Mitigate radiation risks in aviation using our Route Dose API
We get exposed to radiation when we fly?
Yes, surprisingly few people appreciate it, but we are exposed to ionising radiation (mostly gamma rays and neutrons) during air travel. Levels are low — equivalent to about a chest x-ray for every 10 hours of flight — but it is a health and safety issue for pilots and aircrew. They are one of the highest occupationally exposed work-forces in the world, more so than hospital and nuclear energy workers¹; however, monitoring is generally lacking. Some frequent flyers actually travel more than aircrew and they are not monitored at all.
It starts with exploding stars
So where does this radiation come from? It is natural and evidence suggests that it largely originates from the remnants of supernovae² — exploding stars that eject very high energy particles (aka galactic cosmic rays) that whiz through space. The magnetic field and atmosphere of the Earth protect us from this harmful radiation, but when cosmic rays collide with our atmosphere, they initiate a cascade of particle interactions. The result is a complex mix of different radiation types and energies that varies with altitude, latitude, longitude and time of year.
There’s a model for that
Scientists have developed mathematical models that can estimate cosmic ray doses along a given flight route. One such model is CARI-7, developed and maintained by the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute of the US Federal Aviation Administration³.
There is another component to aviation radiation that originates from rare solar flares and coronal mass ejections from our Sun. These solar energetic particles can lead to sharp and significant increases in exposures to aircrew. They are very difficult to predict; however, early warning systems have been developed to alert airlines during these unlikely yet extreme events⁴.
Why a web API?
Cosmic ray models can be tricky to use for the non-technical person, and are generally difficult to integrate into modern apps and enterprise software systems.
Amentum Scientific has developed a Route Dose API that uses the CARI-7 model to calculate radiation doses along a particular flight route. Specify the codes (IATA or ICAO) of origin and destination airports, a constant altitude, flight duration, and date of travel, and it instantly calculates the effective dose. The Route Dose API could be used to optimise rosters to ensure that radiation exposures of all staff members are within acceptable limits.
We believe that easier access to these models will encourage airlines, even those in countries that do not legislate it, to plan for and monitor radiation exposures of their staff in order to mitigate the health risks.
The API is now online and free to try on our website
Please contact us if you have any questions or feedback, or would like to discuss a private API for commercial use.
Safe travels!
team@amentum.space
