The radiation environment in the ISS-USLab measured by ALTEA: Spectra and relative nuclear abundances in the polar, equatorial and SAA regions Original Research Article

We present here the energy spectra relative to different geomagnetic regions as measured by the ALTEA (Anomalous Long Term Effects on Astronauts) detector in the International Space Station – USLab from August 2006 to July 2007. ALTEA is an active detector composed by six silicon telescopes and it is able to follow the dynamics of the radiation flux, with the capability to discriminate impinging nuclei from Boron to Molybdenum. We divided each orbit in three regions (polar, equatorial and South Atlantic Anomaly), according to the values of the geomagnetic coordinates, and show the relative energy spectra. Finally we calculated the relative nuclear abundances compared to the ones of the total data. As expected all nuclear species are similarly modulated by the geomagnetic cutoff.