title: Variability in electromagnetic field levels over time, and Monte-Carlo simulation of exposure parameters.
abstract: This article analyses the electric field levels around medium-wave transmitters, delimiting the temporal variability of the levels received at a pre-established reception point. One extensively used dosimetric criterion is to consider historical levels of the field recorded over a certain period of time so as to provide an overall perspective of radio-frequency electric field exposure in a particular environment. This aspect is the focus of the present study, in which the measurements will be synthesised in the form of exposure coefficients. Two measurement campaigns were conducted: one short term (10 days) and the other long term (1 y). The short-term data were used to study which probability density functions best approximate the measured levels. The long-term data were used to compute the principal statistics that characterise the field values over a year. The data that form the focus of the study are the peak traces, since these are the most representative from the standpoint of exposure. The deviations found were around 6 % for short periods and 12 % for long periods. The information from the two campaigns was used to develop and implement a computer application based on the Monte Carlo method to simulate values of the field, allowing one to carry out robust statistics.
authors.affiliation: Polytechnic School (University of Extremadura), Av. de la Universidad s/n, Cáceres 10001, Spain ftpachon@yahoo.es fpachon@unex.es.
authors.forename: F T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Pachón-García
authors.affiliation: Polytechnic School (University of Extremadura), Av. de la Universidad s/n, Cáceres 10001, Spain.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Paniagua-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Polytechnic School (University of Extremadura), Av. de la Universidad s/n, Cáceres 10001, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rufo-Pérez
authors.affiliation: Polytechnic School (University of Extremadura), Av. de la Universidad s/n, Cáceres 10001, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Barco
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011846:Radio Waves / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011874:Radiometry; D013997:Time Factors