X-Rays and Flash Memory

[jlancasterd]

On the Customer Thread there is currently discussion about the safety of airport X-Ray machines with respect to film.

What is the position with flash memory, such as is employed in SD cards? I know that flash memory can be erased by exposure to UV light or even strong sunlight, and that cards are vulnerable to strong electric fields. What is the effect of X-Rays? Is there any effect? If so, are doses cumulative as with film?

[davephoto]

i'd be interested to learn of anything suggesting the contrary, john, but i have never experienced any adverse effects on flash memory cards due to x-ray exposure.

[jlancasterd]

Hi Dave

Neither have I - so far...

I was just wondering if there might be a nasty surprise lurking in the undergrowth which might strike at some point in the future...

Being naturally cautious, I've invested in a 12" PowerBook and will take it with me on extended trips so that I can download images as I go along and burn them to DVDs, rather than relying solely on SD cards.

John

Originally Posted by davephoto

i'd be interested to learn of anything suggesting the contrary, john, but i have never experienced any adverse effects on flash memory cards due to x-ray exposure.

[rob_rob]

My info comes from other photographers as well as from the security personnel at the JFK Airport in New York. Both sources say the same thing: The x-rays employed in the personal carry-on bag checks do not do any harm to memory cards, however, the x-ray machines used to check the luggage that goes into cargo space are much more powerful and therefore they can damage or destroy memory cards.

[Michel Boda]

I have two 512 MB cards and a portable cd burner. I avoid as much as possible to carry a notebook.

michel

[uulrich]

I never had any kind of problems w/ memory cards, notebooks and digital cameras. The risks of having x-rayed memory cards are similar of the risks spoiling your cell phone while passing security checks.

However, I don't know if cosmic radiation comes close to mR values of x-ray at airports but NASA does not certify any Quartz/LCD wrist watches for EVA and the only camera body w/ LCD screen used on EVA is a modified Nikon F5. The cosmic radiation can spoil the LCD indeed but apparently there is no impact w.r.t. the F5's memory.

That said, it may be wise to check-in with any electronic gadgets as cabin luggage. I used to travel w/ attache case from ZERO Albertan and as a result the security personnel blows up the x-ray in oder to look through the case itself. This indicates to me that x-ray film cases and such as just a rip off and belong to a category of fairy tales. If they cannot scan your items by their default settings they just increase the radiation until they gain a proper 'look-through.

When I pass security w/ a LOWEPRO Commercial (45 lbs. at check-in) and having some memory cards inside the bag they do not pay any attention to the cards and the other trimmings but they have a look at the lenses and bodies, performing 100% visual. It has always been the case that my luggage got hand checked. I refer to my film and digital bodies. I don't know if you saw my comments on X-Ray and Film in another thread but they don't mind about film and x-ray sensitivity OTOH. These guys ask you about ISO/ASA values and then blow up their xray scan to the maximum.

As far as your 'cumulative' is concerned I don't think so. Does not seem logically to me but I welcome other's opinion.

[geoff]

Originally Posted by jlancasterd

On the Customer Thread there is currently discussion about the safety of airport X-Ray machines with respect to film.

What is the position with flash memory, such as is employed in SD cards? I know that flash memory can be erased by exposure to UV light or even strong sunlight, and that cards are vulnerable to strong electric fields. What is the effect of X-Rays? Is there any effect? If so, are doses cumulative as with film?

I am posting two articles. One dealing with airport x-ray scanners and one regarding U.S. Postal Service (USPS) irradiation systems. The two topics are often confused with each other but have very different affects on memory cards.


International Imaging Industry Association (I3A) - Integrity in Transportation of Imaging Products

Press Release:

Digital Camera Media Safe In Both Carry-On And Checked Baggage, According To Tests By Imaging Industry And Transportation Security Administration
Travelers Still Strongly Advised to Request Hand Inspection of High-Speed Film

White Plains, N.Y Dec. 15, 2004 — Recent tests found no evidence of X-ray scanner damage to digital camera media cards or to the images they hold. The tests of scanner models currently in use in the U.S. transportation industry were jointly conducted by the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A), the leading global association for the imaging industry; SanDisk Corporation, a manufacturer of digital media cards; and the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

These findings mean that digital cameras and their image storage media can travel safely in either checked or carry-on bags, which will be reassuring to holiday travelers. And though they were not explicitly tested, it is likely that images on camera-phones will be safe in either situation as well. More care is needed for cameras with film, however, as the X-ray scanners for both checked and carry-on luggage can fog both developed and undeveloped film.

"Our tests should put travelers' fears to rest, that their digitally captured holiday memories won't be damaged in transit," said Lisa Walker, I3A President. "Digital cameras and media can safely go in carry-ons without the need for hand-inspection, which will simplify security checks and make those long lines move a little faster."
The tests of digital media took place at the TSA Security Laboratory in Atlantic City, N.J. A broad selection of media and devices from a range of manufacturers, loaded with detailed images, was subjected to repeated passes through X-ray scanners matching those now in use at transportation facilities. At the end of the tests, the images were unaltered and the devices showed no sign of damage. Complete details on the tested media cards, test protocols and results can be downloaded from http://www.i3a.org/itip.html.

Separate tests were conducted at the same facility to determine whether the walk-through metal detectors or hand-held metal detector wands have any effect on digital image storage media. As with the X-ray scanners, no damage to media or images was perceived from either of these devices.

The technical support center at SanDisk, a prominent manufacturer of digital media, has been closely monitoring the X-ray issue for several years. As SanDisk ships over a million flash memory cards per week, any issues from security devices would quickly become apparent, but the company has received fewer than a dozen reports per year of problems with airport security systems.

"The Atlantic City lab tests confirm our own observations about the durability of digital media. SanDisk tests have shown that images can be stored indefinitely on flash media cards, without deterioration," said Wes Brewer, SanDisk vice president of consumer products marketing. "In fact, we advise travelers that leaving their images on flash memory cards provides the most durable and dependable method of storing and transporting them. Although the various forms and brands of flash memory cards have different manufacturing processes, consumers who buy recognized brands from reliable sources should have no concerns about traveling with their cards through airport check-points."

The digital media test program is an ongoing initiative of I3A's Integrity in Transportation of Imaging Products (ITIP) Committee, which is composed of representatives from Agfa Corporation, Eastman Kodak Company, Ferrania Imaging Technologies, Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., Hewlett Packard Company, Ilford Imaging Group, Konica Minolta, Photo Marketing Association International, Photo-Sensitized Materials Manufacturers Association and Sony Electronics.

ITIP has conducted extensive tests over a period of years to assess the effects of security scanning on film products. Test results to date indicate that the X-ray scanners used for screening carry-on bags will damage high-speed film (ISO 800 or greater). For lower-speed film, the problem appears to be cumulative: the majority of damage has been reported when film has undergone more than five passes through X-ray machines.
Accordingly, I3A advises travelers to request hand inspection of their high-speed (ISO 800 or greater) film products, which is explicitly permitted by law. Hand inspection of lower speed film is recommended only when the film has already been subjected to five trips through X-ray scanners. The screening machines used to screen checked baggage and some cargo will damage all film, regardless of speed. Therefore, I3A and the TSA both advise travelers to carry their film with them and never put it in checked bags.

To help make sure the hand inspection service is consistently available, ITIP has enlisted I3A members in an ongoing effort to gather information on implementation of airport film warnings and advisory signage in U.S. airports; the collected reports are summarized and forwarded to TSA.

"Helping passengers understand how to safely and properly carry their film through security screening is certainly a key element of our customer service efforts at TSA," said Ron Sokolov, Executive Director for Customer Service at the Transportation Security Administration. "Our partnership with I3A has been instrumental in evaluating the impact of our screening technologies on different film media and then getting this information to a wide audience that includes amateur and professional photographers."

When the TSA was established in 2001, I3A formed the ITIP Committee to work with TSA to address the issues arising from the effects on imaging products in transit of increased security measures in transportation. In December 2002, I3A and TSA jointly issued guidelines to help travelers protect their film and cameras from security scanning equipment. ITIP's charter also includes advising authorities specifying and implementing new postal sanitization equipment about its effects on imaging materials and how to protect those materials from damage. I3A's research, reports and guidelines are available to the public at no charge on its Web site, http://www.i3a.org.

[geoff]

Reuters article:

Group: Anthrax Mail Cleaning Zaps Digital Data
http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsst...3956/story.htm

LAS VEGAS (Reuters)—Digital dream gadgets are being irreparably zapped by an irradiation process the U.S. Postal Service has used since October to sanitize mail against anthrax threats, an electronics trade group said on Tuesday.

Compact flash memory cards used to store data on many name-brand digital cameras and handheld computers face not just data loss but become entirely inoperable when subjected to electron beam irradiation, the CompactFlash Association said.

The trade group–comprised of scores of Asian, American and European electronics makers–made the announcement from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) underway here this week.

CES is the largest annual U.S. trade show devoted to showcasing electronic gadgets.

"Testing has confirmed that these systems, which operate in the range of 55 kGy, damage not only semiconductors, but other goods as well, including pharmaceuticals, contact lenses, biological samples, and photographic film,' the group said.

KGy is a measure of gamma radiation levels.

Since October, the U.S. Postal Service has subjected mail to irradiation scans to guard against the danger of anthrax and other possible biological agents passing through the delivery system.

Five persons in the United States are known to have died from inhaled anthrax, including two postal employees, a tabloid photo editor and two women with no known connection to anthrax-tainted mail.

The Postal Service's own Web site states that: "The Postal Service is working with the mailing industry to develop procedures to ensure that sanitization of the mail will not damage sensitive items in the mail.

"Sanitization technology is currently being tested on a wide range of film products, digital and magnetic storage devices, laboratory samples, food and plant products, and 'smart' credit cards with embedded chips to ensure that all business mail can be safely processed through the postal system.'

The question of the outcome of such tests on these products remains unanswered on the postal organization's site.
The Compact Flash Association said it is possible that the Postal Service is no longer passing targeted mail though these e-beam systems. It said it is working with the post office to find safe ways to deliver semiconductor memories via the mail.

However, the group said it is alerting all users of CompactFlash cards of the inherent risk of damage to CompactFlash cards should they pass through an e-beam irradiation system.

The CompactFlash Association said that other delivery services have no plans to use irradiation systems, but users should remain alert for any changes in the future. And while e-beam irradiation systems for the mail will damage CompactFlash cards, the X-ray scanners at airports will not.

[rob_rob]

Thanks, Geoff, that explains everything...

[stuny]

Rob -

You have, by far, the absolutely best Leica Forum member photo on your posts.

[albertknappmd]

I once heard someone mention that passing the camera and SD cards through a metal detector can be deleterious. Any truth to this?