Currents Induced in Human Bodies Sitting Inside a Vehicle Exposed to Lightning Electromagnetic Pulse Waves

Abstract

The finite-different time-domain (FDTD) method is used to calculate currents and current densities induced in human bodies sitting inside a vehicle exposed to lightning electromagnetic pulse (LEMP) waves at frequencies from 10 Hz to 50 MHz. The induced current density in the driver's body increases as the frequency increases from 10 Hz to 50 MHz. Obtained maximum current densities of 0.01 to 0.8 A/cm2 at 50 MHz induced in human bodies for different numbers of persons are much higher than the threshold current density of 1 μA/cm2 for the steady-state current flow cases, which may cause unhealthy biological effects. However, the specific absorption (SA) rates for different numbers of persons sitting inside in the vehicle are considerably smaller than the value of 28.8 J/kg whole-body-averaged SA per pulse that has been proposed for the 1992 revision of ANSI C 95.1 Peak Power Exposure.