Monitoring of onboard aircraft exposure to cosmic radiation: May–December 2005 Original Research Article

Onboard aircraft exposure to cosmic radiation has been monitored during the period May–December 2005. Mobile Dosimetry Unit (MDU) Si-spectrodosimeter has been used as an active measuring equipment, it has been installed onboard of an A310–300 aircraft. Some passive detectors were placed on the body of MDU. Three types of thermoluminescent detectors (TLD) were used as well as track etch detectors (TEDs). TEDs were treated both as a neutron dosimeter and as a spectrometer of linear energy transfer. Available navigation data permitted us also to calculate onboard exposure during more than 400 individual flights. MDU established and calculated data for each individual flight are compared and analyzed, from the data conclusions as to aircrew exposure are outlined. Particular attention is devoted to the influence of: