Stuttgart 2012 – scientific programme
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EP: Fachverband Extraterrestrische Physik
EP 8: Poster ISWI
EP 8.1: Poster
Wednesday, March 14, 2012, 16:30–19:00, Poster.IV
Longterm Monitoring of Ambient Dose Equivalent Rates at Aviation Altitudes — •B. Heber1, J. Briese2, O. Burda3, S. Burmeister1, T. Klages3, F. Langner3, J. Marquardt3, D. Matthiae4, T. Möller1, G. Reitz4, E. Scharrenberg1, and F. Wissmann3 — 1Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, 24098 Kiel, Germany — 2Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Frankfurt, Germany — 3Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Bundesallee 100, 38116 Braunschweig Germany — 4German Aerospace Center, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Linder Höhe, 51147 Cologne, Germany
The complex radiation field at flight altitudes results mainly from the interaction of energetic charged particles with atmospheric molecules and atoms and consists of secondary neutrons, protons, gamma rays, electrons, positrons and muons. Due to the continuous interactions of primary and secondary particles within the atmosphere, the intensity of each component depends on the height. Since the Earth’s magnetic field acts as rigidity filter for the charged primary particles, the flux of the primary particles into the atmosphere and the resulting intensity of secondary particles depend on the geomagnetic latitude being highest over the geomagnetic poles. The main primary component consists of Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs), mainly protons and alpha particles, whose flux is modulated in the heliosphere. Beside this slowly varying galactic component, solar energetic particle events may temporarily increase the intensity of this radiation field.
In the frame of the Radiation Monitoring on Board Aircraft (RAMONA) collaboration, three NAVIgation and DOSimetry (NAVIDOS) systems were installed in 2008 and 2009 on board of three Lufthansa Airbus A340 aircraft. They have been maintained since then by the consortium. Two of the NAVIDOS units rely on the DOSimetry TELescopes (DOSTELs), one is based on a LIULIN detector. This unique setup is ideally suited to investigate variations in the radiation field at different flight altitudes and geomagnetic positions and has been used to measure the radiation exposure during the recent extended solar minimum and thereafter. With increasing solar activity in 2010 the measured dose rates have been decreasing. Since these variations depend on the location of the aircraft, a detailed data analysis is required and will be presented.