DO-RA.Avia for monitoring cosmic radiation in aviation

annotation

Currently, various ecosystems are being created that allow people to interact online with the world of the Internet of Things (IoT and IIoT) for the benefit of society, taking into account the individual requirements of consumers of modern innovative technologies.
The newly created “Aviation system for personal dosimetry monitoring of flight crews and air passengers” can be attributed to this type of ecosystem using modern innovative technologies DO-RA DO-RA.com .
')
It is well known that when using air transport for air travel to different parts of the world, we make our travels at altitudes of 10-12 km. above the ground. Flight corridors 13 km. mainly used by charter flights. During these flights, air passengers and flight personnel are exposed to cosmic ionizing radiation. At the same time, at the used altitudes of flights, the level of cosmic ionizing radiation can significantly exceed the permissible norms, for example, a dozen or more times. For transatlantic flights, the permissible norms may exceed several dozen times. This effect on the organism of frequently flying air passengers and aviation personnel may have an adverse effect.
Our article will allow everyone to understand the possible risks to themselves in the event of frequent air travel and take appropriate measures to minimize damage to their own health and the health of people close to them flying on civilian airlines.

1. Introduction and the problem of cosmic radiation

When you board an aircraft you usually don’t think that at altitudes of 10-12 km. - The standard corridor of the flight of civil aviation aircraft may disturb you, except for thunderstorms or turbulence.

It is known that at the end of the last century, civil aviation used lower flight corridors at altitudes of 6.0–8.0 km above the Earth’s surface. But modern environmental requirements for aircraft engine noise and exhaust, as well as fuel savings per flight mile, drove aviators away from the Earth, closer to the stars due to lower air resistance during flights and financial optimization of air passengers' traffic.

1.1. Only stars are higher

Often flying around the world, and at the same time testing my own developments created in the framework of the DO-RA.ru project on environmental monitoring in terms of ionizing radiation, or briefly - radiation, I discovered the following features of flights.

So at the start of the plane in Chambery, France, the radiation background was only 0.10 µSv / h. At an altitude of 3.000 m., The radiation background fluctuated within 0.15-0.18 µSv./h. At an altitude of 6.000 m. The background radiation level was in the range of 0.30-0.34 µSv./h. At a height of 8.800 m., The background radiation level was already 0.72–0.76 µSv./h. At an altitude of 10.100 m., The background radiation level rose to 1.02-1.12 µSv./h. And finally, at the extreme height of our route, namely, at an altitude of 10.700 m., The radiation background was 1.22-1.35 µSv./h. When landing in Moscow at Domodedovo, all measurements of the radiation background with reasonable accuracy were confirmed at the same heights.

It turns out that daytime flights in any geographical direction, although convenient for humans, expose our body to increased radiation load than night flights. This is due to excess cosmic radiation and solar radiation, as well as more discharged air, and, consequently, less effective natural protection against ionizing particles of matter.

In order not to be unsubstantiated and not to fall into the trap of our own delusions, we will give examples exclusively from open sources, which will allow us to open our eyes to the ionizing radiation that surrounds us, attacking us during air travel. As you know, a person is deprived of sense organs capable of sensing and identifying radiation in order to take possible steps to protect against dangerous radiation and reduce the harm to the body.

Recall the saying: “Knowledge is power.” But ignorance about the effect of ionizing radiation on the human body does not exempt us from its harmful effects!

1.2. Cosmic rays and solar radiation

It is considered that cosmic radiation is ionizing radiation that continuously falls on the surface of the Earth from world space and is formed in the earth's atmosphere as a result of the interaction of radiation with atoms of air components.

Distinguish between primary and secondary cosmic radiation. Primary cosmic radiation (CI-1) is a stream of elementary particles that fall on the earth's surface from space. It arises from the eruption and evaporation of matter from the surface of stars and nebulae of outer space. CI-1 consists of protons (92%), alpha particles (7%), nuclei of lithium atoms, beryllium, boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, etc. (1%). Primary cosmic radiation (CI-1) is characterized by high penetrating power.

Further, cosmic radiation is divided by origin into the following types: (i) extragalactic, (ii) galactic and (iii) solar.

Most of the primary cosmic radiation occurs within our Galaxy, their energy is extremely high - up to 1019 eV. Solar radiation arises mainly during solar flares that occur with a characteristic 11-year cycle. Their energy does not exceed 40 MeV. This does not lead to a noticeable increase in radiation dose on the surface of the Earth.

The average energy of cosmic rays is 1010 eV, so they are destructive for all living things. The atmosphere serves as a kind of shield that protects biological objects from the effects of cosmic particles, and only a few particles reach the Earth’s surface.

When cosmic particles interact with atoms of elements in the atmosphere, secondary cosmic radiation (CI-2) arises. It consists of mesons, electrons, positrons, protons, neutrons, gamma quanta, i.e. of virtually all currently known particles.

Primary cosmic rays, bursting into the atmosphere, gradually lose their energy, wasting it on numerous collisions with the nuclei of the atoms of the air. The resulting fragments, acquiring a part of the energy of the primary particle, themselves become ionization factors, destroy and ionize other atoms of the air gases, i.e. turn into particles of secondary cosmic radiation (CI-2).

CI-2 arises as a result of electron-photon and electron-nuclear interactions. In an electron-photon process, a charged particle interacts with the atomic nucleus field, creating photons that form pairs of electrons and positrons. These particles, in turn, cause the emergence of new photons. The electron-nuclear process is due to the interaction of primary particles, the energy of which is not less than 3x109 eV, with the nuclei of atoms of the air environment. During this interaction, a number of new particles appear - mesons, protons, neutrons. Secondary cosmic radiation has a maximum at an altitude of 20-30 km, at a lower altitude, the processes of absorption of secondary radiation prevail over the processes of its formation.

The intensity of cosmic radiation depends on the geographical latitude and height above sea level. Since cosmic rays are mainly charged particles, they are deflected in a magnetic field in the region above the equator and collected in the form of craters in the regions of the poles. In the polar regions of the Earth’s surface, particles with relatively low energy are also reached (there is no need to overcome the magnetic field), so the intensity of cosmic radiation at the poles increases due to these rays. In the equatorial region of the surface, only particles that have maximum energies capable of overcoming the deflecting influence of a magnetic field reach.

The average dose rate of cosmic radiation from Earth’s inhabitants is approximately 0.3 mSv / year, and at the level London-Moscow-New York it reaches 0.5 mSv / year.

1.3. Units of ionizing radiation

Equivalent dose (two units):
Rem - the biological equivalent of X-rays (in some books - happy). This is a non-systemic equivalent dose unit. In general:

1 rem = 1 rad * K = 100 erg / g * K = 0.01 Gy * K = 0.01 J / kg * K = 0.01 Sievert

When the radiation quality factor is K = 1, that is, for X-ray, gamma, beta radiation, electrons and positrons, 1 rem corresponds to the absorbed dose of 1 rad.

1 rem = 1 rad = 100 erg / g = 0.01 Gr = 0.01 J / kg = 0.01 Sievert

Of particular note is the following fact. As far back as the 1950s, it was found that if, at an X-ray exposure dose of 83.8-88.0 erg / g (physical equivalent of X-ray), the biological tissue absorbs 93-95 erg / g (biological equivalent of X-ray) . Therefore, it turns out that when assessing doses, it can be considered (with minimal error) that the exposure dose of 1 x-ray for biological tissue corresponds to (equivalent) the absorbed dose of 1 rad and the equivalent dose of 1 rem (with K = 1), that is, roughly saying that 1 P, 1 glad and 1 rem is the same thing.

Sievert (Sv) is a unit of equivalent and effective equivalent doses in the SI system. 1 Sv is equal to the equivalent dose at which the product of the magnitude of the absorbed dose in Gray (in biological tissue) by the K coefficient will be 1 J / kg. In other words, it is such an absorbed dose at which 1 kg of energy is released into 1 kg of a substance.

Generally: 1 Sv = 1 Gr. K = 1 J / kg. K = 100 glad. K = 100 rem

When K = 1 (for X-ray, gamma, beta radiation, electrons and positrons) 1 Sv corresponds to the absorbed dose of 1 Gy: 1 Sv = 1 Gy = 1 J / kg = 100 rad = 100 rem.

The measure of the impact of ionizing studies on the human body is considered to be the dose equivalent dose equivalent power. The ambient dose equivalent H * (d) is the dose equivalent that was created in the ICRU (International Commission on Radiation Units) spherical phantom at a depth d (mm) from the surface in a diameter parallel to the radiation direction, in a radiation field identical to that in composition, fluence and energy distribution, but monodirectional and homogeneous, that is, the ambient equivalent of the dose H * (d) is the dose that a person would receive if he were on. Gray / second (Gy / s). 1rad / s = 0.01 Gy / s. Equivalent dose rate. Rem / second (rem / s) Sievert / second (Sv / s).

In conclusion, we once again recall that for X-rays, gamma, beta, radiations, electrons and positrons, the values ​​of x-ray, rad and rem, and also (separately), the Gray and Sievert values ​​are equivalent when evaluating a person's radiation exposure.

1.4. Radiation Safety Standards - NRB-99/2009

Concluding the excursion into the physics of the process, I would like to note the following: thanks to the active effect of ionizing radiation on a person and his body system, special radiation standards for flight personnel have been introduced into aviation. These standards limit the flight of an air force at the rate of no more than 80 flight hours per month, no more than 240 flight hours per quarter, and no more than 800 flight hours per year per person.

These flight time parameters are taken from the Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation No. 139 dated November 21, 2015, taking into account the ICAO Regulations "International Standards and Recommended Practice", p.7.6: ICAO participants. ” However, such an hourly record of flight hours is currently quite an archaic and vicious control system for flight personnel, and here's why.

It is one thing to fly parallel to the equator over the most populated European or Asian continents, and it is quite another to fly over the poles. And even more so, it is problematic for health to fly during the period of solar storms. At such moments during air travel, the equivalent dose rate of the flight crew can vary significantly and does not coincide with the real holes of the average flight hours.

During the existence of the science of radiology that studies the effects of ionizing radiation on the human body and animals, long-term, reliable statistics of the effects of radiation, expressed in the risks of disease of various human organs. Data on the risks of diseases are taken from the official document NRB 99/2009 and for clarity are summarized in the table below:

Radiation risk coefficients for human organs

Human organs coefficient
Gonads (sex glands) 0,2
Red bone marrow 0.12
Large intestine 0.12
Stomach 0.12
Light 0.12
Bladder 0.05
Liver 0.05
Esophagus 0.05
Thyroid 0.05
Leather 0.01
Bone Surface Cells 0.01
Brain 0.025
The remaining tissue is 0.05
The whole organism 1

1.5. Flight statistics in civil aviation ...

International statistics of civil aviation traffic gives the following indicators. In 2016, world aviation was transported - 3.7 billion passengers, with all the world's airlines carrying out 10 billion flight hours (data from ICAO and ATOR). There are forecasts of growth in civil flights by 4.6% per year until 2034 (data from the KLA). Although in the same 2016 air transport of people nevertheless increased by 6% (data of ICAO and ATOR).
In 2017, a record number of passengers were transported all over the world on regular flights - more than 4 billion people, which is 7% higher than in 2016, when there was also a significant increase in relation to the previous period.
At the same time, according to ICAO statistics, frequent flyers with +30 flights per year, there are more than 70 million people. In this regard, we can confidently assert that the potential of the personal radiation monitoring dosimetric means market for frequent flyers and crew members is large enough and resistant to steady, stable growth.

1.6. Influence of cosmic radiation on flight personnel

The researchers found that women and men in the crews of American airliners have higher rates of various types of cancer, compared with ordinary air travelers. First of all, it is cancer of the breast, cervix, skin, thyroid and uterus, as well as cancer of the gastrointestinal system, which include cancer of the colon, stomach, esophagus, liver and pancreas.

One possible explanation for the increased rates of cancer is that flight personnel are exposed to many known and potential carcinogens or pathogens in their work environment, says lead author of this study, Irina Morduhovich, researcher at the Harvard TH School of Public Health.

And one of those carcinogens is cosmic ionizing radiation, which is significantly higher at higher altitudes than at the surface of the earth. This type of radiation is especially harmful to DNA and is a known cause of breast cancer and non-melanoma skin.

Air liners crews receive the highest annual dose of ionizing radiation at work from all American workers, she says.

In her studies, she studied data from more than 5,300 flight attendants from various airlines who completed an online survey as part of the Harvard Flight Attendant health study. The survey analyzed the incidence rates of cancer in these flight attendants compared with a group of about 2,700 people who had similar income and educational status, but were not flight attendants.

Researchers have found that breast cancer rates were approximately 50 percent higher in female flight attendants than in women in the general population. In addition, melanoma rates were more than twice as high, and nonmelanoma skin cancer rates were about four times higher for female flight attendants than for women in the general population. (Nemelanoma skin cancer includes basal cell and squamous cell cancer.)

Increased cancer incidence rates have been observed, despite signs of good health, such as low smoking and obesity, in the flight attendant group as a whole, the study authors say.

Cancer rates for male flight attendants were nearly 50 percent higher for melanoma and about 10 percent higher for non-melanoma skin cancer compared with men in the general population, according to the findings of the researchers.

1.7. Technology DO-RA:

Personal dosimeter-radiometer for flight personnel:

• Matrix, solid-state radiation detectors with PIN diode structure
• Reading electronics on discrete components or chip based - ASIC
• The device has a wireless data transmission protocol.
• Family of user programs for key Operating Systems
• Created design documentation in international IPC format
• All devices are integrated into a single system based on server solutions.

Technical characteristics of the device DO-RA.Avia:

Dimensions (WxDxH), mm: 29.1 x 7 x 62.
Temperature condition of work: from 0 to + 55º.
Sensor type: Solid State Detector - DoRaSi.
The range of detectable gamma and beta radiation is from 25 keV to 10 mEv.
The intensity of detectable radiation: is determined.
Maximum error: 10% during exposure - 60 s.
Data Interface: Bluetooth low energy (BLE)
Supported mobile operating systems: Apple - iOS from ver. 7.0, Google - Android, from ver. 4.1 and others; as well as OS: Windows, Linux, Mac OS.

DO-RA server solution:

• A prototype of the server component of the software package of the DO-RA.Avia devices was created;
• Keeping records of system users;
• Logging of the system (self-monitoring);
• Performing self-diagnostics, including monitoring the amount of stored data, monitoring the temporal and load characteristics of the system components, the number of requests processed, the number of erroneous requests, etc .;
• Receiving data from registered mobile devices with reference geo-coordinates, heights and time of the measurement;
• Long-term storage of measurement results;
• Updating the cartographic presentation of monitoring data;
• Provision of monitoring system data in a cartographic form;
• Provision of REST API to external information systems for access to the data collection and storage system, data processing system;

1.8.Patent protection technology DO-RA

- More than 89 patents for inventions and utility models, certificates for software codes, including: Russia, EurAsEC, USA, Japan, Korea, China, India, European Union

- Russian patents: RU No. 109625; 124101; 116296; 116725; 117226; 2484554; 133943; 136194; 140489; 88973; 156901; 156906; 156907; 145480; 2545502; 159972; 125008; 126484; 2575939; 167308

- Foreign patents: № 025350; 74126; 14797; US 9547089 B2; US 8738077 B2; Korean: 20-0479248; CN 2033537453 U; JP 3189486
Authors:

1Vladimir Elin, author for correspondence, CEO and founder of Intersoft Eurasia PJSC, leader and developer of the DO-RA project, candidate of technical sciences, resident of Skolkovo Technopark, Moscow, Russia, elin @ intersofteurasia. ru.
2Olga Sharts, gene. dir and founder of California Innovations Corp., San Diego, California, Master of Science in Chemistry and Spectroscopy olgasharts@gmail.com.
3Merkin Michael, Doctor of Phys.-Mat. Sci., Head of the Laboratory of Silicon Detectors in the High Energy Experimental Physics Department of the Nuclear Physics Research Institute named after D. V. Skobeltsyn Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University (Moscow Institute of Nuclear Physics, Moscow State University), Moscow, Michael.Merkin@gmail.com.

Sources of information and literature:

1. Corporate portal "Intersoft Eurasia."
2. Information Internet portal "Who.Guru".
3. RF radiation safety standards - NRB-99/2009.
4.International System of Units, SI.
5. DOSIMETRY AT AIR TRANSFER, 2014
M.A.Morozova, V.B. Lapshin, S.V. Dorensky, A.V. Syroyshkin
6. Global real-time measurements for the Aerospace Safety (ARMAS) system, 2016.
7. Environmental Health Journal, 2018.