Analysis, Methods, and Tools for Electromagnetic Field Exposure Assessment and Control

Abstract

Exposimetry is a measurement technology with the goal of quantifying the immission or absorption of fields and/or energy in specific ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum. In this work, portable, small and accurate measurement instruments were developed in order to provide tools for epidemiological research and environmental monitoring. The target measurement quantity was the average amount of RMS field strength that an average individual will experience in everyday environments. This quantity can be used to classify different groups of the population or to track changes in exposure scenarios within defined regions or along specified tracks. In this thesis, methods and tools for the assessment of the personal exposure to low frequency magnetic fields (LF-MF), radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) and pulsed RF emissions from radar installations have been developed, characterized and tested. Exposure meter devices have been developed for low frequency magnetic fields up to 2 kHz, for frequency selective measurements in the RF frequency range including all relevant telecommunication frequency bands as well as a device for the measurement of radar signals in the L, S, C and X band.