ScienceShot science reference

Cosmic-ray and aviation dose

cosmic_dose

Read-onlyIdempotent

Calculate the cosmic-ray ambient dose equivalent rate H*(10) and effective dose rate E (ICRP 116), in uSv/h, inside an aircraft cabin (0-20 km) or on the ground (0-6 km), for a latitude, longitude and solar activity, and the effective dose of a stay or flight at that place. Uses precomputed PARMA 4.10 tables of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (US Standard Atmosphere, vertical cut-off rigidity Rc from the PARMA database for the present epoch, A340 reference mass in the aircraft), interpolated log-linearly in altitude and linearly in Rc and W-index. Galactic cosmic rays only, one position and no route integration; for route doses use EXPACS. Give either w_index (0-150) or solar (min for December 2009, max for August 2024).

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "env": "<env>",
      "altitude_km": "<altitude_km>",
      "latitude": "<latitude>",
      "longitude": "<longitude>"
    },
    "name": "cosmic_dose"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`env`	Yes
`hours`	No	Duration in hours, 0 to 8784. Default 1.
`solar`	No
`w_index`	No	Solar modulation W-index, 0 to 150. Supply this or solar.
`latitude`	Yes	Latitude in degrees, -90 to 90.
`longitude`	Yes	Longitude in degrees east, -180 to 180.
`altitude_km`	Yes	Altitude in km: 0-20 in a cabin, 0-6 on the ground.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedNov 7, 2026

TDQS

A4.4/5.0

Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

The annotations already mark this as a safe, idempotent read, and the description adds useful modeling context: PARMA 4.10 tables, US Standard Atmosphere, an A340 reference mass, and log-linear/linear interpolation. But the core behavior itself, namely computation, is already implied by the read-only annotations, so this adds context and not behavior, which warrants a 3.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

It is front-loaded with the calculation, and every clause carries information, but the single dense sentence with many parentheticals is hard to scan. It could be split into purpose, constraints, and returns without losing content.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

There is no output schema, and the description states exactly what is returned: H*(10) and E in uSv/h plus the effective dose of a stay or flight. Model provenance, domain limits (galactic cosmic rays only, one position), and input exclusivity are all covered.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 71%, and the description still adds meaning: it ties altitude ranges to env ('cabin' vs 'ground') and maps the solar enum to concrete epochs ('min for December 2009, max for August 2024'). It leaves the 'hours' parameter's role in the dose-of-stay output only weakly implied.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The first clause names a specific verb and resource: 'Calculate the cosmic-ray ambient dose equivalent rate H*(10) and effective dose rate E (ICRP 116), in uSv/h'. It also scopes it to a cabin or ground location, which separates it from the other physics calculators listed as siblings.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

It states the two supported environments, the altitude bands for each, and explicitly excludes route integration with 'for route doses use EXPACS'. It also settles the required input choice with 'Give either w_index (0-150) or solar'.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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