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

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 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
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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