IEC PAS 62396-6:2014

IEC PAS 62396-6 ®
Edition 1.0 2014-12
PUBLICLY AVAILABLE
SPECIFICATION
PRE-STANDARD
colour
inside
Process management for avionics – Atmospheric radiation effects –
Part 6: Extreme space weather and potential impact on the avionics environment
and electronics
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IEC PAS 62396-6 ®
Edition 1.0 2014-12
PUBLICLY AVAILABLE
SPECIFICATION
PRE-STANDARD
colour
inside
Process management for avionics – Atmospheric radiation effects –

Part 6: Extreme space weather and potential impact on the avionics environment

and electronics
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
PRICE CODE
XB
ICS 03.100.50; 31.020; 49.060 ISBN 978-2-8322-1943-0

– 2 – IEC PAS 62396-6:2014 © IEC 2014

CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 3

1 Scope . 5

2 Normative references . 5

3 Terms, definitions and abbreviations . 5

3.1 Terms and definitions . 5

3.2 Abbreviations and acronyms . 5

4 Technical recommendations . 6
4.1 General . 6
4.2 ESW environment . 6
4.2.1 Mechanisms responsible for ESW . 6
4.2.2 Changes in avionics environment due to ESW . 6
4.3 Impact of ESW on aircraft passengers and crew . 6
4.3.1 Impact on passengers and crew. 6
4.3.2 In flight radiation environment monitoring . 6
4.4 Impact of ESW on aircraft electronic systems. 7
4.4.1 Effect on electronics, equipment and systems. 7
4.4.2 ESW simulation testing of electronics equipment and systems and
analysis methods . 7
4.5 Considerations of ESW design margins. 7
Annex A (informative) Extreme Space Weather: impacts on engineered systems and
infrastructure from the Royal Academy of Engineering . 8

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION

____________
PROCESS MANAGEMENT FOR AVIONICS –

ATMOSPHERIC RADIATION EFFECTS –

Part 6: Extreme space weather and potential impact

on the avionics environment and electronics

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
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with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by
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2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
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8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
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patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

A PAS is a technical specification not fulfilling the requirements for a standard, but made
available to the public.
The document “Extreme Space Weather: impacts on engineered systems and infrastructure”
from the Royal Academy of Engineering (United Kingdom, London) has served as a basis for
the development of this publicity available specification.
The permission from the Royal Academy of Engineering (United Kingdom, London) to include
the report within this PAS is gratefully acknowledged by the IEC.
IEC PAS 62396-6 has been processed by IEC technical committee 107: Process management
for avionics.
– 4 – IEC PAS 62396-6:2014 © IEC 2014

The text of this PAS is based on the This PAS was approved for

following document: publication by the P-members of the

committee concerned as indicated in
the following document
Draft PAS Report on voting
107/244/PAS 107/250/RVD
Following publication of this PAS, the technical committee or subcommittee concerned may

transform it into an International Standard.

This PAS shall remain valid for an initial maximum period of 3 years starting from the

publication date. The validity may be extended for a single period up to a maximum of
3 years, at the end of which it shall be published as another type of normative document, or
shall be withdrawn.
A bilingual version of this publication may be issued at a later date.
IMPORTANT – The 'colour inside' logo on the cover page of this publication indicates
that it contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct
understanding of its contents. Users should therefore print this document using a
colour printer.
PROCESS MANAGEMENT FOR AVIONICS –

ATMOSPHERIC RADIATION EFFECTS –

Part 6: Extreme space weather and potential impact

on the avionics environment and electronics

1 Scope
This PAS details the mechanisms and conditions that produce “extreme space weather”
(ESW) and the changes within the avionics environment under such conditions. Consideration
is given to the impact and risks of ESW on passengers and crew travelling on aircraft in flight
and the option for in flight monitoring of the environment. Avionics electronics and systems
operating during flight can be affected under such conditions and these are reviewed. By
testing of complete equipment for extreme space weather tolerance, the degree of robustness
to ESW can be assessed. In the PAS, flight related infrastructure (not the aircraft itself) that
can be affected or disabled by an extreme space weather event is identified; such
infrastructure can be in the local “space” environment or on the ground.
This PAS is identical to the “Extreme Space Weather: impacts on engineered systems and
infrastructure” document from the Royal Academy of Engineering (United Kingdom, London)
which is included in Annex A.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this PAS and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any
amendments) applies.
IEC 62396-1:2012, Process management for avionics – Atmospheric radiation effects – Part
1: Accommodation of atmospheric radiation effects via single event effects within avionics
electronic equipment
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviations
For the purposes of this PAS, the following terms, definitions and abbreviations apply.

3.1 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this PAS the terms and definitions given in IEC 62396-1:2012 apply.
3.2 Abbreviations and acronyms
For the purposes of this PAS the abbreviations and acronyms given in IEC 62396-1:2012 and
in Clause 15 of Annex A, as well as the following, apply.
CAA Civil Aviation Authority
CME Coronal mass ejections
EASA European Aviation Safety Agency
EMC Electromagnetic compatibility
ESD Electrostatic discharge
– 6 – IEC PAS 62396-6:2014 © IEC 2014

ESW Extreme space weather
FAA Federal Aviation Administration

GEO Geostationary orbit
GMD Geomagnetic disturbance
GNSS Global navigation satellite systems

GPS Global positioning system
HF High frequency
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organisation

ICRP International Commission on Radiological Protection
IEEE Institution of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
LEO Low earth orbit
MEO Medium earth orbit
MTTR Mean time to repair
NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NRA National risk assessment
SAE Society of Automotive Engineers
SEIEG Space Environment Impact Expert Group
UHF Ultra high frequency
VHF Very high frequency
4 Technical recommendations
4.1 General
A
...