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Long lines. Narrow seats. Baggage fees. You recognize this list. It's the downside of flying on modern commercial airlines. And now we have a new item to add: neutrons.
Spaceweather.com and Earth to Sky Calculus have just completed a 5-continent survey of cosmic ray neutrons at aviation altitudes. From Dec. 2018 through Feb. 2019, Hervey Allen of the University of Oregon's Network Startup Resource Center carried Earth to Sky radiation sensors including neutron bubble chambers onboard commercial flights from North America to Europe, Africa, South America and Asia. Neutrons from deep space were detected on every flight.
Hervey logged 83 hours in the air as he traveled 41,500 miles above 30,000 feet. For reference, that's almost twice the circumference of the Earth. The entire time, he gathered data on X-rays, gamma-rays and neutrons in an energy range (10 keV to 20 MeV) similar to that of medical radiology devices and "killer electrons" from the Van Allen Radiation Belts.
The results were eye-opening. During the trip, Hervey recorded 230 uGy (microGrays) of cosmic radiation. That's about the same as 23 panoramic dental x-rays or two and a half chest X-rays. Moreover, 41% of the dose came in the form of neutrons. This confirms that cosmic-ray neutrons are abundant at aviation altitudes and must be considered in any discussion of "Rads on a Plane."
https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2019/03/12/neutrons-detected-on-commercial-airplane-flights/
(Score: 3, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 15 2019, @06:36AM (5 children)
A guy's hand up your ass.
(Score: 3, Funny) by krishnoid on Friday March 15 2019, @06:56AM (4 children)
That's just to insert the dosimeter. For your safety, of course.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 15 2019, @07:10AM (3 children)
Was there not a graphic file of this floating about the intertubes? Ah, yes! Here it is! [blogspot.com] Ionizing radiation is no one's friend, and copping a feel is not nice, either. Why do you think all those TSA agents kept showing up when they were not getting paid? Yep, it was the live-action molestation. Now with neutrons! It feels so much better, when they feel my balls, to know it is all "scientific".
(Score: 3, Touché) by DannyB on Friday March 15 2019, @02:35PM (2 children)
A free testicular cancer exam as part of TSA's service. TSA is your fiend. Trust the TSA.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 2) by krishnoid on Friday March 15 2019, @07:38PM (1 child)
"I'm sorry, we have to perform this exam on *all* fliers selected for enhanced screening. If you do not present them for our inspection, ma'am, we will require that customs impound you until we can locate and inspect them."
"Oh, uh ... I left them at home. They're ... on my dog!"
"Dog ... dog ... ok, you're clear. Have a good flight."
(Score: 5, Funny) by DannyB on Friday March 15 2019, @08:56PM
Since nobody is allowed to make Trump jokes any longer . . . I'll pick on the other party . . .
Hillary says: okay, here they are. See that! Mine are bigger than the president's.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.