North Atlantic Space Weather Characterizing the Space Radiation Environment of Transatlantic Flights and Estimating Radiation Exposure to Commercial Crew

Significant space weather events cause increased radiation exposure within the Earth's atmosphere at aviation altitudes, impacting the physical health of pilots, air crew, and passengers. Repeated or extreme radiation exposure can lead to an increased risk of cancer, cataracts, and other health issues. The tracking of space weather events and radiation levels aid pilots in making informed decisions of flight altitudes to create the safest path for all crew and passengers on the plane. NASA DEVELOP partnered with the Allied Pilots Association (APA) to observe and visualize the radiation environments on transatlantic routes for three different case studies of significant solar energetic particle (SEP) events. Pilots currently rely on terrestrial weather data for ensuring safety during flights but lack access to space weather information about radiation levels. Using data produced by the Nowcast of Aerospace Ionizing RAdiation System model (NAIRAS), the team plotted radiation environments over varying latitudes and altitudes over the duration of these SEP events. Through mapping the total effective radiation dose and completing quantitative analysis, the team found that changing the altitude of a flight was the most effective way to reduce radiation exposure. These visuals and analyses can provide the APA with data that aids their route planning for better safety on transatlantic flights.