Radiation environment at high-mountains stations and onboard spacecraft

Radiation environment has been studied at high-mountain observatories and onboard spacecraft. The most important contribution to this environment at high-mountain observatories represents cosmic radiation component. We have been studied this environment in two high-mountain observatories: one situated on the top of Lomnicky Stit, High Tatras, Slovakia, and another one close to the top of Moussala, Rila, Bulgaria (Basic Environment Observatory--BEO). The studies have been performed using: an energy deposition spectrometer with a Si-diode (MDU) developed at BAS, Sofia, permitting to estimate non-neutron as well as neutron component of the radiation field; other active equipment designated to measure natural radiation background, and thermoluminescent detectors as passive dosimeters. Basic dosimetry characteristics of these fields are presented, analyzed, and discussed; they are also compared with the estimation of cosmic radiation component as published in the Report of UNSCEAR 2000. Measuring instruments mentioned above, together with an LET spectrometer based on chemically etched track detectors have been also used to characterize radiation environment onboard spacecraft, particularly International Space Station. They have been exposed on the surface and/or inside a phantom. Some of results obtained are presented, and discussed