The Behavioral Toxicology of High-Peak, Low Average Power, Pulsed Microwave Irradiation
Abstract
The TEMPO microwave bioeffects exposure platform at the Department of Microwave Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, produces an 80 ns, 3 GHz microwave pulse with a peak power of 700 MW. The energy transmitted is approximately 16 J, so that at a pulse repetition rate of 0.125 Hz, the duty factor is 10(exp -8) and the average power is 2 W. The time-averaged SAR for TEMPO exposures at full power is 0.072 W/kg, a value well-below suggested exposure limits. Five behavioral tasks were used to determine if exposure affected subsequent task performance: temporal bisection, Y-maze, treadmill running, food motivation (behavioral economics), and Persolt swim test. Reliable effects were found with the temporal bisection, Y-maze, treadmill, and behavioral economics tasks. The pattern of results suggests at least two effects of high-power pulsed microwaves: memory impairment and decreased physical endurance. It was suggested that research be expanded in this area, and that tasks which are specifically sensitive to memory function and physical endurance receive especial attention.... Microwave bioeffects, Motivation, High power microwave, Behavior, Rats, Time perception, Time discrimination, Decision- making, Memory, Endurance, Depression.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 25, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA268392
Entities
People
- Ed Elson
- F. Bates
- S. -t. Lu
- T. G. Raslear
- Y. Akyel
Organizations
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research