Airline frequent fliers are at greater risk of developing long term radiation poisoning from “solar space storms” or flare activity from the Sun, a new study warns.

Researchers found passengers faced the “hazard” of space radiation, which created unhealthy levels of exposure while flying at “typical cruise altitudes” of 40,000 feet.

Experts warned passengers could be subjected to increasing risk to cancer due to such radiation levels.

Nasa scientists believe the earth is facing danger from a once-in-a-century “solar flare”, a disturbance on the Sun’s surface that could cause geomagnetic storms on this planet.

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One in the mid-19th century blocked the nascent telegraph system and many scientists believe another is overdue.

Researchers from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxon, warned that the electrical grid, computers, telephones, transportation, water supply and food production faced “huge disturbances” from space storms.

Their vulnerability is also blamed on humans’ “creeping dependency” on modern technology. For example there are about 4.9 billion mobile phone “connections” every month.

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Scientists found aircrew were “the major occupation group” most exposed to the Sun’s radiation with passengers also at risk from the phenomenon.

Because the sun’s radiation levels had been reasonably low for the past century, its strengthening power in the coming few years would create new health problems.

“Space radiation is a hazard not only to the operation of modern aircraft but also to the health of aircrew and passengers,” said the study, titled Space weather and its impact on Earth – implications for business.

“Radiation from space can reach the Earth’s atmosphere and create extra radiation exposure for people travelling on aircraft at typical cruise altitudes (40,000 feet).

“The radiation risk to passengers is usually much less than that for aircrew since most passenger spend less time in the air (and) the radiation doses accumulate with time in flight, especially at cruise altitudes.”

The study, published by Lloyds of London, the insurance market, added: “However, frequent fliers whose time in the air approaches that of aircrew are equally at risk. There is, as yet, no legal framework for handling such risks.”

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November 16, 2010

The Best of Andrew Hough

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