GSI-ESA-NASA Nuclear Cross-Section Database: Update I. Addition of Proton-Projectile Reaction Cross-Sections

Nuclear reaction cross-sections are needed for Monte Carlo and deterministic radiation transport codes used for ion therapy and radiation protection in space. A GSI-ESA-NASA combined effort generated a free and publicly-available nucleus-nucleus reaction cross-section database. Nevertheless, protons—the main
component of solar particle events and galactic cosmic ray fluences in space— account alone for over 60% of the effective dose behind thick shields in space and are used in 88% of the cancer-treatment ion-therapy centers worldwide. Therefore, in the present work, proton-projectile data have also been included. These data are compared to the reaction cross-section models used in radiation transport codes, including the models of Tripathi-Cucinotta-Wilson, Hybrid-Kurotama, Kox, Shen, and Kox-Shen. The Tripathi-Cucinotta-Wilson model uses the Tripathi99 model for low-Z projectile ions and the Tripathi96 model for other projectiles. The Hybrid-Kurotama model is based on the Black Sphere formula at high energies that is smoothly connected to the Tripathi99 model at low energies. It is found that the Tripathi99 and Hybrid-Kurotama models best fit the proton-projectile data.