Invisible thunderstorm "Dark Lightning" pose a threat to passengers on the flight

The researchers found that "Dark Lightning" can produce radiation passengers and pilots

The figure shows the scientists simulated gamma-ray flashes occur, it resembles the color pink, we can observe from space "Dark Lightning" the formation process of the height of the storm exists near the top of the gamma-ray flashes, if the flight to this height a passenger on a chest X-ray will be the equivalent of 10 times the radiation dose, the radiation dose per year by approximately the natural background radiation level considerably. Near the middle of the height of the storm, the radiation dose may be about 10 times the former, if the radiation dose used in medical, substantially equal to a whole body CT scan.

While airline pilots are keen to avoid flying over thunderstorms, but according to scientists, gamma ray model, in a few cases is likely to occur, the preliminary estimation results indicate that these doses seem to never reach dangerous class level. About thunderstorms produce gamma rays has been studied for nearly a decade, scientists will be referred to as "ground gamma-ray flashes," through a giant thunderstorm over the pilot can see the mysterious flash. Since the moment is very bright gamma-ray flashes, and even has a blinding effect, but also sometimes commercial flights flight on the same height, so scientists have been trying to determine the "ground gamma-ray flash" Radiation is harmful to passengers and pilots. Commercial flights cruising altitude of 9,150 to 12,200 meters, which means that each flight will have two opportunities to pass through the dangerous height of 4900 m.