Development of a Plastic Scintillator-Based Active Shield for the ICARE-NG Radiation Monitor

An active shield using a scintillator and silicon photo-multipliers (SiPMs) has been developed to operate with space environment particle detectors sensitive to both protons and electrons, such as Influence sur les Composants Avancés des Radiations de l’Espace-Nouvelle Génération (ICARE-NG). The method shows a reduction in electron contamination through the sides of the detector, thus increasing energy resolution. Two geometries are studied, one working in coincidence mode with the main detector and the other in anti-coincidence. Performances of both the geometries are simulated in proton and electron environments in energy ranges typical of a space environment. Experimental measurements then aimed to validate the Monte Carlo simulation framework for scintillating materials. Finally, a case study of electron decontamination is carried out, as well as an error rate estimation in flux reconstruction.