Assessment of Canadian forces aircrew exposure to cosmic radiation

Recently, a semi-empirical computer model, PC-AIRE, was developed at the Royal Military College to predict the ambient dose equivalent for global flight routes. The model was based on data spanning altitudes from 8800 to 11 900 m. In this thesis, the altitude function in PC-AIRE has been revised and validated with flights conducted in NASA ER-2 aircraft flying at ∼20 700 m. As stated, the PC-AIRE code provides a prediction of the ambient dose equivalent, H*(10); however, regulations identify exposure limits in effective dose, E. Consequently, an E/H*(10) scaling ratio was developed for PC-AIRE. The model was then applied to a flight database for the Canadian Forces aircrew flying the Airbus A310 aircraft. This activity determined how their annual exposure for 1999 compared to the proposed regulations.;Additionally, Canadian Forces aircrew flying onboard NATO and US Air Force Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft were studied to ascertain their exposures. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).