scientists and include: *Study and model the the radiation environment in Space, including planetary radiation environments, namely the Moon, Mars, Europa, Ganymede and asteroids radiation environments. *Analysis of Space mission energetic particle/radiation data. *Follow up of the evolution on SEP (Solar Energetic Particle events ) models and their test with radiation monitor data, initiated with the project "Portuguese Participation in the Heliospheric Network". *Study and development of detector design concepts for radiation monitors (based in Si sensors and/or in scintillators) and exploitation of these designs in different planetary and interplanetary environments, both for platform support and for scientific data analysis. *Study, model and ground testing of the effects of radiation in EEE components. *Study biological effects of the radiation environment in space and in planetary atmospheres ands surfaces. *Study and develop mitigation strategies for radiation hazards, both for spaceship systems and components and for human spaceflight.

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Site do Grupo no LIP

Contacts

Group Leader:  

Patrícia Gonçalves