Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 28 February 1975:
Vol. 187. no. 4178, pp. 738 - 739
DOI: 10.1126/science.187.4178.738
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Pioneer 10 Jovian Encounter: Radiation Dose and Implications for Biological Lethality

Morton W. Miller 1, Gary E. Kaufman 1, and H. David Maillie 1

1 Department of Radiation Biology and Biophysics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14642

In its recent Jupiter flyby Pioneer 10 passed through a belt of intense particulate radiation. The radiation dose on the outer surface of the spacecraft was at least 4.9 x 105 rads from electrons plus 2.9 x 106 rads from protons, sufficient to cause significant microbial decontamination. The radiation dose inside Pioneer 10, approximately 2.8 x 105 rads, was less likely to cause microbial decontamination but would be lethal to man and to most multicellular biological organisms.

To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)