Development of a calculation method for estimating specific energy distribution in complex radiation fields

Sato, Tatsuhiko   ; Yokoya, Ritsuko; Niita, Koji*

Estimation of biological effects due to exposure of HZE particles is one of the key issues in the planning of long-term space missions and heavy ion cancer therapies. Detailed information on the specific energy distributions around their tracks is indispensable in the issue. We therefore calculated the specific energy distributions in liquid water around the tracks of protons and several kinds of heavy ions with energies from 1 MeV/n to 100 GeV/n. The calculations were performed by a Monte Carlo electron track structure simulation code coupled with the Katz's delta-ray production model. An analytical function to reproduce the simulation results has been developed in order to predict the distribution for all kinds of heavy ions with wide energy ranges. By incorporated into the Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System PHITS, the function enables us to calculate the specific energy distribution in macroscopic matters such as specified organs of astronauts or tumor of patients within a short computational time.