TY - CHAP A1 - Döhring, Thorsten A1 - Krivanekova, Lucia A1 - Pregler, Jan A1 - Hildenbrand, Georg ED - Hudec, René ED - Pina, Ladislav T1 - Radiation measurements in the stratosphere by the balloon experiment ASTRABAX T2 - EUV and X-ray Optics: Synergy between Laboratory and Space IX N2 - Stratospheric balloons are a platform of choice for meteorology, climate and atmospheric research, offering some advantages over sounding rockets and satellites. The Aschaffenburg Stratospheric Balloon Experiment (ASTRABAX) carries out experiments on material treatments and life sciences under the extreme radiation exposures at high altitude. The pioneer ASTRABAX flight took place mid of October 2024 in Germany. Measurements examined the UV spectral region by a miniature spectrometer and captured secondary cosmic rays employing a Geiger counter. Additional experiments assessed irradiation effects on polydopamine X-ray mirror coatings. The platform also carried samples of biological cells to evaluate effects of exposure to low-dose irradiation of high-energy particles, gamma rays and UV radiation simultaneously. Biological experiments under such realistic conditions are relevant for genetic research on Earth, for human space flights as well as for the understanding of astrobiological processes. KW - stratosphere KW - radiation exposure KW - gamma ray KW - cosmic rays KW - ultraviolet KW - balloon KW - Stratosphären-Ballon Y1 - 2025 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3056175 VL - 2025 IS - 13531 SP - 1353109-1 EP - 1353109-11 PB - SPIE ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Döhring, Thorsten T1 - Critical discussion on the UV absorption properties of Earth's atmosphere T2 - Proceedings of SPIE N2 - Sun´s ultraviolet radiation is classified into UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C bands. Thereby UV-A passes through Earth´s atmosphere, while UV-B is partially absorbed by ozone. The limitations of the commonly accepted statement, that UV-C is always completely absorbed by Earth´s atmosphere, are discussed critically. Below 200 nm the solar spectrum is strongly absorbed by molecular oxygen. The stratospheric ozone layer has strong absorption between 200 nm and 300 nm. However, the “ozone hole” increases UV-B radiation just below 300 nm and may also open a transmitting atmospheric window for harmful UV-C at the overlap region between oxygen absorption and ozone absorption. KW - ultraviolet KW - UV-C KW - absorption KW - atmosphere KW - ozone hole KW - Ozonloch KW - Ultraviolett KW - Atmosphäre KW - Absorption Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2271645 VL - 2017 IS - 10453 SP - 104530I-1 EP - 104530I-10 PB - SPIE ER -