Abstract
Abstarct The terrestrial environment is continuously exposed to electromagnetic radiations which set up a «background» electromagnetic noise. Within the Non Ionizing Radiation band (NIR), i.e. for frequencies lower than 300 GHz, this background can have a natural or an artificial origin. Natural origins of electromagnetic radiations are generally atmospheric or cosmic while artificial origins are technological applications, power transmission, communications, etc. This paper briefly describes the natural and man-made electromagnetic noise in the NIR band. Natural noise comes from a large variety of sources involving different physical phenomena and covering a wide range of frequencies and showing various propagation characteristics with an extremely broad range of power levels. Due to technological growth man-made electromagnetic noise is nowadays superimposed on natural noise almost everywhere on Earth. In the last decades man-made noise has increased dramatically over and above the natural noise in residential and business areas. This increase has led some scientists to consider possible negative effects of electromagnetic waves on human life and living systems in general. Accurate measurements of natural and man-made electromagnetic noise are necessary to understand the relative power levels in the different bands and their influence on life.
Highlights
Natural electromagnetic noise sources existing since the origin of the Earth may be influencing the evolution of living systems
Understanding how this background noise is generated and distributed and how it interacts with living systems, can contribute to the general knowledge of life on Earth
In this frequency range as well natural electromagnetic noise has its main source in the atmospheric electric discharges; noise amplitude is generally decreasing in intensity with frequency and is affected by ionospheric conditions
Summary
Natural electromagnetic noise sources existing since the origin of the Earth may be influencing the evolution of living systems. Understanding how this background noise is generated and distributed and how it interacts with living systems, can contribute to the general knowledge of life on Earth. Different sources generate natural noise inside the magnetospheric cavity at different frequencies. In general man-made noise is concentrated in particular frequencies in association with technological applications. Both contributions, natural and man-made, affect technological applications such as communication, remote sensing, etc.
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