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Propagation and Absorption in Tissue Media

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Biological Effects and Health Implications of Radiofrequency Radiation

Abstract

The propagation of electromagnetic waves in biological materials is governed by the dielectric constant, conductivity, source configuration, and the geometrical factors that describe the tissue structure. These parameters also determine the quantity of energy a given biological body extracts from the propagating wave. When the radius of curvature of the body surface is large compared to the wavelength and beam width of the impinging radiation, planar tissue models may be used to estimate the absorbed energy and its distribution inside the body. Otherwise, the absorbed energy will be dictated by the size of the body, the curvature of its surface, the ratio of body size to wavelength, and the source characteristics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA

    Sol M. Michaelson

  2. University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    James C. Lin

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Michaelson, S.M., Lin, J.C. (1987). Propagation and Absorption in Tissue Media. In: Biological Effects and Health Implications of Radiofrequency Radiation. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-4614-3_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-4614-3_5

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