As some of you may know, the upcoming manned landing on Mars within 10 years expected to happen. But before humanity sets foot on the surface of the Red Planet, scientists must answer many questions to ensure the safety of people sent to the planet. question consists.

One of the things that could pose a threat to humans on the surface of Mars is the amount of cosmic rays that rain down on the planet and galactic cosmic light (GCR) particles stands out as. A newly published study suggests it could protect against harmful radiation in the Martian atmosphere and provide future protection for astronauts. construction materials offers a possible solution.

Protection from harmful effects in the Martian atmosphere may be possible by going underground.

GCRs originate primarily from cosmic events such as supernovas, which are likely to come from outside the Solar System and largely reflect off magnetic fields called the Earth’s magnetosphere. ‘of any element’ It may be possible to define them as formed high-energy particles. Overexposure to GCR particles can cause many people to develop cancer, cataracts and damage to the central nervous system. health problem can cause survival. The lack of a magnetic field from the Red Planet to prevent these particles from freely entering the atmosphere and reaching the surface is also extremely frustrating for the GCR. rich means it is.

According to the new study in question, the surface of Mars go deepcould hold the key to protecting the planet from high radiation and GCR particles.

Accordingly, when the GCRs enter the Martian atmosphere, which is mainly composed of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, they are highly ionized. they lose energy and this prevents these particles from reaching the surface. According to the authors of the study, this is largely dependent on the thickness of the atmosphere and the amount of atmospheric pressure exerted on the surface. Basically, according to the point where the thickness of the atmosphere is found on Mars, whose topography is as diverse as Earth. can change and this is the amount of radiation that reaches the surface. variability can cause it to appear.

The thickness of the Martian atmosphere varies

On the other hand, the interaction between the GCRs and the atmosphere secondary neutron particles They also found that it produces another type of harmful radiation called radiation. According to the research, greater atmospheric shielding means more damage to the surface of Mars from secondary neutrons. small caused.

In addition, the researchers wanted to simulate GCR exposure on the surface of the planet and regolith to measure how deep the surface dirt and rock penetrates, known as NASA’s curiosity They used radiation data collected by the rover and advanced computer modeling called the Atmospheric Radiation Interaction Simulator (AtRIS).

As a result of their analysis, the effective radiation dose was found to be within about 30 centimeters of the regolith. to the top to be found. After this, the researchers determined that a regolith shield between 1 and 1.6 meters would be needed for safe settlement on Mars. As for the subject, the study authors, “In a deep crater where the surface pressure is higher, the extra regolith protection needed is slightly more is small† the expressions used.

What does this research mean for travel to Mars?

So why is this so important? Accordingly, understand how material from Mars is affected by GCRs and the role it plays in altering radiation exposure from the planet’s atmosphere; in the future on Mars build a base It can be a very important step for you.

In their statement on the subject “It has long been argued that astronauts could use natural geological structures such as cavern skylights or lava tubes as radiation shelters on Mars,” researchers, who recorded “Our work consists of designing future Martian habitats using natural surface material as protective protection. to reduce radiation risks can serve.” He also points out the importance of his research.