Radiation in the Skies
Mar 29, 2002 | 2:39 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: TPE, SF, DC
Programs: UA Lifetime GS 4mm
Posts: 937
Radiation in the Skies
This is relevant to frequent flyers -
"Radiation in the Skies"
WSJ Article in March 28, 2002 Weekend Journal Section – Front Page Article
Summary of article:
Federal health standards limit general public exposure to 50 Chest X-Rays each year. Frequent flyers with most risk to the 50 X-Ray limit just from flying (not counting hospital/dental visits needing X-Rays) are 100K flyers and those who fly long-distance, high-altitude flights close to the North Pole (where radiation levels are highest for neutron and gamma rays). For example, NYC-Hong Kong and Narita, and NYC-London/Continental Europe at 30k+ feet and flying closer to North Pole have several times higher radiation levels than flights to equator area (sfo-hawaii, NYC-South America, LAX-Singapore) or flights with low
altitude (nyc-bos, nyc-DC at 21k feet).
Note
Occasionally, flight times close to solar flares result in 20X higher radiation levels than normal. Solar flares that affect flyers usually occur a few years apart, but the year 2001 had several solar flares.
There’s a table in WSJ article with 14 different flights and levels of radiation dosage. Radiation levels commonly measured in microsieverts. Experts say 1000 microsieverts = 50 Chest X-Rays.
1. NYC-Hong Kong is worst at 15+hrs flight= 63.4 microsieverts= 3.2 X-Rays. 8 RTs a year= 50 X-Rays. (NYC-Narita, Chicago-Beijing nonstop are bad by extension b/c similar flight path !!)
2. NYC-London is very bad even though only 6+ hrs=42.9 microsieverts=2.1 X-Rays. This is most popular route in the US. 1 RT per month=50 X-Rays. (NYC/Chicago/SFO-Paris is also bad by extension !)
3. SFO-NYC is bad even though 4.5 hrs =25.5 microsieverts=1.3 X-Rays. 20 RTs a year=50 X-Rays. (LAX-NYC, LAX-Bos, and other cross-country nonstops to Northeast USA are bad by extension)
4. SFO-Hawaai is okay even though 4.6 hrs=16.4 microsieverts= 0.8 X-Rays b/c Hawaii near equator. (flights to Carribean, Tahiti, Fiji, Austrailia are relatively low-radiation flights).
5. Hong Kong-Tokyo is okay even though 3.5 hrs=6.9 microsieverts=0.3 X-Rays
Note:
Check potential flight radiation exposure at
www.cami.jccbi.gov/aam-600/610/600radio.html
"Radiation in the Skies"
WSJ Article in March 28, 2002 Weekend Journal Section – Front Page Article
Summary of article:
Federal health standards limit general public exposure to 50 Chest X-Rays each year. Frequent flyers with most risk to the 50 X-Ray limit just from flying (not counting hospital/dental visits needing X-Rays) are 100K flyers and those who fly long-distance, high-altitude flights close to the North Pole (where radiation levels are highest for neutron and gamma rays). For example, NYC-Hong Kong and Narita, and NYC-London/Continental Europe at 30k+ feet and flying closer to North Pole have several times higher radiation levels than flights to equator area (sfo-hawaii, NYC-South America, LAX-Singapore) or flights with low
altitude (nyc-bos, nyc-DC at 21k feet).
Note
Occasionally, flight times close to solar flares result in 20X higher radiation levels than normal. Solar flares that affect flyers usually occur a few years apart, but the year 2001 had several solar flares.
There’s a table in WSJ article with 14 different flights and levels of radiation dosage. Radiation levels commonly measured in microsieverts. Experts say 1000 microsieverts = 50 Chest X-Rays.
1. NYC-Hong Kong is worst at 15+hrs flight= 63.4 microsieverts= 3.2 X-Rays. 8 RTs a year= 50 X-Rays. (NYC-Narita, Chicago-Beijing nonstop are bad by extension b/c similar flight path !!)
2. NYC-London is very bad even though only 6+ hrs=42.9 microsieverts=2.1 X-Rays. This is most popular route in the US. 1 RT per month=50 X-Rays. (NYC/Chicago/SFO-Paris is also bad by extension !)
3. SFO-NYC is bad even though 4.5 hrs =25.5 microsieverts=1.3 X-Rays. 20 RTs a year=50 X-Rays. (LAX-NYC, LAX-Bos, and other cross-country nonstops to Northeast USA are bad by extension)
4. SFO-Hawaai is okay even though 4.6 hrs=16.4 microsieverts= 0.8 X-Rays b/c Hawaii near equator. (flights to Carribean, Tahiti, Fiji, Austrailia are relatively low-radiation flights).
5. Hong Kong-Tokyo is okay even though 3.5 hrs=6.9 microsieverts=0.3 X-Rays
Note:
Check potential flight radiation exposure at
www.cami.jccbi.gov/aam-600/610/600radio.html
Mar 29, 2002 | 3:01 pm
#2
Join Date: May 1999
Posts: 6,084
Please see this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum...ML/004014.html .
