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The Coupling of Atmospheric Electromagnetic Fields
issues related to statistical analyses of the results, this was the frst experiment to show some type of
relationship between atmospheric signals and human response.
SRs are the background signal in the ELF regions of electromagnetic spectrum. It has peak at around
7.8, 14.3, 20.8, 27.3, and 33.8 Hz as shown in Figure 3.4. As shown in Figure 3.5, ELF electromagnetic
felds which are electromagnetic phenomena in nature include SR waves with a frequency of about 8 Hz
(type I), local feld fuctuations with a frequency of 3–6 Hz (type II), and feld fuctuations with a fre
quency of 0.5–2 Hz (type III). Students and ofce workers were exposed to 10 Hz electric felds to study its
efect. One hundred and sixty-two students were exposed to a 30 V/m, 10 Hz electric feld with the static
electric feld of 50 V/m on the head. Te workers were repeatedly exposed to a 10 Hz electric feld every
3 weeks for 6 months. Exposure assessment included attention, concentration, and efects on learning.
Positive efects such as improved attention were found as a result of exposure. At the same time, the
subjects reported mentally stable results (Altmann, 1976).
Behavioral efects of ELF electric felds have been sought with natural and artifcial ELF felds.
Reaction times were measured in man and monkeys. Te subjects were required to press or release a
button when given a simple light or tone stimulus. Reaction times in humans have been reported slow
response times at times of high natural activity between 3 and 6 Hz, with a converse efect at times of
10 Hz peaks (König, 1977). Tese natural oscillations are believed to arise in the SR with typical ampli
tudes of l–2 V/m. Further studies from the same group with artifcial felds at frequencies of 5–10 Hz and
strengths of 0.3–5.0 V/m again showed trends consistent with efects of natural felds, but these trends
were not amenable to statistical analysis. Other tests of human reaction times in ELF felds of l–20 Hz
have suggested that reaction time is inversely related to feld frequency (Hamer, 1968), but the statistical
signifcance of these results has been questioned (Te National Research Council, 1977).
Tere has been the speculation of the similarity between EEG rhythms and SR. Te most common
frequencies of human brain waves include α, β, δ, and θ. Te α wave is the major rhythm in a normal
relaxed condition. Te β wave refects active processing. Te δ wave is the rhythm that occurs in a deep
dreamless sleep or unconsciousness. Te θ wave is associated with drowsiness. When healthy adults
relax with their eyes closed, brain waves of 8–12 Hz frequency and about 5–100 μV can be measured (α
waves). Te α wave is the main component of brain waves of humans with β waves (13–30 Hz, 5–30 μV)
being another component, representing normal alert mental state. Te δ wave activity declines during
deep sleepiness, and 4–7 Hz low voltage slow waves (θ waves) appear, representing dreaming states. Te
human electrical activity occurs in a frequency range below 50 Hz. It has been noted that the form of
brain waves is similar to the SR waves. If one compares α and δ waves with the record obtained from the
electric feld in ELF range, there are similarities between α wave and type I signal, and between δ waves
and type II signal (König et al., 1981). Under similar conditions, brain waves in the same frequency
ranges are spontaneously observed for all vertebrates.
Te remarkable similarity of the brain waves (EEG) with the SR waves was recognized in the 1950s
(König et al., 1981; Schumann and König, 1954). Tey frst showed the measured frequencies were consis
tent with a predicted mathematical model. Te frequencies of the SR waves are closely related to α, β, and
γ brain waves. Persinger and co-workers have studied EEG activity and the SR in real time (Persinger
and Saroka, 2015; Saroka et al., 2016).
As mentioned above, the human EEG wave is very similar to the SR wave and the fuctuating waves
of the local electric feld. Tis suggests that ELF electromagnetic felds, which have existed in nature
since the earliest days of biological development and have traveled around the earth day and night,
may have had a signifcant impact on the formation of biological brain waves. If the formation of brain
waves is closely related to the natural electromagnetic felds, then it is not just human, but all animals
on earth should have the same frequency. Based on this assumption, the waves like EEG frequency mea
surements of animals, such as dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, and fsh such as salmon, show that both
animals and fsh have brain waves of several Hz to several tens of Hz, similar to human’s brain waves.
Te brain waves of vertebrates, from humans to fsh, are rhythmic, with a waveform close to a sine
wave, and can be roughly divided into waves with a frequency of 10 Hz or lower and waves with a