Some cosmic radiation dose measurements aboard flights connecting Zagreb Airport (original) (raw)

Cosmic Radiation Dose in the Aircraft

When primary particles from space, mainly protons, enter the atmosphere, they produce interactions with air nuclei, and cosmic-ray showers are induced. The radiation field at aircraft altitude is complex, with different types of particles, mainly photons, electrons, positrons and neutrons, with a large energy range.

Cosmic radiation dose in aircraft – a neutron track etch detector

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 2007

Cosmic radiation bombards us at high altitude by ionizing particles. The radiation environment is a complex mixture of charged particles of solar and galactic origin, as well as of secondary particles produced in interaction of the galactic cosmic particles with the nuclei of atmosphere of the Earth. The radiation field at aircraft altitude consists of different types of particles, mainly photons, electrons, positrons and neutrons, with a large energy range.

Monitoring of onboard aircraft exposure to cosmic radiation: May–December 2005

Advances in Space Research, 2007

Onboard aircraft exposure to cosmic radiation has been monitored during the period May-December 2005. Mobile Dosimetry Unit (MDU) Si-spectrodosimeter has been used as an active measuring equipment, it has been installed onboard of an A310-300 aircraft. Some passive detectors were placed on the body of MDU. Three types of thermoluminescent detectors (TLD) were used as well as track etch detectors (TEDs). TEDs were treated both as a neutron dosimeter and as a spectrometer of linear energy transfer. Available navigation data permitted us also to calculate onboard exposure during more than 400 individual flights. MDU established and calculated data for each individual flight are compared and analyzed, from the data conclusions as to aircrew exposure are outlined. Particular attention is devoted to the influence of: geomagnetic characteristics and flight altitude on the calculated and MDU-Liulin measured dosimetry characteristic of onboard radiation field; some solar events (Forbush decreases) registered by MDU-Liulin on the level of aircraft crew exposure during monitoring period.

On the neutron contribution to the exposure level onboard space vehicles

Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 2007

The neutron contribution to the spacecraft crew exposure could represent an important part of the total dose equivalent value. The determination of this contribution represents a rather complex and difficult task, both through experimental and theoretical estimation. This paper will present an attempt to determine the neutron contribution onboard the International Space Station and Foton capsule using the data measured by means of a Si-diode based energy deposition spectrometer.

Measurement of cosmic radiation exposure of aircraft crew at commercial aviation altitudes

Nuclear Technology and Radiation Protection, 2017

The measurement results of ambient dose equivalent rate in an aircraft, performed by a standard portable dosimeter, at a non-commercial flight Belgrade - Podgorica at altitudes up to 9000 meters, are shown. By numerical interpolation of the measurement results, a functional dependency of the ambient dose equivalent rate on the altitude of the airplane flight is determined, obtaining a good agreement with the reference values. For commercial airlines in the Balkan region, total ambient dose equivalent, regarding the aircraft crew occupationally exposed to radiation in the course of a flight, was calculated and the maximum permitted number of flight hours per year, was estimated.

Estimation of neutron and other radiation exposure components in low earth orbit

Radiation Measurements, 2001

The interaction of high-energy space radiation with spacecraft materials generates a host of secondary particles, some, such as neutrons, are more biologically damaging and penetrating than the original primary particles. Before committing astronauts to long term exposure in such high radiation environments, a quantitative understanding of the exposure and estimates of the associated risks are required. Energetic neutrons are traditionally di cult to measure due to their neutral charge. Measurement methods have been limited by mass and weight requirements in space to nuclear emulsion, activation foils, a limited number of Bonner spheres, and TEPCs. Such measurements have had limited success in quantifying the neutron component relative to the charged components. We will show that a combination of computational models and experimental measurements can be used as a quantitative tool to evaluate the radiation environment within the Shuttle, including neutrons. Comparisons with space measurements are made with special emphasis on neutron sensitive and insensitive devices.

New results on radiation effects on human health

Acta Geophysica, 2009

A b s t r a c t Humans are exposed to ionizing radiation all the time, and it is known that it can induce a variety of harmful biological effects. Consequently, it is necessary to quantitatively assess the level of exposure to this radiation as the basis for estimating risks due to ionization radiation. During the Work Package 2400 of the COST-724/WG-2 action, a number of spacecraft and aircraft experiments have been performed with both active and passive detectors. A large data base has been created.

Potential benefit of retrospective use of neutron monitors in improving ionising radiation exposure assessment on international flights: issues raised by neutron passive dosimeter measurements and EPCARD simulations during sudden changes in solar activity

Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology, 2020

Since air transport became more accessible, more and more people have been exposed to ionising radiation of cosmic origin. Measuring the neutron dose equivalent is a good approximation of total ambient dose equivalent, as neutrons carry about 50 % of the dose at flight altitudes. The aim of our study was to compare our measurements of the neutron component of secondary cosmic radiation dose, taken with passive dosimeters, with the data obtained from a simulation generated by EPCARD software, which is common in assessing flight crew exposure to ionising radiation. We observed deviations (both above and below) from the expected proportion of the neutron component (between 40 and 80 %), which pointed to certain issues with actual passive dosimeter measurement and the EPCARD simulation. The main limitation of the dosimeter are large uncertainties in high energy neutron response, which may result in underestimation of neutron dose equivalent. The main drawback of the software simulation ...

Cosmic Ionizing Radiation Exposures on Aircraft and Its Impact Depending on Some Definite Selected Paths

Japanese Journal of Medical Science(JJMS) / ISSN: 2996-2536 | DOI: 10.33140/JJMS, 2024

The assessment of the exposure to cosmic radiation onboard aircraft is one of the preoccupations of bodies responsible for radiation protection. Cosmic particle flux is significantly higher onboard aircraft than at ground level and its intensity depends on the solar activity. The dose is usually estimated using codes validated by the experimental data. In this paper, a comparison of the radiation dose on 30 one-way flights between Kuwait and Egypt was organized. A survey meter IMI Inspector Alert model (IA-V2) Geiger Counter, as well as personal dosimeter detectors [(EPD) and (RAD-60S / RADOS)], were used in this work. Good agreement was observed for instruments determining the different components of the radiation field; the mean ambient dose equivalent for the one-way flying was 8.4 μSv and Absorbed Dose rate was 3.6 µSv/hr. The agreement of values obtained for the total dose obtained by measurements and by calculations is very satisfying.