A novel method to assess human population exposure induced by a wireless cellular network

Area of Science:

• Electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure assessment
• Wireless communication network analysis
• Public health and safety

Background:

• Wireless cellular networks are ubiquitous, raising concerns about population exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF).
• Existing metrics often focus on single sources (base stations or devices) rather than combined exposure.
• A comprehensive evaluation of average global exposure is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and formulate a novel metric, the Exposure Index (EI), for evaluating electromagnetic exposure from wireless cellular networks.
• To assess the average global exposure of a population in a defined geographical area.
• To demonstrate the practical application of the EI in diverse scenarios.

Main Methods:

• Development of the Exposure Index (EI) formulation.
• Simulation of exposure scenarios, including simple phone calls (indoor office, train) and complex urban environments (Long-Term Evolution).
• Integration of radio-planning predictions, population statistics, user traffic data, and Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) calculations.

Main Results:

• The paper details the concept and mathematical formulation of the Exposure Index (EI).
• EI computation is illustrated using realistic simulation scenarios.
• The methodology demonstrates the combined use of various data sources for exposure assessment.

Conclusions:

• The Exposure Index (EI) provides a robust method for evaluating average population electromagnetic exposure from cellular networks.
• The EI accounts for both base station and wireless device contributions.
• This metric aids in understanding and managing public EMF exposure in geographical areas.