Speaker
Description
Among the various space weather phenomena, Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs) events pose several significant risks: they can damage satellite electronics, increase radiation exposure for astronauts, and impact high-altitude flights, especially over polar regions. Traditionally, these events are monitored using space-based particle detectors or indirectly through ground-based instruments that detect secondary particles generated. They indicate a steady level of radiation when primary cosmic rays interact with the Earth's atmosphere and notable enhancements caused by SEPs events. Therefore, the propagation of ionizing radiation in the atmosphere is of particular importance. However, the intermediate atmospheric region—where primary particles initiate complex cascades of secondary radiation remains less systematically studied. It leaves a gap in our understanding and limits accurate characterization of the high-altitude radiation environment.
The goal of our research is to bridge this void through the design, construction, and deployment of a novel detector for airborne radiation monitoring. The AMORE (Airspace Measurement of Radiation Environment) instrument is a particle telescope based on scintillator detectors. It aims to observe the particle environment at altitudes of aircraft and balloon flights. The device is designed to offer energy sensitivity from fractions to hundreds of MeV, particle discrimination, and directional sensitivity across the whole solid angle. The instrument is compact, has low power consumption, and is capable of fully autonomous operation. As an initial step, the AMORE detector has been realized in its Demonstration Model (DM) configuration.
The AMORE DM is a prototype that combines three different scintillators. Two planar, 52 mm x 52 mm x 2 mm BC-400 plastic scintillators are placed at the top and bottom of a cubic 50 mm x 50 mm x 50 mm BC-400 plastic scintillator. Light output readout from each plastic detector is achieved using Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs). The AMORE DM has already been tested by exposing it to several gamma and beta radiation sources, as well as proton beams at the Proton Irradiation Facility (PIF) at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI).
The first field deployment of the detector will take place during aircraft flights, which offer a stable and controlled environment, as well as a well-known flight path. The initial campaigns aim to characterize and tune the instrument in terms of hardware performance and radiation response. Specifically, they will focus on performance evaluation and optimization under aircraft environmental conditions. In addition, measurements onboard will assess the instrument’s in-situ radiation response, including particle discrimination, intensity measurements, altitude and latitude dependence, and finally potential correlations with solar activity. Furthermore, the deployment campaign will provide lessons learnt know-how for the next iteration of the AMORE instrument, intended for flights on stratospheric weather balloons. The first results from laboratory and pre-flight campaign preparations will be presented and discussed.
