2006/10/05 by Oleg G. Semyonov, Semyonov, Oleg G.
Medicine · Physics and Astronomy · Social Sciences · #FOS: Physical sciences #General Physics (physics.gen-ph) #Nuclear Issues and Defense #Radiation Therapy and Dosimetry #Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics #Space Physics (physics.space-ph) #physics.gen-ph #physics.space-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.physics/0610030
16 pages, 4 figures, minor grammar corrections, references added, submitted to Acta Astronautica
openalex publication_date 2006/10/05 · arxiv created 2008/08/26 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
From the point of view of radiation safety, interstellar space is not an empty void. Interstellar gas and cosmic rays, which consist of hydrogen and helium nucleons, present a severe radiation hazard to crew and electronics aboard a relativistic interstellar ship. Of the two, the oncoming relativistic flow of interstellar gas produces the most intence radiation. A protection shield will be needed to block relativistic interstellar gas that can also absorb most of the cosmic rays which, as a result of relativistic aberration, form into a beamed flow propagating toward the front of the ship.