Radiation dosimetry: edited by G. J. Hine and G. L. Brownell. 932 pages, illustrations, 6 × 9 in. New York, Academic Press Inc., 1956. Price, $22.00

A syncytium model to study some electrical properties of the eye is proposed to study the phenomenon of anomalous light flashes (LF) perceived by astronauts in orbit. The crystalline lens is modelled as an ellipsoidal syncytium with a variable relative dielectric constant. The corresponding mathematical model is a boundary value problem for a system of two coupled elliptic partial differential equations in the two unknown syncytial electrical potentials. A numerical method to compute an approximate solution of this mathematical model is used, and some numerical results are shown. The model can be regarded as a new tool to study the LF phenomenon. In particular, the energy lost in the syncytium by a transversing cosmic charged particle is calculated and the results obtained with the syncytium model are compared with those obtained using the previously available Geant 3.21 simulation program. In addition, the interaction of antimatter–syncytium is studied, and the Creme96 computer program is used to evaluate the cosmic ray fluxes encountered by the International Space Station in its standard mission.

The use of a syncytium model of the crystalline lens of the eye as a new tool to study the light flashes phenomenon seen by astronauts.

The results from experiments conducted to characterize and elucidate light flashes seen by astronauts on Apollo 11, 12, 13, and 14 during transluna or transearth orbit are presented. The data show cosmic nuclei interacting with the visual apparatus causes the light flash phenomenon. The data also suggest that slow protons and helium ions with a stopping power greater than 10 KeV/micron will cause light flashes and streaks in the partially dark adapted eye. The effects of galactic cosmic nuclei interacting with man during long term missions are discussed.

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J.D. Denney

Papers

Light flash phenomenon seen by astronauts.