Computation of dose rate at flight altitudes during ground level enhancements no. 69, 70 and 71

A new numerical model of estimating and monitoring the exposure of personnel due to secondary cosmic radiation onboard aircraft, in accordance with radiation safety standards as well as European and national regulations, has been developed. The model aims to calculate the effective dose at flight altitude (39,000 ft) due to secondary cosmic radiation of galactic and solar origin. In addition, the model allows the estimation of ambient dose equivalent at typical commercial airline altitudes in order to provide comparison with reference data. The basics, structure and function of the model are described. The model is based on a straightforward full Monte Carlo simulation of the cosmic ray induced atmospheric cascade. The cascade simulation is performed with the PLANETOCOSMICS code. The flux of secondary particles, namely neutrons, protons, gammas, electrons, positrons, muons and charged pions is calculated. A subsequent conversion of the particle fluence into the effective dose or ambient dose equivalent is performed as well as a comparison with reference data. An application of the model is demonstrated, using a computation of the effective dose rate at flight altitude during the ground level enhancements of 20 January 2005, 13 December 2006 and 17 May 2012.