MICROWAVE RADIATION - In the electromagnetic spectrum, microwaves fall between infrared radiation and radio waves. Microwaves only travel line-of-sight, typically limited to 30-40 miles on the Earth's surface. Another important property of microwave radiation is that it's absorbed by moisture, a phenomenon called rain fade. Microwaves are used primarily for communications. They are also used for radar for weather tracking, radar speed guns, and air traffic control. Microwaves are used to transmit thermal energy to heat food and other materials. Cosmic microwave background radiation is a natural source of microwaves. Stars, including the Sun, are natural microwave sources. Man-made sources of microwaves include microwave ovens, masers, circuits, communication transmission towers, and radar.

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Microwave Radiation Definition

by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. 

Microwave radiation is a type of electromagnetic radiation.

The prefix "micro-" in microwaves doesn't mean microwaves have micrometer wavelengths, but rather that microwaves have very small wavelengths compared with traditional radio waves (1 mm to 100,000 km wavelengths).

In the electromagnetic spectrum, microwaves fall between infrared radiation and radio waves.

Frequencies

Microwave radiation has a frequency between 300 MHz and 300 GHz (1 GHz to 100 GHz in radio engineering) or a wavelength ranging from 0.1 cm to 100 cm.

The range includes the SHF (super high frequency), UHF (ultra high frequency) and EHF (extremely high frequency or millimeter waves) radio bands.

While lower frequency radio waves can follow the contours of the Earth and bounce off layers in the atmosphere, microwaves only travel line-of-sight, typically limited to 30-40 miles on the Earth's surface.

Another important property of microwave radiation is that it's absorbed by moisture. A phenomenon called rain fade occurs at the high end of the microwave band.

Past 100 GHz, other gases in the atmosphere absorb the energy, making air opaque in the microwave range, although transparent in the visible and infrared region.

Band Designations

Because microwave radiation encompasses such a broad wavelength/frequency range, it is subdivided into IEEE, NATO, EU or other radar band designations:

Band Designation Frequency Wavelength Uses L band 1 to 2 GHz 15 to 30 cm amateur radio, mobile phones, GPS, telemetry S band 2 to 4 GHz 7.5 to 15 cm radio astronomy, weather radar, microwave ovens, Bluetooth, some communication satellites, amateur radio, cell phones C band 4 to 8 GHz 3.75 to 7.5 cm long-distance radio X band 8 to 12 GHz 25 to 37.5 mm satellite communications, terrestrial broadband, space communications, amateur radio, spectroscopy Ku band 12 to 18 GHz 16.7 to 25 mm satellite communications, spectroscopy K band 18 to 26.5 GHz 11.3 to 16.7 mm satellite communications, spectroscopy, automotive radar, astronomy Ka band 26.5 to 40 GHz 5.0 to 11.3 mm satellite communications, spectroscopy Q band 33 to 50 GHz 6.0 to 9.0 mm automotive radar, molecular rotational spectroscopy, terrestrial microwave communication, radio astronomy, satellite communications U band 40 to 60 GHz 5.0 to 7.5 mm V band 50 to 75 GHz 4.0 to 6.0 mm molecular rotational spectroscopy, millimeter wave research W band 75 to 100 GHz 2.7 to 4.0 mm radar targeting and tracking, automotive radar, satellite communication F band 90 to 140 GHz 2.1 to 3.3 mm SHF, radio astronomy, most radars, satellite tv, wireless LAN D band 110 to 170 GHz 1.8 to 2.7 mm EHF, microwave relays, energy weapons, millimeter wave scanners, remote sensing, amateur radio, radio astronomy

Uses

Microwaves are used primarily for communications, include analog and digital voice, data, and video transmissions.

They are also used for radar (RAdio Detection and Ranging) for weather tracking, radar speed guns, and air traffic control. 

Radio telescopes use large dish antennas to determine distances, map surfaces, and study radio signatures from planets, nebulas, stars, and galaxies.

Microwaves are used to transmit thermal energy to heat food and other materials.

Sources

Cosmic microwave background radiation is a natural source of microwaves. The radiation is studied to help scientists understand the Big Bang.

Stars, including the Sun, are natural microwave sources.

Under the right conditions, atoms and molecules can emit microwaves.

Man-made sources of microwaves include microwave ovens, masers, circuits, communication transmission towers, and radar.

Either solid state devices or special vacuum tubes may be used to produce microwaves.

Examples of solid-state devices include masers (essentially lasers where the light is in the microwave range), Gunn diodes, field-effect transistors, and IMPATT diodes.

The vacuum tube generators use electromagnetic fields to direct electrons in a density-modulated mode, where groups of electrons pass through the device rather than a stream. These devices include the klystron, gyrotron, and magnetron.

Health Effects

Microwave radiation is called "radiation" because it radiates outward and not because it's either radioactive or ionizing in nature.

Low levels of microwave radiation are not known to produce adverse health effects. However, some studies indicate long-term exposure may act as a carcinogen.

Microwave exposure can cause cataracts, as dielectric heating denatures proteins in the eye's lens, turning it milky.

While all tissues are susceptible to heating, the eye is particularly vulnerable because it doesn't have blood vessels to modulate temperature.

Microwave radiation is associated with the microwave auditory effect, in which microwave exposure produces buzzing sounds and clicks. This is caused by thermal expansion within the inner ear.

Microwave burns can occur in deeper tissue — not just on the surface — because microwaves are more readily absorbed by tissue that contains a lot of water.

However, lower levels of exposure produce heat without burns. This effect may be used for a variety of purposes.

The United States military uses millimeter waves to repel targeted persons with uncomfortable heat.

As another example, in 1955, James Lovelock reanimated frozen rats using microwave diathermy. 

Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Introduction

Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville - Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Science educator with experience teaching chemistry, biology, astronomy, and physics at the high school, college, and graduate levels.

ThoughtCo and About Education chemistry expert since 2001.

Widely-published graphic artist, responsible for printable periodic tables and other illustrations used in science.

Experience

Anne Helmenstine, Ph.D. has covered chemistry for ThoughtCo and About Education since 2001, and other sciences since 2013. She taught chemistry, biology, astronomy, and physics at the high school, college, and graduate levels. She has worked as a research scientist and also abstracting and indexing diverse scientific literature for the Department of Energy.

In addition to her work as a science writer, Dr. Helmenstine currently serves as a scientific consultant, specializing in problems requiring an interdisciplinary approach. Previously, she worked as a research scientist and college professor. 

Education

Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a B.A. in physics and mathematics with a minor in chemistry from Hastings College. In her doctoral work, Dr. Helmenstine developed ultra-sensitive chemical detection and medical diagnostic tests.

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