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

Applied Sciences

Maria Gerontidou¹  Pavlos Paschalis¹  Helen Mavromichalaki¹  Panagiota Makrantoni¹  Argyris N. Stassinakis¹  Anastasia Tezari¹  Alexandros G. Georgakilas²  Pantelis Karaiskos³  Mark Dierckxsens⁴  Norma Crosby⁴  Ilya G. Usoskin⁵ 

[1] Athens Cosmic Ray Group, Faculty of Physics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece;DNA Damage Laboratory, Physics Department, School of Applied Mathematical and Physical Sciences, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Zografou, Athens 15780, Greece;Medical Physics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11517 Athens, Greece;Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, 1180 Brussels, Belgium;Space Physics and Astronomy Research Unit and Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, University of Oulu, FIN-90014 Oulu, Finland;

关键词: cosmic rays;    ionization;    radiation;    atmosphere;    solar cycle;    flight level;   

DOI  :  10.3390/app12115297

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The main source of the ionization of the Earth’s atmosphere is the cosmic radiation that depends on solar activity as well as geomagnetic activity. Galactic cosmic rays constitute a permanent radiation background and contribute significantly to the radiation exposure inside the atmosphere. In this work, the cosmic-ray-induced ionization of the Earth’s atmosphere, due to both solar and galactic cosmic radiation during the recent solar cycles 23 (1996–2008) and 24 (2008–2019), was studied globally. Estimations of the ionization were based on the CRAC:CRII model by the University of Oulu. The use of this model allowed for extensive calculations from the Earth’s surface (atmospheric depth 1033 g/cm²) to the upper limit of the atmosphere (atmospheric depth 0 g/cm²). Monte Carlo simulations were performed for the estimation quantities of radiobiological interest with the validated software DYASTIMA/DYASTIMA-R. This study was focused on specific altitudes of interest, such as the common flight levels used by commercial aviation.

【 授权许可】

Unknown