Speaker
Description
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 dependent on the altitude, the geomagnetic latitude and the solar cycle. For occupational exposure to ionizing radiation, which includes aircrew, the International
Commission on Radiological Protection recommends maximum mean body effective dose limits of 20 mSv per year (averaged over 5 years, with a maximum in any one year of 50 mSv). Radiation doses can be calculated by using a computer modeling program, FLUKA. At an altitude of commercial aircraft (about 10 kilometers above sea level), the polar regions have a radiation dose greater than the equatorial regions about three times.
