Profissionais da área aeronáutica, como pilotos e comissários de bordo, são submetidos a doses de radiação de origem cósmica, que podem ser maiores do que as doses médias dos trabalhadores da indústria nuclear. A diversidade de partículas de altas energias presentes no campo de radiação a bordo das aeronaves torna complexa a mensuração da dose e requer cuidados especiais em relação aos sistemas de dosimetria a serem empregados nesta área. A Força Aérea Brasileira, por meio de seu Instituto de Estudos Avançados (IEAv /DCTA), em conjunto com o Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN / CNEN -SP) vem estudando o assunto desde 2008. Um protótipo de detector de radiação passivo para medições em aeronaves foi previamente construído e testado em condições de voo e de laboratório. O detector é capaz de medir a grandeza dosimétrica conhecida como dose absorvida (usando dosímetros passivos), que serão posteriormente correlacionados ao equivalente de dose ambiente e à dose efetiva recebidos por profissionais da área aeronáutica. Neste contexto, uma abordagem teórica por meio de simulações Monte Carlo com os códigos computacionais MCNP5 e MCNPX, foi usada para modelar e caracterizar a resposta do detector em determinadas condições experimentais. Este trabalho apresenta os resultados preliminares da modelagem computacional, com ênfase especial na comparação entre a grandeza fundamental dose absorvida (mensurada e simulada) e sua relação com o equivalente de dose ambiente e dose efetiva para este detector. / Aircrews, as pilots and flight attendants, are subjected to cosmic ray doses which can be higher than the average doses on workers from the nuclear industry. The diversity of particles of high energies present in the radiation field on board of aircrafts, turns the determination of the incident dose and requires special care regarding dosimetric systems to be used in this kind of field. The Brazilian Air Force, through the Institute for Advanced Studies (Instituto de Estudos Avançados, IEAv/DCTA) in conjunction with the Institute of Energetic and Nuclear Research (Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares IPEN/CNEN-SP) are working on this subject since 2008. A prototype of a radiation detector for aircraft measurements was previously built and tested in flight and laboratory conditions. The detector is able of measuring a quantity known as absorbed dose (using passive dosimeters), which will subsequently be correlated to the ambient dose equivalent and the effective dose received by aircrews. In this context, a theoretical approach through Monte Carlo simulations with the computational codes MCNP5 and MCNPX was used to model and characterize the detector response at such experimental conditions. This work presents the preliminary results of the computational modeling, with special emphasis on the comparison between the absorbed dose quantity (measured and simulated) and its relationship with the ambient dose equivalent and the effective Dose for this detector.

Profissionais da área aeronáutica, como pilotos e comissários de bordo, são submetidos a doses de radiação de origem cósmica, que podem ser maiores do que as doses médias dos trabalhadores da indústria nuclear. A diversidade de partículas de altas energias presentes no campo de radiação a bordo das aeronaves torna complexa a mensuração da dose e requer cuidados especiais em relação aos sistemas de dosimetria a serem empregados nesta área. A Força Aérea Brasileira, por meio de seu Instituto de Estudos Avançados (IEAv /DCTA), em conjunto com o Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN / CNEN -SP) vem estudando o assunto desde 2008. Um protótipo de detector de radiação passivo para medições em aeronaves foi previamente construído e testado em condições de voo e de laboratório. O detector é capaz de medir a grandeza dosimétrica conhecida como dose absorvida (usando dosímetros passivos), que serão posteriormente correlacionados ao equivalente de dose ambiente e à dose efetiva recebidos por profissionais da área aeronáutica. Neste contexto, uma abordagem teórica por meio de simulações Monte Carlo com os códigos computacionais MCNP5 e MCNPX, foi usada para modelar e caracterizar a resposta do detector em determinadas condições experimentais. Este trabalho apresenta os resultados preliminares da modelagem computacional, com ênfase especial na comparação entre a grandeza fundamental dose absorvida (mensurada e simulada) e sua relação com o equivalente de dose ambiente e dose efetiva para este detector. / Aircrews, as pilots and flight attendants, are subjected to cosmic ray doses which can be higher than the average doses on workers from the nuclear industry. The diversity of particles of high energies present in the radiation field on board of aircrafts, turns the determination of the incident dose and requires special care regarding dosimetric systems to be used in this kind of field. The Brazilian Air Force, through the Institute for Advanced Studies (Instituto de Estudos Avançados, IEAv/DCTA) in conjunction with the Institute of Energetic and Nuclear Research (Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares IPEN/CNEN-SP) are working on this subject since 2008. A prototype of a radiation detector for aircraft measurements was previously built and tested in flight and laboratory conditions. The detector is able of measuring a quantity known as absorbed dose (using passive dosimeters), which will subsequently be correlated to the ambient dose equivalent and the effective dose received by aircrews. In this context, a theoretical approach through Monte Carlo simulations with the computational codes MCNP5 and MCNPX was used to model and characterize the detector response at such experimental conditions. This work presents the preliminary results of the computational modeling, with special emphasis on the comparison between the absorbed dose quantity (measured and simulated) and its relationship with the ambient dose equivalent and the effective Dose for this detector.

Os efeitos da radiação ionizante aos seres humanos são sobejamente conhecidos para doses altas e intermediárias, ao passo que há muitas controvérsias sobre os efeitos de irradiações com baixa intensidade. Para que se possa entender melhor tais efeitos é necessário que se conheçam bem essas doses. No presente estudo, fez-se um levantamento da média anual da taxa de equivalente de dose ambiente H*(10) à qual as pessoas estão expostas na cidade de São Paulo, uma vez que inexistem dados a esse respeito na literatura. Para tal, traçou-se rotas de maneira a se cobrir a maior e mais representativa área da cidade e, na escolha dos pontos de coleta de dados, levou-se em consideração principalmente o fator ocupação. Utilizou-se um sistema de espectrometria gama, portátil, que fornece automaticamente, a taxa de H*(10) e o espectro gama medido (no intervalo de 50 a 1670 keV) no local de interesse, dentro de um intervalo de tempo curto por se detectar contribuições de uma fonte muito extensa. As medidas foram realizadas a 1 m do solo e adotou-se 300 s como tempo de medida. Os valores medidos variaram de 33,1 a 152,3 nSv.h-1, descontada a contribuição dos raios cósmicos, o desvio padrão da amostra foi de 22 nSv.h-1 e a média obtida para a cidade de São Paulo foi de 96,1(24) nSv.h-1. Além disto, calcularam-se as médias da taxa de equivalente de dose ambiente para os cinco Núcleos de Saúde nos quais a Secretaria de Saúde do Estado de São Paulo dividiu a cidade. O teste estatístico t de Student indicou uma não homogeneidade do conjunto de dados, com o que se vê necessária a realização de um levantamento mais detalhado a fim de se verificar a natureza de tal diferença. A fim de se comparar o valor médio obtido para a cidade de São Paulo com os valores encontrados na literatura para outras regiões do mundo, converteu-se o valor obtido de equivalente de dose ambiente para dose efetiva. Com isto, pode-se notar que a média anual de dose efetiva para a cidade de São Paulo, de 0,522(13) mSv é superior à estimativa média para o mundo fornecida pelo UNSCEAR – United Nations Scientific Commitee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, de 0,40 mSv, valor esse que também só leva em conta a contribuição de radiação gama a céu aberto. / The effects of ionizing radiation to the human beings are well known for high and intermediate doses. As far as low level radiation doses are concerned, there is no consensus. In order to get a better understanding of such effects it is necessary to assess the low doses with better accuracy. In this work, it was made an estimate of the annual ambient dose equivalent (H*(10)) to which the people are exposed in the city of São Paulo. Until now there are no data about it available in the literature. For the purpose of this evaluation, a map with various routes covering the largest and more representative area of the city was designed. The choice of points for data collection was made taking into account mainly the occupancy of the region. A portable gamma spectrometry system was used. It furnishes the rate of H*(10) and the measured gamma spectrum (in the range from 50 to 1670 keV) in the place of interest. The measurements were performed in a short time interval, since the gamma radiation arrives from a great extent of soil. Each measurement was done 1 m above the soil during 300 s. The rates of H*(10) varied from 33.1 to 152.3 nSv.h-1, net values, obtained after subtraction of the cosmic rays contribution. The standard deviation was 22 nSv.h-1 for an average for the city of São Paulo of 96.1(24) nSv.h-1. In addition, average values of H*(10) rates for the city Health Divisions were calculated. Those values are not statistically equivalent and the whole set of data could not be treated as one, as the statistical Student test indicated a non homogeneity of the group of data. Hence it is necessary the accomplishment of a more detailed survey in order verify the origin of the discrepancy. The mean value of H*(10) rate obtained for the city of São Paulo was converted to effective dose, in order to be compared with other places’ results. It could be noticed that the annual average of effective dose for the city of São Paulo, 0.522(13) mSv, is superior to the world average estimate of 0.40 mSv, supplied by UNSCEAR – United Nations Scientific Commitee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, value that also takes into account only the outdoor gamma contribution.

Os efeitos da radiação ionizante aos seres humanos são sobejamente conhecidos para doses altas e intermediárias, ao passo que há muitas controvérsias sobre os efeitos de irradiações com baixa intensidade. Para que se possa entender melhor tais efeitos é necessário que se conheçam bem essas doses. No presente estudo, fez-se um levantamento da média anual da taxa de equivalente de dose ambiente H*(10) à qual as pessoas estão expostas na cidade de São Paulo, uma vez que inexistem dados a esse respeito na literatura. Para tal, traçou-se rotas de maneira a se cobrir a maior e mais representativa área da cidade e, na escolha dos pontos de coleta de dados, levou-se em consideração principalmente o fator ocupação. Utilizou-se um sistema de espectrometria gama, portátil, que fornece automaticamente, a taxa de H*(10) e o espectro gama medido (no intervalo de 50 a 1670 keV) no local de interesse, dentro de um intervalo de tempo curto por se detectar contribuições de uma fonte muito extensa. As medidas foram realizadas a 1 m do solo e adotou-se 300 s como tempo de medida. Os valores medidos variaram de 33,1 a 152,3 nSv.h-1, descontada a contribuição dos raios cósmicos, o desvio padrão da amostra foi de 22 nSv.h-1 e a média obtida para a cidade de São Paulo foi de 96,1(24) nSv.h-1. Além disto, calcularam-se as médias da taxa de equivalente de dose ambiente para os cinco Núcleos de Saúde nos quais a Secretaria de Saúde do Estado de São Paulo dividiu a cidade. O teste estatístico t de Student indicou uma não homogeneidade do conjunto de dados, com o que se vê necessária a realização de um levantamento mais detalhado a fim de se verificar a natureza de tal diferença. A fim de se comparar o valor médio obtido para a cidade de São Paulo com os valores encontrados na literatura para outras regiões do mundo, converteu-se o valor obtido de equivalente de dose ambiente para dose efetiva. Com isto, pode-se notar que a média anual de dose efetiva para a cidade de São Paulo, de 0,522(13) mSv é superior à estimativa média para o mundo fornecida pelo UNSCEAR – United Nations Scientific Commitee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, de 0,40 mSv, valor esse que também só leva em conta a contribuição de radiação gama a céu aberto. / The effects of ionizing radiation to the human beings are well known for high and intermediate doses. As far as low level radiation doses are concerned, there is no consensus. In order to get a better understanding of such effects it is necessary to assess the low doses with better accuracy. In this work, it was made an estimate of the annual ambient dose equivalent (H*(10)) to which the people are exposed in the city of São Paulo. Until now there are no data about it available in the literature. For the purpose of this evaluation, a map with various routes covering the largest and more representative area of the city was designed. The choice of points for data collection was made taking into account mainly the occupancy of the region. A portable gamma spectrometry system was used. It furnishes the rate of H*(10) and the measured gamma spectrum (in the range from 50 to 1670 keV) in the place of interest. The measurements were performed in a short time interval, since the gamma radiation arrives from a great extent of soil. Each measurement was done 1 m above the soil during 300 s. The rates of H*(10) varied from 33.1 to 152.3 nSv.h-1, net values, obtained after subtraction of the cosmic rays contribution. The standard deviation was 22 nSv.h-1 for an average for the city of São Paulo of 96.1(24) nSv.h-1. In addition, average values of H*(10) rates for the city Health Divisions were calculated. Those values are not statistically equivalent and the whole set of data could not be treated as one, as the statistical Student test indicated a non homogeneity of the group of data. Hence it is necessary the accomplishment of a more detailed survey in order verify the origin of the discrepancy. The mean value of H*(10) rate obtained for the city of São Paulo was converted to effective dose, in order to be compared with other places’ results. It could be noticed that the annual average of effective dose for the city of São Paulo, 0.522(13) mSv, is superior to the world average estimate of 0.40 mSv, supplied by UNSCEAR – United Nations Scientific Commitee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, value that also takes into account only the outdoor gamma contribution.

Les collisions proton-proton produites par le LHC imposent un environnement radiatif hostile au détecteur ATLAS. Afin de quantifier les effets de cet environnement sur la performance du détecteur et la sécurité du personnel, plusieurs simulations Monte Carlo ont été réalisées. Toutefois, la mesure directe est indispensable pour suivre les taux de radiation dans ATLAS et aussi pour vérifier les prédictions des simulations. À cette fin, seize détecteurs ATLAS-MPX ont été installés à différents endroits dans les zones expérimentale et technique d'ATLAS. Ils sont composés d'un détecteur au silicium à pixels appelé MPX dont la surface active est partiellement recouverte de convertisseurs de neutrons thermiques, lents et rapides. Les détecteurs ATLAS-MPX mesurent en temps réel les champs de radiation en enregistrant les traces des particules détectées sous forme d'images matricielles. L'analyse des images acquises permet d'identifier les types des particules détectées à partir des formes de leurs traces. Dans ce but, un logiciel de reconnaissance de formes appelé MAFalda a été conçu. Étant donné que les traces des particules fortement ionisantes sont influencées par le partage de charge entre pixels adjacents, un modèle semi-empirique décrivant cet effet a été développé. Grâce à ce modèle, l'énergie des particules fortement ionisantes peut être estimée à partir de la taille de leurs traces. Les convertisseurs de neutrons qui couvrent chaque détecteur ATLAS-MPX forment six régions différentes. L'efficacité de chaque région à détecter les neutrons thermiques, lents et rapides a été déterminée par des mesures d'étalonnage avec des sources connues. L'étude de la réponse des détecteurs ATLAS-MPX à la radiation produite par les collisions frontales de protons à 7TeV dans le centre de masse a montré que le nombre de traces enregistrées est proportionnel à la luminosité du LHC. Ce résultat permet d'utiliser les détecteurs ATLAS-MPX comme moniteurs de luminosité. La méthode proposée pour mesurer et étalonner la luminosité absolue avec ces détecteurs est celle de van der Meer qui est basée sur les paramètres des faisceaux du LHC. Vu la corrélation entre la réponse des détecteurs ATLAS-MPX et la luminosité, les taux de radiation mesurés sont exprimés en termes de fluences de différents types de particules par unité de luminosité intégrée. Un écart significatif a été obtenu en comparant ces fluences avec celles prédites par GCALOR qui est l'une des simulations Monte Carlo du détecteur ATLAS. Par ailleurs, les mesures effectuées après l'arrêt des collisions proton-proton ont montré que les détecteurs ATLAS-MPX permettent d'observer la désintégration des isotopes radioactifs générés au cours des collisions. L'activation résiduelle des matériaux d'ATLAS peut être mesurée avec ces détecteurs grâce à un étalonnage en équivalent de dose ambiant. / The LHC proton-proton collisions create a hard radiation environment in the ATLAS detector. In order to quantify the effects of this environment on the detector performance and human safety, several Monte Carlo simulations have been performed. However, direct measurement is indispensable to monitor radiation levels in ATLAS and also to verify the simulation predictions. For this purpose, sixteen ATLAS-MPX devices have been installed at various positions in the ATLAS experimental and technical areas. They are composed of a pixelated silicon detector called MPX whose active surface is partially covered with converter layers for the detection of thermal, slow and fast neutrons. The ATLAS-MPX devices perform real-time measurement of radiation fields by recording the detected particle tracks as raster images. The analysis of the acquired images allows the identification of the detected particle types by the shapes of their tracks. For this aim, a pattern recognition software called MAFalda has been conceived. Since the tracks of strongly ionizing particles are influenced by charge sharing between adjacent pixels, a semi-empirical model describing this effect has been developed. Using this model, the energy of strongly ionizing particles can be estimated from the size of their tracks. The converter layers covering each ATLAS-MPX device form six different regions. The efficiency of each region to detect thermal, slow and fast neutrons has been determined by calibration measurements with known sources. The study of the ATLAS-MPX devices response to the radiation produced by proton-proton collisions at a center of mass energy of 7TeV has demonstrated that the number of recorded tracks is proportional to the LHC luminosity. This result allows the ATLAS-MPX devices to be employed as luminosity monitors. To perform an absolute luminosity measurement and calibration with these devices, the van der Meer method based on the LHC beam parameters has been proposed. Since the ATLAS-MPX devices response and the luminosity are correlated, the results of measuring radiation levels are expressed in terms of particle fluences per unit integrated luminosity. A significant deviation has been obtained when comparing these fluences with those predicted by GCALOR, which is one of the ATLAS detector simulations. In addition, radiation measurements performed at the end of proton-proton collisions have demonstrated that the decay of radionuclides produced during collisions can be observed with the ATLAS-MPX devices. The residual activation of ATLAS components can be measured with these devices by means of ambient dose equivalent calibration.

Les collisions proton-proton produites par le LHC imposent un environnement radiatif hostile au détecteur ATLAS. Afin de quantifier les effets de cet environnement sur la performance du détecteur et la sécurité du personnel, plusieurs simulations Monte Carlo ont été réalisées. Toutefois, la mesure directe est indispensable pour suivre les taux de radiation dans ATLAS et aussi pour vérifier les prédictions des simulations. À cette fin, seize détecteurs ATLAS-MPX ont été installés à différents endroits dans les zones expérimentale et technique d'ATLAS. Ils sont composés d'un détecteur au silicium à pixels appelé MPX dont la surface active est partiellement recouverte de convertisseurs de neutrons thermiques, lents et rapides. Les détecteurs ATLAS-MPX mesurent en temps réel les champs de radiation en enregistrant les traces des particules détectées sous forme d'images matricielles. L'analyse des images acquises permet d'identifier les types des particules détectées à partir des formes de leurs traces. Dans ce but, un logiciel de reconnaissance de formes appelé MAFalda a été conçu. Étant donné que les traces des particules fortement ionisantes sont influencées par le partage de charge entre pixels adjacents, un modèle semi-empirique décrivant cet effet a été développé. Grâce à ce modèle, l'énergie des particules fortement ionisantes peut être estimée à partir de la taille de leurs traces. Les convertisseurs de neutrons qui couvrent chaque détecteur ATLAS-MPX forment six régions différentes. L'efficacité de chaque région à détecter les neutrons thermiques, lents et rapides a été déterminée par des mesures d'étalonnage avec des sources connues. L'étude de la réponse des détecteurs ATLAS-MPX à la radiation produite par les collisions frontales de protons à 7TeV dans le centre de masse a montré que le nombre de traces enregistrées est proportionnel à la luminosité du LHC. Ce résultat permet d'utiliser les détecteurs ATLAS-MPX comme moniteurs de luminosité. La méthode proposée pour mesurer et étalonner la luminosité absolue avec ces détecteurs est celle de van der Meer qui est basée sur les paramètres des faisceaux du LHC. Vu la corrélation entre la réponse des détecteurs ATLAS-MPX et la luminosité, les taux de radiation mesurés sont exprimés en termes de fluences de différents types de particules par unité de luminosité intégrée. Un écart significatif a été obtenu en comparant ces fluences avec celles prédites par GCALOR qui est l'une des simulations Monte Carlo du détecteur ATLAS. Par ailleurs, les mesures effectuées après l'arrêt des collisions proton-proton ont montré que les détecteurs ATLAS-MPX permettent d'observer la désintégration des isotopes radioactifs générés au cours des collisions. L'activation résiduelle des matériaux d'ATLAS peut être mesurée avec ces détecteurs grâce à un étalonnage en équivalent de dose ambiant. / The LHC proton-proton collisions create a hard radiation environment in the ATLAS detector. In order to quantify the effects of this environment on the detector performance and human safety, several Monte Carlo simulations have been performed. However, direct measurement is indispensable to monitor radiation levels in ATLAS and also to verify the simulation predictions. For this purpose, sixteen ATLAS-MPX devices have been installed at various positions in the ATLAS experimental and technical areas. They are composed of a pixelated silicon detector called MPX whose active surface is partially covered with converter layers for the detection of thermal, slow and fast neutrons. The ATLAS-MPX devices perform real-time measurement of radiation fields by recording the detected particle tracks as raster images. The analysis of the acquired images allows the identification of the detected particle types by the shapes of their tracks. For this aim, a pattern recognition software called MAFalda has been conceived. Since the tracks of strongly ionizing particles are influenced by charge sharing between adjacent pixels, a semi-empirical model describing this effect has been developed. Using this model, the energy of strongly ionizing particles can be estimated from the size of their tracks. The converter layers covering each ATLAS-MPX device form six different regions. The efficiency of each region to detect thermal, slow and fast neutrons has been determined by calibration measurements with known sources. The study of the ATLAS-MPX devices response to the radiation produced by proton-proton collisions at a center of mass energy of 7TeV has demonstrated that the number of recorded tracks is proportional to the LHC luminosity. This result allows the ATLAS-MPX devices to be employed as luminosity monitors. To perform an absolute luminosity measurement and calibration with these devices, the van der Meer method based on the LHC beam parameters has been proposed. Since the ATLAS-MPX devices response and the luminosity are correlated, the results of measuring radiation levels are expressed in terms of particle fluences per unit integrated luminosity. A significant deviation has been obtained when comparing these fluences with those predicted by GCALOR, which is one of the ATLAS detector simulations. In addition, radiation measurements performed at the end of proton-proton collisions have demonstrated that the decay of radionuclides produced during collisions can be observed with the ATLAS-MPX devices. The residual activation of ATLAS components can be measured with these devices by means of ambient dose equivalent calibration.