Data collection, processing, validation, and verification.

The collection, processing, validation, verification, formatting, filing, and storage of the required input data are some of the most important components in the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Radiation Dose Reconstruction Program. Without question, the quality and scientific validity of the reconstructed dose estimates are totally dependent on these aspects of the program. Of equal importance is that the data be filed not only in a readily accessible format, but also in one that facilitates error-free retrievability.

Interplanetary crew dose estimates for worst case solar particle events based on historical data for the Carrington flare of 1859.

Over the past two decades, hypothetical models of "worst-case" solar particle event (SPE) spectra have been proposed in order to place an upper bound on radiation doses to critical body organs of interplanetary crews on deep space missions. These event spectra are usually formulated using hypothetical extrapolations of space measurements for previous large events. Here we take a different approach.

Space radiation protection: comparison of effective dose to bone marrow dose equivalent.

In many instances, bone marrow dose equivalents averaged over the entire body have been used as a surrogate for whole-body dose equivalents in space radiation protection studies. However, career radiation limits for space missions are expressed as effective doses. This study compares calculations of effective doses to average bone marrow dose equivalents for several large solar particle events (SPEs) and annual galactic cosmic ray (GCR) spectra, in order to examine the suitability of substituting bone marrow dose equivalents for effective doses.