Evaluation of the neutron spectrum at flight altitude with Geant4 using different parameterizations

Area of Science:

• Aviation safety
• Radiation physics
• Atmospheric science

Background:

• Increasing aircraft altitudes and electronic miniaturization heighten concerns about cosmic-ray-induced particles.
• Current radiation field estimations use diverse codes and Monte Carlo methods.
• Accurate assessment of atmospheric radiation is crucial for aviation and electronics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of spallation reaction parameterizations and atmospheric density profiles on neutron spectra.
• To compare simulation results with real-world onboard and ground-level measurements.
• To understand the variability in cosmic-ray radiation estimations.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing different versions of Geant4 and data-driven models for simulation.
• Analyzing neutron spectra at both flight and ground altitudes.
• Comparing simulation outcomes with experimental data.

Main Results:

• Different Geant4 versions and data-driven models significantly alter neutron fluence and ambient dose equivalent rates.
• Atmospheric density profiles showed negligible impact on neutron spectra.
• Simulations were validated against onboard and ground-level measurements.

Conclusions:

• The choice of simulation model is critical for accurate cosmic-ray radiation assessment.
• Atmospheric density variations are less influential than model parameterizations.
• Further research and model refinement are needed for reliable radiation field predictions.