Understanding the dynamics of space radiation hazards using measurements from novel in-situ detectors

Our society is becoming ever more reliant on space-based infrastructure for navigation, security, climate monitoring and potentially, in future, power sources such as space-based solar and space-based nuclear. Such systems need to be made highly resilient to space radiation which requires a much better understanding of what is a highly dynamic and aggressive radiation environment. The University of Surrey has developed novel detectors for the measurement of space radiation and its effects in engineered systems: these devices have been deployed in space over recent years on spacecraft developed by ESA, NASA and others. Our instruments measure parameters of importance for the understanding damage created in systems, especially to electronics but also biological systems and people: specifically, we measure fluxes and spectra of electrons, protons, ions plus direct effects such as ionising dose as well as electrostatic charging. 

Considerable amounts of data have now been accumulated and new data is being acquired daily so creating a unique data set which has not yet been fully analysed. The focus of this project is on analysing data from medium Earth orbit missions i.e. the ESA Giove-A (Merlin instrument) and Galileo (EMU instrument), the NASA DSX mission (CREDANCE instrument) and this can be combined with other data sets such as from the NASA Van Allen Belt mission. The goal is to compare the data to current models of the radiation environment and, using the unique properties of the instruments, provide new insights. Specific issues which need to be addressed are:

• Understanding instrument responses (e.g. Geant4 modelling) and calibrations over the mission
• Understanding the variability of the environment over the short and long term (solar cycles)
• Determining how well current environment models perform 
• Developing modifications/improvements for models (environment and effects) if justified and/or develop new models
• Develop modifications/improvements of the instruments for the next generation.

All students funded through the RAPTOR DFA network will be required to undertake 60 credits of training modules as part of the PhD, which will be carried out during the first 3 months of the PhD. Upon completion of the training modules you will receive a Postgraduate Certificate in Nuclear Skills awarded by the University of Liverpool, in addition to your PhD. During the period October – December 2026 you will be required to spend 1 week at each of our partner DFA Universities at Liverpool, Manchester and Suffolk to attend some of these training lectures. All costs for these visits will be covered by the DFA, and more information about this training will be provided when you apply for the PhD. 

Open to candidates who pay UK/home rate fees. See UKCISA for further information.

The project is suitable for students with a good physics or engineering background (1^st or upper second) with a strong interest in radiation, nuclear and space and will provide a good basis for careers in any of these domains. Many opportunities to collaborate internationally (e.g. in academia, ESA, NASA, USAF and UK Met Office) are anticipated.

You will need to meet the minimum entry requirements for our PhD programme.