Comparison of fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients for deuterons, tritons and helions.

Secondary radiation in aircraft and spacecraft includes deuterons, tritons and helions. Two sets of fluence-to-effective dose conversion coefficients for isotropic exposure to these particles were compared: one used the particle and heavy ion transport code system (PHITS) radiation transport code coupled with the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) reference phantoms (PHITS-ICRP) and the other the Monte Carlo N-Particle eXtended (MCNPX) radiation transport code coupled with modified BodyBuilder™ phantoms (MCNPX-BB). Also, two sets of fluence-to-effective dose equivalent conversion coefficients calculated using the PHITS-ICRP combination were compared: one used quality factors based on linear energy transfer; the other used quality factors based on lineal energy (y). Finally, PHITS-ICRP effective dose coefficients were compared with PHITS-ICRP effective dose equivalent coefficients. The PHITS-ICRP and MCNPX-BB effective dose coefficients were similar, except at high energies, where MCNPX-BB coefficients were higher. For helions, at most energies effective dose coefficients were much greater than effective dose equivalent coefficients. For deuterons and tritons, coefficients were similar when their radiation weighting factor was set to 2.

Deuterons at energies of 10 MeV to 1 TeV: conversion coefficients for fluence-to-absorbed dose, equivalent dose, effective dose and gray equivalent, calculated using Monte Carlo radiation transport code MCNPX 2.7.C.

Conversion coefficients were calculated for fluence-to-absorbed dose, fluence-to-equivalent dose, fluence-to-effective dose and fluence-to-gray equivalent for isotropic exposure of an adult female and an adult male to deuterons ((2)H(+)) in the energy range 10 MeV-1 TeV (0.01-1000 GeV). Coefficients were calculated using the Monte Carlo transport code MCNPX 2.7.C and BodyBuilder™ 1.3 anthropomorphic phantoms. Phantoms were modified to allow calculation of the effective dose to a Reference Person using tissues and tissue weighting factors from 1990 and 2007 recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and gray equivalent to selected tissues as recommended by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. Coefficients for the equivalent and effective dose incorporated a radiation weighting factor of 2. At 15 of 19 energies for which coefficients for the effective dose were calculated, coefficients based on ICRP 1990 and 2007 recommendations differed by <3%. The greatest difference, 47%, occurred at 30 MeV.

Helions at energies of 10 MeV to 1 TeV: conversion coefficients for fluence-to-absorbed dose, equivalent dose, effective dose and gray equivalent, calculated using Monte Carlo radiation transport code MCNPX 2.7.C.

Conversion coefficients were calculated for fluence-to-absorbed dose, fluence-to-equivalent dose, fluence-to-effective dose and fluence-to-gray equivalent, for isotropic exposure of an adult male and an adult female to helions ((3)He(2+)) in the energy range of 10 MeV to 1 TeV (0.01-1000 GeV). Calculations were performed using Monte Carlo transport code MCNPX 2.7.C and BodyBuilder™ 1.3 anthropomorphic phantoms modified to allow calculation of effective dose using tissues and tissue weighting factors from either the 1990 or 2007 recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), and gray equivalent to selected tissues as recommended by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. At 15 of the 19 energies for which coefficients for effective dose were calculated, coefficients based on ICRP 2007 and 1990 recommendations differed by less than 2%. The greatest difference, 62%, occurred at 100 MeV.

Tritons at energies of 10 MeV to 1 TeV: conversion coefficients for fluence-to-absorbed dose, equivalent dose, effective dose and gray equivalent, calculated using Monte Carlo radiation transport code MCNPX 2.7.C.

Conversion coefficients were calculated for fluence-to-absorbed dose, fluence-to-equivalent dose, fluence-to-effective dose and fluence-to-gray equivalent for isotropic exposure of an adult female and an adult male to tritons ((3)H(+)) in the energy range of 10 MeV to 1 TeV (0.01-1000 GeV). Coefficients were calculated using Monte Carlo transport code MCNPX 2.7.C and BodyBuilder™ 1.3 anthropomorphic phantoms. Phantoms were modified to allow calculation of effective dose to a Reference Person using tissues and tissue weighting factors from 1990 and 2007 recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and calculation of gray equivalent to selected tissues as recommended by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. At 15 of the 19 energies for which coefficients for effective dose were calculated, coefficients based on ICRP 2007 and 1990 recommendations differed by less than 3%. The greatest difference, 43%, occurred at 30 MeV.

Fluence to absorbed dose, effective dose and gray equivalent conversion coefficients for iron nuclei from 10 MeV to 1 TeV, calculated using Monte Carlo radiation transport code MCNPX 2.7.A.

Conversion coefficients have been calculated for fluence-to-absorbed dose, fluence-to-effective dose and fluence-to-gray equivalent for isotropic exposure of an adult male and an adult female to (56)Fe(26+) in the energy range of 10 MeV to 1 TeV (0.01-1000 GeV). The coefficients were calculated using Monte Carlo transport code MCNPX 2.7.A and BodyBuilder 1.3 anthropomorphic phantoms modified to allow calculation of effective dose using tissues and tissue weighting factors from either the 1990 or 2007 recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and gray equivalent to selected tissues as recommended by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. Calculations using ICRP 2007 recommendations result in fluence-to-effective dose conversion coefficients that are almost identical at most energies to those calculated using ICRP 1990 recommendations.

Alpha particles at energies of 10 MeV to 1 TeV: conversion coefficients for fluence-to-absorbed dose, effective dose, and gray equivalent, calculated using Monte Carlo radiation transport code MCNPX 2.7.A.

Conversion coefficients have been calculated for fluence to absorbed dose, fluence to effective dose and fluence to gray equivalent, for isotropic exposure to alpha particles in the energy range of 10 MeV to 1 TeV (0.01-1000 GeV). The coefficients were calculated using Monte Carlo transport code MCNPX 2.7.A and BodyBuilder 1.3 anthropomorphic phantoms modified to allow calculation of effective dose to a Reference Person using tissues and tissue weighting factors from 1990 and 2007 recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and gray equivalent to selected tissues as recommended by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. Coefficients for effective dose are within 30 % of those calculated using ICRP 1990 recommendations.

Radiation exposure of aircrews.

Information is provided about the radiation to which aircrews are exposed and possible health consequences. Recommended radiation exposure limits are given. Crewmembers on commercial aircraft are exposed to higher doses of ionizing radiation than normally received by members of the general population in most parts of the world. The principal ionizing radiation is galactic cosmic radiation. On infrequent occasions, radiation from the sun leads to an increase in the ionizing radiation at aircraft flight altitudes. Radioactive cargo is another possible source of exposure to ionizing radiation. Crewmembers are exposed to nonionizing radiation in the form of electric and magnetic fields generated by the aircraft s electronic and electrical systems. Other potential sources of nonionizing radiation exposure are microwave radiation from the aircraft's weather radar, laser radiation, and ultraviolet radiation.