Mars Radiation Environment Experiment - Results

Results

The diagram indicates a main radiation exposure of 20mrad/d = 1.7 Gy/a. JPL reported that MARIE-measured radiation levels were two to three times greater than at the International Space Station (which is 100-200mSv/a). Levels at the Martian surface might be closer to the level at the ISS due to atmospheric shielding -- ignoring the effect of thermal neutrons induced by GCR. Average in-orbit doses were about 400-500mSv/a. However occasional solar proton events (SPEs) produce a hundred and more times higher doses, see diagram above. SPEs were observed by MARIE that were not observed by sensors near Earth, confirming that SPEs are directional.

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