Measurements of radiation induced by a spark discharge under laboratory conditions

Kyselová, Dagmar; Mikeš, Jan; Štěpán, Václav; Ambrožová, Iva; Benton, E. R.; Sommer, Marek; Krbal, Michal; Pelikan, Ludek; Ploc, Ondřej; Reitz, Günther

doi:10.1016/j.radmeas.2020.106420

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 15 publications

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“…To better understand these phenomena, the Nuclear Physics Institute (NPI) of the Czech Academy of Science CAS (NPI), the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the CAS (IAP), and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU) have created the Research Center of Cosmic Rays and Radiation Events in the Atmosphere (CRREAT). The CRREAT team measures both lightning and ionizing radiation during thunderstorms using detectors mounted on cars and on high mountains, and the dose contribution from these high-energy phenomena using various methods, including CR measurements onboard aircraft [23,30,32,33], on-ground tests [32,34], and real measurements onboard unmanned aerial vehicles. The team is also performing long-term monitoring using a hybrid detector onboard commercial aircraft [35].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How can we simulate ionizing radiation at aviation altitudes from TGFs?

Sihver,

Ploc,

Kákona

et al. 2024

EPJ Web Conf.

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So-called thunderclouds, which are large dark clouds that are able to generate thunder and lightning, can act as natural particle accelerators, producing complex high-energy phenomena such as terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) and gamma-ray glows. These events are often described through the mechanism of relativistic runaway electron avalanches (RREAs), cascades of high-energy electrons accelerated by atmospheric electric fields. Since the energies of the RREAs are up to several tens of MeV, they can also trigger nuclear reactions with atoms of the air and in the soil while entering the ground. Although these phenomena are intriguing, their lack of precise measurement and still not completely understood origins pose a significant challenge for assessing their impact on aviation safety. This paper introduces the project Research Centre of Cosmic Rays and Radiation Events in Atmosphere (CRREAT), aimed at providing measurements of TGFs, thunderstorm ground enhancements (TGEs), and other ionizing radiation phenomena during thunderstorms, as well as at aviation altitudes, stratosphere, and low Earth orbits (LEO). The paper argues that without accurate data on the origins and physical characteristics of TGEs and TGFs, it is impossible to reliably simulate their impact on aircraft crews and passengers. The paper also mentions how the general-purpose 3D Monte Carlo (MC) code PHITS can be used for future simulations and comparisons with measurements related to ionizing radiation phenomena in the atmosphere.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How can we simulate ionizing radiation at aviation altitudes from TGFs?

Sihver,

Ploc,

Kákona

et al. 2024

EPJ Web Conf.

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Vertical Dosimetric Measurement of Electric Discharge Induced at Lightning Impulse Voltage Generator

Štěpánová

Mikeš

Štěpán

et al. 2022

Radiation Protection Dosimetry

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This paper deals with the measurement of ionising radiation emitted in the vertical field of electric discharge generated between the tip and the grounded plate electrode. The generator set-up was for 400 consecutive negative discharges with voltage amplitude 0.9 MV, waveform shape 1.2/50 $\mu $s, discharge energy 80 kJ and electrodes 1 m apart. Thermoluminescent, passive detectors were used to avoid electromagnetic interference from the discharge. The detectors were placed at the electrodes and three vertical positions 1 m from the discharge axis. This work extends a previous study focused on dosimetry in the plane parallel to the ground. This experiment confirmed the presence of a photon/electron component at the electrode tip and 0.5 m vertical position at a distance of 1 m from the discharge axis. In addition, the presence of neutrons was found for new positions in the vertical axis and the ground electrode.

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