Re: Sci. Am. value for Mir radiation exposure

[Chris Hawkins <chawkins@inet.guthrie.org>]

Rick Strickert wrote:

> In the latest issue of Scientific American, an American astronaut who
> spent 6 months aboard the Mir space station states (p.51) that the
> (whole body?) radiation she received was equivalent to about 8 chest
> x-rays *per day*.
>
> Could someone translate this into SI units of exposure rate... well, at
> least R/day?
>
> Thanks,
> Rick
>
> Richard G. Strickert, Ph.D.          | "In mathematics you don't understand
> Radian International, Austin, TX     |  things. You just get used to them."
> 512-310-5259, FAX 512-244-0160       |
> Internet: rick_strickert@radian.com  |         --  John von Neumann
>  ---> "All written IMHO." <---       |


1992 "Average Patient Exposure/Dose Guides" (Conference of Radiation Control
Program Directors) lists ESE (Entrance Skin Exposure) for chest radiographs as
10 - 25 mR/exposure, depending on grid use and film speed.

NCRP 98 (1989) "Guidance on Radiation Received in Space Activities" gives bone
marrow doses in the range of 70 to 110 mSv for a 3 month orbit at 450 km
altitude, depending on orbit inclination angle.  (Table 6.5)

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