Speaker
Description
The Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) aboard NASA's Curiosity rover has continuously monitored energetic particles on the Martian surface since its landing on August 6, 2012, providing an unprecedented record of radiation exposure spanning an entire solar cycle.
Understanding the Martian radiation environment is critical for assessing astronaut health risks and guiding the design of future crewed missions. Mars’ radiation field arises from complex interactions between primary galactic cosmic rays (GCRs), solar energetic particles (SEPs), and the planet’s atmosphere and surface. These interactions generate secondary particles, creating a dynamic and variable radiation environment shaped by factors such as atmospheric pressure, seasonal cycles, heliospheric modulation, surface topography, and subsurface composition.
In this study, we analyze the extensive dataset collected by RAD over the past 12 years to investigate temporal variations in particle fluxes on Mars. Our analysis encompasses multiple particle species and captures long-term trends across a full solar cycle, enabling a detailed examination of particle interactions within the Martian environment.
By exploring species-specific flux variations and their temporal evolution, this work advances our understanding of Mars’ complex radiation dynamics and their implications for future human exploration. The findings offer critical insights into radiation shielding, subsurface processes, and broader considerations of Martian habitability, helping to assess the feasibility of sustained human presence on Mars.
