An Optimized Solution to Long-Distance Flight Routes Under Extreme Cosmic Radiation

Xue, Dabin1,2; Yang, Jian2; Liu, Zhizhao1; Wang, Bing3

2022-12-01

10.1029/2022SW003264

SPACE WEATHER-THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS   Impact Factor & Quartile

1542-7390

["During extraordinary space weather, cosmic radiation can be significant enough to pose a threat to aircrew health. Traditional methods of reducing massive cosmic radiation exposure include flight cancellation, lowering flying altitudes, and flight rerouting. However, flight cancellation can result in additional financial expenditures, while lowering flight altitudes and rerouting can consequently cause more fuel consumption or even violation of airspace rights. As a result, we use a multi-objective optimization model to assign optimal flight altitude and speed to reduce the overall weighted sum of cosmic radiation and fuel consumption. The simulation scenario is based on a space weather event with dramatically increased cosmic radiation that occurs during a routine international flight from Tokyo to London. Our results show that the proposed model can reduce fuel consumption while satisfying cosmic radiation limits recommended by the Council of the European Union if the forecasts of cosmic radiation are sufficiently accurate. In addition, a Pareto frontier is provided as a tactical air traffic management guideline. Our study provides insight into future policymaking for air transportation during harsh space weather conditions.","Plain Language Summary Cosmic radiation is made up of high-energy protons and atomic nuclei from the Sun and distant galaxies. The radiation intensity at airplane cruising altitudes and high latitudes is higher, due to reduced protection from Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field, than that at low altitude and low latitude regions. Therefore, aircrews receive more radiation considering their long-term exposure at high altitudes. The radiation level may increase significantly during severe space weather events. Traditionally airlines may cancel flights, reroute flights, or lower flight altitudes to mitigate radiation. However, these traditional methods have drawbacks like greater financial expenditures and fuel consumption and are sometimes even infeasible from air traffic management standpoint. To control the exposure to cosmic radiation and reduce fuel consumption while keeping normal aircraft operation, we propose a multi-objective optimization model to assign flight altitudes and speeds along a multi-segment route. The modeling is applied to an international flight from Tokyo to London assuming a space weather event similar to the one on 20 January 2005 occurs. We demonstrate that the proposed flight routes can successfully minimize fuel consumption while satisfying cosmic radiation limit standards. This can be a valuable example for air traffic management when dealing with space weather effects."]

cosmic radiation fuel consumption air traffic management space weather flight altitude assignment flight speed assignment

SCI

English

Corresponding

Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC)["B-Q61L RGC/Gov","PolyU 152222/17E"] ; Emerging Frontier Area (EFA) Scheme of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD) of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University[1-BBWJ] ; Stable Support Plan Program of Shenzhen Natural Science Fund[20200925153644003] ; Shenzhen Science and Technology Program[JCYJ20220530113402004] ; Hong Kong Polytechnic University[ZVVC-ZVN6]

Astronomy & Astrophysics ; Geochemistry & Geophysics ; Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences

Astronomy & Astrophysics ; Geochemistry & Geophysics ; Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences

WOS:000924522000001

AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION

SPACE SCIENCE

Web of Science

1.Hong Kong Polytech Univ, Dept Land Surveying & Geoinformat, Hong Kong, Peoples R China
2.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Dept Earth & Space Sci, Shenzhen, Peoples R China
3.Nanjing Univ Aeronaut & Astronaut, Coll Gen Aviat & Flight, Nanjing, Peoples R China

Xue, Dabin,Yang, Jian,Liu, Zhizhao,et al. An Optimized Solution to Long-Distance Flight Routes Under Extreme Cosmic Radiation[J]. SPACE WEATHER-THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS,2022,20(12).

Xue, Dabin,Yang, Jian,Liu, Zhizhao,&Wang, Bing.(2022).An Optimized Solution to Long-Distance Flight Routes Under Extreme Cosmic Radiation.SPACE WEATHER-THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS,20(12).

Xue, Dabin,et al."An Optimized Solution to Long-Distance Flight Routes Under Extreme Cosmic Radiation".SPACE WEATHER-THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS 20.12(2022).