Extreme space weather raises radiation risk for aircraft passengers
Severe solar storms can increase radiation exposure at cruising altitudes and disrupt onboard systems, researchers have said.
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High-energy solar particles can also penetrate aircraft at cruising altitudes and interfere with onboard electronics. This was highlighted last year when Airbus had to temporarily ground 6,000 A320 aircraft after a particle struck a semiconductor inside the plane's flight control computer, triggering a sudden mid-air plunge.
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The study found that the biggest risks are on polar flight routes between airports such as London Heathrow and Vancouver International in Canada, where Earth's magnetic shielding is weakest. However, during severe geomagnetic storms, these effects can extend much farther south, including over the UK.
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In 2027, the UK plans to launch the Orpheus mission, which will see a set of CubeSats being sent into orbit where they can collect detailed data about rapid changes occurring outside our atmosphere. The hope is that the data collected will improve scientists’ understanding of space weather phenomena.
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