Cosmic Ray Transport in the Atmosphere: Dose and Let-Distributions in Materials

Heavy nuclei in cosmic rays generate single event upsets in microelectronic components. We have calculated the LET-distributions and the fluxes of the various cosmic ray nuclei for elements 1 ≤ Z ≤ 28. These radiation transport calculations extend to altitudes of 55,000 feet, i.e. to aircraft flight altitudes. The calculations agree well with the limited experimental data available. The results of calculation of the upset rate vs. the critical charge are presented.