LOW ALTITUDE ZONE IONIZING OBSERVATORY (LAZIO-SIRAD)
Research Area: Radiation Measurements and Shielding
Expedition(s): 10 and 11
Principal Investigator(s): ● Roberto Battiston, Istituto Nazionale di Fiscica Nucleare-
Sezione di Perugia and Universita di Perugia, Perugia, Italy
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Low Altitude Zone Ionizing Observatory (LAZIO-
SiRAD) is a technological demonstrator that
aims to perform a number of measurements
involving cosmic rays in space, their relation to
anomalous phosphine (light flash) perception by
crew members, the effect of different shielding
materials in reducing the radiation environment,
and characterization of the magnetic
environment inside the International Space
Station (ISS). A further topic of research, and
probably the most important one regarding
this experiment, regards earthquake
monitoring from space.
RESULTS
This technological demonstrator operated for
few days. Ionizing particles were detected
within the ISS: the first magnetic observations
performed by this instrument were promising
and demand for a further and deeper
analysis based on a longer time series of
data. The main expectations from EGLE were
the evaluation of its capability in detecting
signals up to ULF frequencies, which was
successful. There is also an indication that
magnetic measurements exhibit the same
time period of the ISS rotation around the
Earth. As part of the EGLE test there were
also successful testing of the system’s 1-
Wire® data acquisition system, and the signal conditioning and data acquisition board, which
produced good quality of signal-to-noise-ratio in all the three frequency bands.
PUBLICATION(S)
Casolino M. Cosmic ray investigations during the Marco Polo and Eneide missions with the
sileye-3/Alteino experiment. Microgravity Science and Technology. September 2007;19(5-6):49-
- doi: 10.1007/BF02919452.
Low Altitude Ionizing Observatory hardware. ESA
image.ISS010E24814 – Low Altitude Ionizing Observatory
(LAZIO) in the Service Module 402/Zvezda during
International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 10. LAZIO
measures cosmic rays in space and their relation to
anomalous phosphine (light flash) as perceived by crew
members. Also studies the effect of different shielding
materials to reducing the radiation environment and
characterizes the magnetic environment inside the ISS.
Hardware consists of a Main Electronics Box and Voice
Recorder.