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EFFECTS OF MICROWAVES ON MANKIND

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H. P. Schwan, O. M. Salati, A. Anne, M. Saito · 1960

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This 1960 report found the relative microwave absorption cross section of mankind, measured with phantoms, to be near 50%, while small animals can vary between 10 and 1000%.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

This 1960 third annual progress report from H.P. Schwan's laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania aimed to determine the relative absorption cross section of mankind to microwave fields. The work used phantoms simulating the human body, along with calculations for spheres filled with tissue-like solutions, rather than human subjects. The relative absorption cross section of man was found to be near 50%, meaning biologically effective dosage is about half that measured by conventional instrumentation.

Why This Matters

This 1960 report, prepared under an Air Force contract, measured how much microwave energy human-sized bodies absorb. Phantoms simulating the human body were built from hollow pyrex glass flasks filled with KCl-Dioxan-Water mixtures and exposed in a microwave anechoic chamber, and temperature rise measurements were used to determine relative absorption cross sections.

The relative absorption cross section of mankind is near 50% at 3000 Mc and does not vary strongly with frequency above 300 Mc. The relative absorption cross section of small animals can vary between 10 and 1000%, so work with small animals does not necessarily pertain to mankind. Experimental and theoretical results for the KCl-Dioxan-Water mixtures showed good agreement, with minor differences of about 5%.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 2.88 GHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 2.88 GHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Study Details

To determine the relative absorption cross section of mankind to microwave fields and to study the absorption properties of phantoms simulating the human body.

Theoretical calculations of absorption cross section of spheres having complex dielectric constants ...

1. The relative absorption microwave cross section of man is near 50%, that is, biologically effecti...

The relative absorption cross section of mankind is near 50% at 3000 Mc. It does not vary strongly with frequency for frequencies above 300 Mc. The results indicate that the absorption cross section data obtained are significant for both 1000 and 3000 Mc, implying broader applicability. Structures larger than the wavelength have a relative absorption of 50% independent of their shape.

Cite This Study
H. P. Schwan, O. M. Salati, A. Anne, M. Saito (1960). EFFECTS OF MICROWAVES ON MANKIND.
Show BibTeX
@article{effects_of_microwaves_on_mankind_g4012,
  author = {H. P. Schwan and O. M. Salati and A. Anne and M. Saito},
  title = {EFFECTS OF MICROWAVES ON MANKIND},
  year = {1960},
  
  
}
No DOI on file for this study.

Quick Questions About This Study

H. P. Schwan was the Principal Investigator of this contract, Effects of Microwaves on Mankind, at the Electromedical Laboratory of the Moore School of Electrical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania. The report covers 1 March 1959 to 31 July 1960.
The relative absorption microwave cross section of man was found to be near 50%, meaning biologically effective dosage is about half that measured by conventional instrumentation. It is near 50% at 3000 Mc and does not vary strongly with frequency for frequencies above 300 Mc.
Phantoms simulating the human body were constructed using hollow spherical pyrex glass flasks filled with KCl-Dioxan-Water mixtures. Temperature rise measurements in a microwave anechoic chamber were used to determine their relative absorption cross sections.
The relative absorption cross section of small animals can vary between 10 and 1000%, while that of man is near 50%. Work with small animals therefore does not necessarily pertain to mankind.
Theoretical calculations of absorption cross section of spheres having complex dielectric constants were performed using Mie scattering theory. Experimental studies used a microwave anechoic chamber with an exponential horn antenna, and results for KCl-Dioxan-Water mixtures showed good agreement with theory, with minor differences of about 5%.