Estimation of Cosmic-Ray-Induced Atmospheric Ionization and Radiation at Commercial Aviation Flight Altitudes

COSMIC RADIATION IN COMMERCIAL AVIATION Professor

This paper reviews the current knowledge of cosmic radiation and its applicability to commercial aviation. Galactic cosmic radiation emanates from outside the solar system, while occasionally a disturbance in the sun’s atmosphere leads to a surge in radiation particles. Protection is provided by the sun’s magnetic field, the earth’s magnetic field, and the earth’s atmosphere. Dose rates are dep...

Compact cosmic ray detector for unattended atmospheric ionization monitoring.

Two vertical cosmic ray telescopes for atmospheric cosmic ray ionization event detection are compared. Counter A, designed for low power remote use, was deployed in the Welsh mountains; its event rate increased with altitude as expected from atmospheric cosmic ray absorption. Independently, Counter B's event rate was found to vary with incoming particle acceptance angle. Simultaneous co-located...

Cosmic Ray Abundance at Aircraft Altitudes in the Earth’s Atmosphere

Recent investigations of cosmic ray primaries and secondaries at aviation altitudes in the Earth’s atmosphere include the study of Z≥2 particles along the London-New York flight routes on supersonic aircraft. Preliminary charge spectra will be presented for these nuclei and comparisons will be made with the predictions of cosmic ray transport models in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Radiological risk assessment of cosmic radiation at aviation altitudes (a trip from Houston Intercontinental Airport to Lagos International Airport)

Radiological risk parameters associated with aircrew members traveling from Houston Intercontinental Airport to Lagos International Airport have been computed using computer software called EPCARD (version 3.2). The mean annual effective dose of radiation was computed to be 2.94 mSv/year. This result is above the standard permissible limit of 1 mSv/year set for the public and pregnant aircrew m...

Chapter 18: Radiation-Related Risk Analysis for Atmospheric Flight Civil Aviation Flight Personnel