Indentification of heavy particles in space radiobiological experiments

A method based on the measurement of a particle track length for identification of heavy cosmic particles by registering their charges is outlined. The method employs a polymer dielectric track detector (DTD). The relationship between the maximum pickled track length (MPL) of the beam and the particle charge and mass is calculated taking into account the threshold values of linear energy transfer, detector material characteristics and conditions of track pickling and measurement. Considered as an example are the results of using the suggested method for processing the data of measurements taken with cellulose nitrate base DTD. The absolute calculated error of measuring the MPL was 4 percent, the charge determination error in cellulose nitrate - 1-2%. Determination of the particle charge and mass with the use of the method described does not require so much time and labour as the cone length measurement. It ensures the accuracy of 0.5 to 0.3 charge unit in the charge region of 22 in measurements of the track lengths to the accuracy of 300-400 mcm