Short- and Long-Term Changes in the Neurophysiological Status of Pilots Due to Radiation Exposure Caused by Geomagnetic Storms

Abstract

Pilots who have completed successfully all the tests of cognitive and personality psychology have a strong commitment to their movements, and they influence their neural stimulation, such as the ability to acknowledge the right steps to follow in their tasks or dangerous situations. One of the branches of Aviation Psychology is dealing with the physical and mental effects of flight on aircrew personnel and passengers. Astronomical events, such as geomagnetic storms (GSs) that have a disruptive effect on Earth’s magnetosphere in certain periods, will cause negative effects on aircrew personnel and passengers. This article describes the expected damage to the different areas of the brain and nervous system in short- and long-term periods caused by the effects of GSs, based on the results of previous studies on GSs and neurophysiological studies. This is a very important topic for neurophysiological studies of pilots when we consider that aircraft accidents that may be geomagnetic in origin accounted for 26.36% of the total accidents which coincide with the days of GSs. Decision-making and judgment problems, abnormal attitudes such as anger, fearlessness, temerity, self-confidence, etc., decreasing problem-solving abilities, organization capabilities, and instantaneous decisions are the short-term changes while developing cancers of the brain, testis, bladder, breast, colon, melanoma, and Hodgkin’s type, in addition to Alzheimer’s and dementia diseases, hypoglycaemia, stroke, epileptic seizures, insomnia, stomach bleeding, appendicitis, hernia, asthma, and severe spinal pains can be lead in the long-term changes. We mentioned the psychological and medical application method of EEG in our article since it is the best technique that allows us to see the effects of these storms in the laboratory environment. This is because, the aircrew personnel and passengers flying at high latitudes will experience the effect of the GSs directly, whereas the response of the pilot, flight crew, and passengers flying in the middle latitudes, to these effects, can be measured only with tests in the laboratory environment. This paper has also special importance for the aviation literature because a theoretical recommendation regarding the possible laboratory environment for EEG measurements and application procedures necessary to investigate these effects is also presented.