Enhanced Radiation Exposure of Airline Crew and Passengers During the May 2024 Geomagnetic Storm

Aryan, Homayon; Bortnik, Jacob; Tobiska, W. Kent; Mehta, Piyush; Hogan, Benjamin; Siddalingappa, Rashmi; Challa, Harshitha

Enhanced Radiation Exposure of Airline Crew and Passengers During the May 2024 Geomagnetic Storm

Aryan, Homayon ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3096-5052, Bortnik, Jacob ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8811-8836, Tobiska, W. Kent, Mehta, Piyush ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5240-2322, Hogan, Benjamin, Siddalingappa, Rashmi ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9786-8436 and Challa, Harshitha ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5213-8592 (2026) Enhanced Radiation Exposure of Airline Crew and Passengers During the May 2024 Geomagnetic Storm. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 131 (1). e2025JA034217.

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JA034217

Abstract

Plain Language Summary: Flying can expose flight crews and passengers to extra radiation especially during major space weather events such as solar flares and CMEs. These flares and CME‐driven shocks result in energetic particles propagating toward Earth if magnetically well‐connected. Although our planet's magnetic field and atmosphere usually protects us from them, this shielding is weaker at high altitudes and near the poles where they are able to enter if their energy is sufficient. As a result, higher radiation doses may be received during periods of enhanced space weather activity. In this study, we analyzed the measured radiation dose on a deviated flight route from San Francisco to Paris during the May 2024 geomagnetic storm and estimated the radiation dose in case of no deviation. The results show that during the 10 May 2024 storm, radiation levels were high. However, the radiation would have been significantly higher if the airline had not taken the precautions. This highlights why it's critical for airlines to consider alternative flight routes during strong space weather events to protect everyone on board against high radiation doses.