太空天气和极地飞行
太空天气和极地飞行
赵孔儒
2009年6月
极地航机飞越非常高纬度地区﹙>78oN﹚。从20世纪90年代后期开始，飞越北极的主要是往来亚洲和北美之间的长途航机。极地飞行的数量在过去十年急剧增加。
| 年份 | 一家美国航空公司跨极飞行的数字 |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 12 |
| 2007 | 1832 |
表1 - 商用飞机的跨极飞行近年增长显著﹙来源：The Potential Role of WMO in Space Weather, WMO, 2008﹚
极地飞行不仅节省时间和燃料，亦降低营运成本。
| 跨极飞行航线 | 航机每次飞行节省的时间 |
|---|---|
| 亚特兰大 - 首尔 | 124 分钟 |
| 波士顿 - 香港 | 138 分钟 |
| 洛杉矶 - 曼谷 | 142 分钟 |
| 纽约 - 新加坡 | 209 分钟 |
表 2 - 跨极飞行每班航机节省时间的例子﹙来源： Integrating Space Weather Observations & Forecasts into Aviation Operations, AMS & SolarMetrics, 2007﹚
在强烈的太阳活动期间，移近地球的太阳风带电粒子会受困于地球的磁场，并受地球磁场引导到达地磁极地区，这样间中会造成美丽的极光现象。不过，它对在极地飞行中的航机也带来较高的辐射剂量 。 经常飞行的飞机师、机组人员和乘客，须作防措施。〔请参考「辐射小知识 - 飞行和宇宙辐射」有关题目的文章〕
参考资料：
[1] "Integrating Space Weather Observations & Forecasts into Aviation Operations" - American Meteorological Society & SolarMetrics Policy Workshop Report, March 2007.
[2] "ICAO News Release" - International Civil Aviation Organization, 24 January 2001.
[3] "The Potential Role of WMO in Space Weather" - WMO Space Programme, World Meteorological Organization, April 2008.
[4] "Space Weather and Polar Operations - An Airline's Perspective", by Gene Cameron, in "Space Weather: An Evolving Science & Policy Issues" seminar of the American Meteorological Society, 18 July 2007.
[1] "Integrating Space Weather Observations & Forecasts into Aviation Operations" - American Meteorological Society & SolarMetrics Policy Workshop Report, March 2007.
[2] "ICAO News Release" - International Civil Aviation Organization, 24 January 2001.
[3] "The Potential Role of WMO in Space Weather" - WMO Space Programme, World Meteorological Organization, April 2008.
[4] "Space Weather and Polar Operations - An Airline's Perspective", by Gene Cameron, in "Space Weather: An Evolving Science & Policy Issues" seminar of the American Meteorological Society, 18 July 2007.