Cosmic radiation exposure of aviators for solar cycles 23 and 24

Assessing the radiation exposure of aviators and frequent flyers requires the study of the cosmic ray showers inside the Earth’s atmosphere. DYASTIMA / DYASTIMA-R is a Geant4 based software application, implemented by the Athens Cosmic Ray Group which allows the study of the evolving secondary particles cascades inside the atmosphere, as well as radiation dosimetry calculations (ambient dose equivalent rate) at different atmosphe - ric altitudes, geographic coordinates and magnetic cut-off rigidity. Results for various scenarios, as calculated by DYASTIMA/DYASTIMA-R, are provided as a federated product through the European Space Agency Space Situational Awareness of the Space Radiation Service Centre Network, while the DYASTIMA software is provi- ded through the Athens Neutron Monitor Station (A.Ne.Mo.S.) portal. Initial results for the assessment of the radiation exposure during the last Solar Cycles 23 and 24 are presented in this work, covering the most usual flying altitudes. The results indicate the dependence of the dose rate on the magnetic cut-off rigidity threshold, with higher dose rates at high geographic latitudes, as well as the anti-correlation of cosmic ray intensity with the solar activity, as higher dose rates are observed during solar minimum conditions