Nowcast of Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation for Aviation Safety (NAIRAS) Model: Physics Updates and Operational Improvements

The NASA Nowcast of Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation for Aviation Safety (NAIRAS) model is a real-time, global, physics-based model for predicting exposure to cosmic radiation to air travelers from both galactic and solar sources. Tabular and graphical data products from the prototype operational NAIRAS model are available via its public web site. The radiation transport procedures in NAIRAS have been updated to include pion-initiated electromagnetic cascade processes. In addition, a correction to the galactic cosmic ray primary proton flux was derived based on measurements from the satellite-borne Payload for Antimatter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics (PAMELA) experiment. These improvements are quantified by comparing to reference aircraft radiation measurements. Furthermore, work has begun to transition NAIRAS to operations at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) to support the evaluation and prediction of single event upsets (SEE) and total ionization dose (TID) during commercial spaceflight missions to low-Earth orbit (LEO) and the International Space Station (ISS). The content and status of this work will also be summarized.