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Videotape observation of rats and mice during an exposure to 2450‐MHz microwave radiation
Author(s) -
Gage Michael I.,
Bertnan Ezra,
Kinn James B.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
radio science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1944-799X
pISSN - 0048-6604
DOI - 10.1029/rs014i06sp00227
Subject(s) - specific absorption rate , microwave , orientation (vector space) , anechoic chamber , absorption (acoustics) , microwave irradiation , materials science , physics , optics , antenna (radio) , acoustics , telecommunications , mathematics , computer science , geometry , quantum mechanics
Rats and mice were observed in a microwave field to see if they would take behavioral action to minimize absorption of microwave energy by altering their orientation with respect to the E field. Individual rats were housed either in a cylindrical or in a cuboidal container, and mice were housed in a cuboidal container. They were placed in an anechoic chamber at 22 or 28°C for a one‐hour pre‐exposure period. During the second hour, animals were exposed to 2450‐MHz CW microwaves under far‐field conditions at a power density of 15 mW cm −2 . Videotape samples of their positions were taken during a two‐hour session. Six rats and six mice were observed at each level of temperature and were scored for orientation relative to the electric vector or to the magnetic vector of the microwave field. Results indicate that 2450‐MHz CW microwaves did not cause animals to alter their position from that adopted in response to environmental or caging conditions. The specific absorption rate (SAR) in rats was not dependent on their orientation in the field. The SAR in mice was dependent on their orientation in the field but their orientation did not show changes interpretable as attempts to reduce microwave absorption. Containers reduce the SAR and, depending on shape, may reduce the orientation‐dependence of the SAR.