Cosmic-ray exposure assessment using particle and heavy ion transport code system: case study Douala-Cameroon.

Autor:	Didier TSS; Department of Fundamental Sciences, University Institute of Wood Technology, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 306, Mbalmayo, Cameroon., Joel GSC; National Radiation Protection Agency, P.O. Box 33732, Yaounde, Cameroon., Saïdou; Department of Physics, Nuclear Physics Laboratory, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon.; Research Centre for Nuclear Science and Technology, Institute of Geological and Mining Research, P.O. Box 4110, Yaoundé, Cameroon., Samuel BG; Department of Physics, Nuclear Physics Laboratory, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon.; Research Centre for Nuclear Science and Technology, Institute of Geological and Mining Research, P.O. Box 4110, Yaoundé, Cameroon., Maurice NM; National Radiation Protection Agency, P.O. Box 33732, Yaounde, Cameroon.; Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, P.O. Box 24157, Douala, Cameroon.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Radiation protection dosimetry [Radiat Prot Dosimetry] 2024 May 08; Vol. 200 (7), pp. 640-647.
DOI:	10.1093/rpd/ncae087
Abstrakt:	According to UNSCEAR, cosmic radiation contributes to ~16% (0.39 mSv/y) of the total dose received by the public at sea level. The exposure to cosmic rays at a specific location is therefore a non-negligible parameter that contributes to the assessment of the overall public exposure to radiation. In this study, simulations were conducted with the Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System, a Monte Carlo code, to determine the fluxes and effective dose due to cosmic rays received by the population of Douala. In minimum solar activity, the total effective dose considering the contribution of neutron, muon+, muon-, electron, positron and photon, was found to be 0.31 ± 0.02 mSv/y at the ground level. For maximum solar activity, it was found to be 0.27 ± 0.02 mSv/y at ground level. During maximum solar activity, galactic cosmic rays are reduced by solar flares and winds, resulting in an increase in the solar cosmic-ray component and a decrease in the galactic cosmic-ray component on Earth. This ultimately leads to a decrease in the total cosmic radiation on Earth. These results were found to be smaller than the UNSCEAR values, thus suggesting a good estimation for the population of Douala city located near the equatorial line. In fact, the cosmic radiation is more deflected at the equator than near the pole. Muons+ were found to be the main contributors to human exposure to cosmic radiation at ground level, with ~38% of the total effective dose due to cosmic exposure. However, electrons and positrons were found to be the less contributors to cosmic radiation exposure. As regards the obtained results, the population of Douala is not significantly exposed to cosmic radiation. (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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