Extraction of Concealed Features From RF-EMF Monitoring at Kindergartens and Schools

Abstract

Modern electromagnetic field (EMF) monitoring networks, such as the Serbian EMF RATEL network, are based on continuous EMF monitoring and offer daily observation of EMF levels in areas where people can reside for many hours a day and, consequently, experience an increased sensitivity to EMF exposure. Areas of particular importance are residential locations, kindergartens, schools, hospitals, and children’s playgrounds. Such areas require daily, comprehensive EMF monitoring and compliance checking with the prescribed reference levels. The whole process must be followed by transparent presentation of measurement results, to increase public confidence in the EMF monitoring. However, any additional information on EMF behavior, beyond elementary field strength measurements, is welcome. Therefore, this paper presents an innovative EMF data analysis of monitoring results, utilizing a time-averaging approach applied to acquired EMF data. The analysis is performed on a case study of EMF-sensitive areas in the Serbian city of Novi Sad, i.e., two kindergartens and an elementary school, revealing some of the concealed features in the behavior of the EMFs exposure in those areas, through a comparative evaluation.

Keywords

• EMF monitoring
• wireless sensors network
• data analysis
• temporal variability