Total nuclear reaction cross-section database for radiation protection in space and heavy-ion therapy applications

TL;DR

This paper presents a comprehensive database of total nuclear reaction cross-sections crucial for accurate modeling in space radiation protection and heavy-ion therapy, comparing multiple models with experimental data.

Contribution

It provides a systematically compiled database of reaction cross-sections and evaluates various models' accuracy for space and medical applications.

Findings

Tripathi, Kox, Shen, Kox-Shen, and Hybrid-Kurotama models compared with data

Identifies which models best fit the experimental data for relevant systems

Highlights literature gaps and model implementation details

Abstract

Realistic nuclear reaction cross-section models are an essential ingredient of reliable heavy-ion transport codes. Such codes are used for risk evaluation of manned space exploration missions as well as for ion-beam therapy dose calculations and treatment planning. Therefore, in this study, a collection of total nuclear reaction cross-section data has been generated within a GSI-ESA-NASA collaboration. The database includes the experimentally measured total nucleus-nucleus reaction cross-sections. The Tripathi, Kox, Shen, Kox-Shen, and Hybrid-Kurotama models are systematically compared with the collected data. Details about the implementation of the models are given. Literature gaps are pointed out and considerations are made about which models fit best the existing data for the most relevant systems to radiation protection in space and heavy-ion therapy.