Measurements of cosmic radiation dose in subsonic commercial aircraft compared to the city-pair dose calculation

The radiation dose received by passengers during flight on conventional jet aircraft was determined as a function of exposure to cosmic radiation, solar radiation, flight time, and flight path. The dosimetric measurements were made with thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD's) and with emulsions of three types sealed in plastic packets. These packets were sent by air mail back and forth from Berkeley, California to five cities and a dose sufficiently above background for a satisfactory measurement was accumulated by the TLD's on one round trip and by the emulsions on three round trips. It was concluded that both experiments and theory show that the total doses received at present day conventional jet aircraft altitudes are considerably higher than those encountered in supersonic flights at much higher altitudes, even though the dose rate is lower at these lower altitudes, when the longer time of exposure at the lower altitudes is taken into consideration. Computer programs used in the dose calculations are included. (CH