Enhanced Radiation Levels at Aviation Altitudes and Their Relationship to Plasma Waves in the Inner Magnetosphere

• Published in: Space Weather 2023-10, Vol.21 (10)
• Main Authors: Aryan, Homayon, Bortnik, Jacob, Tobiska, W. Kent, Mehta, Piyush, Siddalingappa, Rashmi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerospace environments; Aerospace safety; Automation; Aviation; Chorus waves; Correlation; Cosmic ray showers; Cosmic rays; Cyclotrons; Electrons; Energetic particles; Galactic cosmic rays; Ion cyclotron waves; Ionizing radiation; Jupiter; Magnetospheres; Passenger safety; Plasma waves; Precipitation; Probes; Radiation; Radiation belt electrons; Radiation belts; Radiation measurement; Radiation sources; Seat belts; Solar energetic particles; Space transportation; Wave power
• ISSN: 1542-7390; 1539-4964; 1542-7390
• DOI: 10.1029/2023SW003477

It is believed that galactic cosmic rays and solar energetic particles are the two major sources of ionizing radiation. However, the radiation source may also be due to relativistic electrons that are associated with precipitation from the Van Allen radiation belts. In this study, we use Automated Radiation Measurements for Aerospace Safety (ARMAS) measurements to investigate the precipitation mechanism of energetic radiation belt electrons. ARMAS instruments are flown on agency‐sponsored (NASA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Science Foundation, Federal Aviation Administration, DOE) flights, commercial space transportation companies and airliners (>9 km) in automated radiation collection mode. We identified magnetic conjunction events between ARMAS and NASA's Van Allen Probes to study the highly variable, dynamic mesoscale radiation events observed by ARMAS instruments at aviation altitudes and their relationship to various plasma waves in the inner magnetosphere measured by the Van Allen Probes. The results show that there is a strong correlation between dose rates observed by ARMAS and plasmaspheric hiss wave power measured by the Van Allen Probes, but no such relationship with electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves and only a modest correlation with whistler mode chorus waves. These results suggest that the space environment could have a potentially significant effect on passenger safety. We report on observation of enhanced radiation levels at aviation altitudes and their relationship to various plasma waves We study the Automated Radiation Measurements for Aerospace Safety (ARMAS) conjunctions with the Van Allen Probes Dose rate observed by ARMAS at aviation altitudes is only correlated to plasmaspheric hiss waves observed in the inner magnetosphere