Behavioral Response of Rats Exposed to High-Power Microwave Radiation.

Abstract : Emerging high-power microwave technologies require that bioeffects of exposure to this type of radiation be investigated for health and safety considerations. Disruption of animal behavior is reported to be a sensitive indicator of microwave exposure. Three behavioral tasks were chosen for this initial investigation of exposure to U.S. Air Force high-power microwave emitters. The tasks were: (1) single trail avoidance, (2) water satiation, and (3) rotarod performance. Exposure to high-power microwave radiation from the USAFSAM peak power simulator significantly affected the single trial avoidance task. Neither the single trail avoidance task nor rotarod performance was affected by the Gypsy emitter. However, animals exposed to 9 kW and 11 kW outputs from the USAFSAM emitter spent significantly less time imbibing water postexposure than sham-exposed animals. The most consistent finding in the animals exposed to the Gypsy pulses was that those exposed at 4 m (13.1 ft) spent significantly less time drinking water than those exposed at 1 m (3.28 ft). This paradoxical result may be due to the complex shape of the Gypsy pulse. These data are from the first studies in a series of bioeffects studies of high-power microwave exposure. Other bioeffects investigations using these sources are under way. Keywords: Radiation effects; Exposure(Biology).