Abstract
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.
In this contribution we would like to stress the results obtained and their importance in three particular directions: (i) Simultaneous investigation of galactic cosmic rays on aircraft and on the International Space Station (ISS); (ii) Onboard spacecraft neutron contribution as estimated on the basis of the comparison of results measured with MDU/Liulin equipment onboard ISS, foton capsule and a commercial aircraft flying at subsonic altitudes; (iii) Complex analysis of the results of long term measurements onboard a Czech Airlines aircraft. The results obtained are presented, analyzed, and discussed, and their complementary nature is underlined. The contribution represents a version of the Final Report of the Work Package 2400 of the COST-724/WG-2: Radiation Environment of the Earth.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bartlett, D., L. Hager, and R. Tanner (2005), The use of passive personal neutron dosimeters to determine the neutron component of cosmic radiation fields in spacecraft - an update, 10th WRMISS, Chiba, Japan, 09/2005.
Benton, E.R., E.V. Benton, A.L. Frank, A. Leonov, and J. Gastin (2002), Dosimetric results from the Mir Orbital Station, Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 100, 489–494.
Bottollier-Depois, J.-F., F. Trompier, I. Clairand, F. Spurny, D. Bartlett, P. Beck, B. Lewis, L. Lindborg, D. O’sullivan, H. Roos and L. Tommasino (2004), Exposure of aircraft crew to cosmic radiation: on-board intercomparison of various dosemeters, Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 110, 1–4, 411–415, DOI: 10.1093/rpd/nch217.
Dachev, Ts., F. Spurny, G. Reitz, T. Tomov, P. Dimitrov, and Y. Matviichuk (2005), Simultaneous investigation of galactic cosmic rays on aircraft and on international space station, Adv. Space Res. 36, 9, 1665–1670, DOI: 10.1016/j.asr.2005.05.073.
EC (1997), European Commission, Recommendations for the Implementation of Title VII of the European Basic Safety Standards Directive (BSS) Concerning Significant Increase in Exposure Due to Natural Radiation Sources, EC Report Radiation Protection 88, European Commission, Luxembourg.
Friedberg, W., W. Snyder, and D.N. Faulkner (1992), Radiation exposure of air carrier crew member, US FAA, Report DOT/FAA/AM-92-2.
Hoff, J.L., L.W. Townsend, and E.N. Zapp (2002), Space radiation protection: Comparison of effective dose to bone marrow dose equivalent, J. Radiat. Res. 43, 125–128, DOI: 10.1269/jrr.43.S125.
ICRP (1990), Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection, ICRP Publication 60, Annals of the ICRP 21, 1–3, Pergamon Press, Oxford.
ICRP (1996), Conversion coefficients for use in radiological protection against external radiation, ICRP Publication 74, Annals of the ICRP 26, 3–4, Pergamon Press, Oxford.
ICRU (1998), International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements, Conversion Coefficients for use in Radiological Protection Against External Radiation, ICRU Report 57, ICRU, Bethesda, Maryland.
Kovalev, J.J., and E.I. Vorobyov (1983), Radiation Protection of the Aircrafts Crew Members, Energoatomizdat, Moskva (in Russian).
Mitaroff, A., and M. Silari (2002), The CERN-EU high-energy reference field (CERF) facility for dosimetry at commercial flight altitudes and in space, Radiat. Prot. Dosim. 102, 7–22.
NCRP (2002), Operational radiation safety program for astronauts in low-earth orbit: a basic framework, NCRP Publication 142.
Reitz, G. (2005), Radiation - Limiting human space flights? Invited talk presented during 15th Symp. Human in Space, Graz, May 2005.
Schraube, H., G. Leuthold, W. Heinrich, S. Roesler, V. Mares, and G. Schraub (2002), EPCARD-European program package for the calculation of aviation route doses - Users Manual, GSF-Bericht 08/02 ISSN 0721-1694.
Shea, M.A., and D.F. Smart (1990), A summary of major solar proton events, Solar Physics 127, 297–320.
Spurný, F., and Ts. Dachev (2003), Long-term monitoring on the onboard aircraft crew exposure level with a Si-diode based spectrometer, Adv. Space Res. 32, 1, 53–58, DOI: 10.1016/S0273-1177(03)90370-X.
Spurný, F., and Ts. Dachev (2005), Aircrew exposure assessment by means of a Si-diode spectrometer. In: J.P. McLaughlin, E.S. Simopolons, and F. Steinhäuser (eds.), The Natural Radiation Environment VII, Radioactivity in the Environment, vol. 7, 871–875, Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Streb, C., P. Richter, M. Lebert, T. Dachev, and D-P. Haeder (2002), R3D-B, Radiation risk radiometer-dosimeter on biopan (foton) and expose on inter. space station, Proceedings of the 2nd Exo-Astrobiology WS, Graz, Austria, 71–74, ESA SP-518, November 2002.
Wilson, J.W., L.W. Townsend, W. Schimmerling, G.S. Khandelwal, and J.W. Norbury (1991), Transport methods and interactions for space radiations, NASA Reference Publication 1257.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Spurny, F., Dachev, T.P. New results on radiation effects on human health. Acta Geophys. 57, 125–140 (2009). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11600-008-0070-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11600-008-0070-6