Assessing the Current Status of Atmospheric Radiation Modelling: Progress, Challenges and the Needs for the Next Generation of Models
Abstract
Despite its potential for causing a wide range of harmful effects, including health hazards to airline passengers and damage to aircraft and satellite electronics, atmospheric radiation remains a relatively poorly defined risk, lacking sufficient measurements and modelling to fully evaluate the dangers posed. While our reliance on airline travel has increased dramatically over time, there remains an absence of international guidance and standards to protect aircraft passengers from potential health impacts due to radiation exposure. This subject has been gaining traction within the scientific community in recent years, with an expanding number of models with increasing capabilities being made available to evaluate atmospheric radiation hazards. We provide a general description of these modelling efforts, including the physics and methods used by the models, as well as their data inputs and outputs. We also discuss the current capacity for model validation via measurements and discuss the needs for the next generation of models, both in terms of their capabilities and the measurements required to validate them. This review of the status of atmospheric radiation modelling is part of a larger series of studies made as part of the SAFESKY program, with other efforts focusing on the underlying physics and implications, measurements and regulations/standards of atmospheric radiation.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2017
- Bibcode:
- 2017AGUFMSH31A2726J
- Keywords:
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- 2134 Interplanetary magnetic fields;
- INTERPLANETARY PHYSICS;
- 7514 Energetic particles;
- SOLAR PHYSICS;
- ASTROPHYSICS;
- AND ASTRONOMY;
- 7959 Models;
- SPACE WEATHER;
- 7984 Space radiation environment;
- SPACE WEATHER