Lack of behavioral effects in the rhesus monkey: High peak microwave pulses at 1. 3 GHz

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:5599164

D'Andrea, J A; Cobb, B L; de Lorge, J O

The current safety standards for radiofrequency and microwave exposure do not limit the peak power of microwave pulses for general or occupational exposures. While some biological effects, primarily the auditory effect, depend on pulsed microwaves, hazards associated with very high peak-power microwave pulses in the absence of whole-body heating are unknown. Five rhesus monkeys, Macaca mulatta, were exposed to peak-power densitites of 131.8 W/sq cm (RMS) while performing a time-related behavioral task. The task was composed of a multiple schedule of reinforcement consisting of three distinct behavioral components: inter-response time, time discrimination, and fixed interval. Trained monkeys performed the multiple schedule during exposure to 1.3-GHz pulses at low pulse-repetition rates (2-32 Hz). No significant change was observed in any behavior during irradiation as compared to sham-irradiation sessions. Generalization of these findings to experimental results with higher peak-power densities, other pulse rates, different carrier frequencies, or other behaviors is limited.

• Research Organization: Naval Aerospace Medical Inst., Pensacola, FL (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5599164
• Report Number(s): AD-A-208988/6/XAB
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Pub. in Bioelectromagnetics, Vol. 10, 65-76(1989)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BEHAVIOR
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
MICROWAVE RADIATION
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSES
HEATING
IRRADIATION
MACACUS
MONKEYS
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STANDARDS
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ANIMALS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
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HEALTH HAZARDS
MAMMALS
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PULSES
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VERTEBRATES
560400* - Other Environmental Pollutant Effects