Modeling electromagnetic wave propagation in the UHF range using the MoM to assess NIR exposure level

Abstract

A computational method for predicting electromagnetic wave propagation in the UHF range using the method of moments (MoM) is proposed. National regulation represented by the resolution No. 303/2002 of the National Telecommunications Agency (ANATEL) joined the guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) for limiting the human exposure to electromagnetic fields. There are several methods to assess the exposure level but the MoM is suitable for both far and near-field in an open topology through numerical simulation. The objective of this work is to evaluate the levels of non-ionizing radiation that the population, inhabiting adjacent areas of the antenna, will be submitted. This also estimates the protection zone from the frequency and feed power values. Most importantly, the method enables calculations to be performed using different antenna heights and different power levels. A brief discussion of the computational implementation of the propagation model is presented, followed by an example that demonstrates the diagram of the exposure level generated. Comparison with ITU-T 1546-4 propagation model and two ray model are also presented.