Localization of space ions hitting rice seeds loaded in spaceship “Shen-zhou III”

To ascertain cause of mutation of rice seeds induced by space loading in spaceship “Shen-zhou Ⅲ, a “sandwich” experimental setup was designed. CR-39 solid-state nuclear track detectors were used to detect space heavy ions. Based on the position of track corresponding to seed in the setup, the seeds and their sites hit by ions were determined.