Radiation Exposure in Civil Aircraft
R. Beaujean, J. Kopp, G. Reitz
Universität Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany and
DLR Köln, 51140 Köln, Germany
Abstract from:
Radiation Protection Dosimetry,
Vol. 85, No. 1-4, p. 287-290 (1999)
An active dosimeter based on two silicon planar detectors was flown on
civil aircraft flights to study the altitude and latitude dependence and
any potential short-term variations of the radiation exposure.
The count
rate versus altitude at flight levels FL310-FL410 near Frankfurt (Germany)
has been found as proportional to an exponential law [exp(-x/(175±10))]
where x is the amount of residual atmosphere in g/cm.
The latitude
dependence at investigated altitudes levels off at latitudes greater than
60°.
No significant short-term variations of the count and dose rates
were detected on the flights during quiet times of solar activity.
Preliminary mean dose equivalent rates are 3.2 and 1.4 µSv/h
for high and
low latitude flights respectively.
These values are probably lower limits
due to the uncalibrated neutron response of the instrument.
Contact: R. Beaujean
