[214] Solar Heavy Ions (MACREE)


The Boeing MACREE model of the October 1989 solar particle event, including both protons and heavy ions. Used as a worst-case solar event model in the International Space Station Alpha specifications.

This module contains a model of the October 1989 solar particle event, including protons and heavy ions. Use it to predict heavy-ion induced single-event upsets and dose equivalent in any orbit during a large solar flare. It is of particular importance for SEU prediction in GEO.

It is a credible worst-case solar particle environment and is used for that purpose in the International Space Station radiation specifications. It replaces the CREME August 1972 and composite worst-case solar models which were overly conservative.

A salient feature of this model is the inclusion of the partially ionized nature of particles from the sun. This allows the particles to penetrate into low Earth orbits. It is a new effect that has not been included in earlier engineering models and will significantly change assessments of solar particle exposure in LEO.
¹ P.P. Majewski, E. Normand, and D.L. Oberg, A New Solar Flare Heavy Ion Model and Its Implementation Through MACREE, An Improved Modeling Tool to Calculate Single Event Effects Rates in Space, IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 42, 2043-2050 (1995)


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