Journal Article 2 Mentions
Global real-time dose measurements using the Automated Radiation Measurements for Aerospace Safety (ARMAS) system
W. Kent Tobiska2016
Dave BouwerD. Smart
Top 7% · 93rd Percentile
55 citations · Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Open Access

TLDR

Radiation levels on airplanes change depending on where and how high the plane is flying, and pilots can lower exposure by choosing different routes or flying lower when needed.

Summary

1 Study Aim

The main goal of this paper is to present real-time measurements of radiation levels at commercial airplane altitudes using the Automated Radiation Measurements for Aerospace Safety (ARMAS) system. The authors aim to show how radiation exposure varies by altitude, latitude, and space weather conditions, and to suggest ways to manage radiation risks for aviation safety. Flying higher or closer to the poles increases radiation exposure, so tracking these changes helps keep flights safer.

2 Study Design

The research uses data collected from six ARMAS instruments flown on 213 commercial flights between 2013 and 2016, reaching up to 17.3 km (56,700 ft) altitude. These instruments measure the ambient dose equivalent rate (the amount of radiation relevant to human tissue) and send the data to the ground in real time with a five-minute delay. The study analyzes five example flights, focusing on how radiation levels change with altitude, latitude, and during different space weather events. Researchers put radiation sensors on many flights to see how much radiation people are exposed to at different heights and places.

3 Findings

The study reveals that most radiation at flight altitudes comes from galactic cosmic rays (high-energy particles from space), but levels can increase during geomagnetic disturbances (changes in Earth's magnetic field). Small regions with higher radiation, called 'clouds,' were found at certain magnetic latitudes. At 37,000 ft (about 11 km), high-latitude flights expose passengers to the same radiation as a chest X-ray every 12.5 hours, while midlatitude flights take 25 hours, and equatorial flights take 100 hours for the same dose. Radiation levels double with every 2 km increase in altitude. The authors recommend that pilots and air traffic controllers treat high-radiation areas like volcanic ash clouds, adjusting flight paths or altitudes to reduce exposure when needed. Radiation is higher on flights that go farther north or fly higher, so changing routes or flying lower can help keep people safer.

Abstract

The Automated Radiation Measurements for Aerospace Safety (ARMAS) program has successfully deployed a fleet of six instruments measuring the ambient radiation environment at commercial aircraft altitudes. ARMAS transmits real-time data to the ground and provides quality, tissue-relevant ambient dose equivalent rates with 5 min latency for dose rates on 213 flights up to 17.3 km (56,700 ft). We show five cases from different aircraft; the source particles are dominated by galactic cosmic rays but include particle fluxes for minor radiation periods and geomagnetically disturbed conditions. The measurements from 2013 to 2016 do not cover a period of time to quantify galactic cosmic rays' dependence on solar cycle variation and their effect on aviation radiation. However, we report on small radiation “clouds” in specific magnetic latitude regions and note that active geomagnetic, variable space weather conditions may sufficiently modify the magnetospheric magnetic field that can enhance the radiation environment, particularly at high altitudes and middle to high latitudes. When there is no significant space weather, high-latitude flights produce a dose rate analogous to a chest X-ray every 12.5 h, every 25 h for midlatitudes, and every 100 h for equatorial latitudes at typical commercial flight altitudes of 37,000 ft (~11 km). The dose rate doubles every 2 km altitude increase, suggesting a radiation event management strategy for pilots or air traffic control; i.e., where event-driven radiation regions can be identified, they can be treated like volcanic ash clouds to achieve radiation safety goals with slightly lower flight altitudes or more equatorial flight paths.

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