[en] Recent findings in radiation transport calculations and experiments in the Earth's atmosphere are summarised. Emphasis is placed on the neutrons as the major contributor to effective dose and dose equivalent. Spectral distributions and conversion coefficients are used to determine the dose quantities. The conservativity of the operational quantity is studied. The depth dose characteristic in the atmosphere and its slope is compared with data from theoretical calculations. The concept of the computer program package EPCARD is explained in brief which is intended to combine experimental and theoretical data obtained from different laboratories under different geomagnetic and solar conditions. (author)