Recording and Analysis of Extremely Low Frequency Signals in our Environment

Fachbuch , 2015 , 131 Seiten

Ingenieurwissenschaften - Nachrichten- und Kommunikationstechnik

This work is the result of curiosity and interest in technology. At first, it was an accidental discovery in 2001. This led to the desire, to learn more about ELF-signals. For that, it was necessary, to develope an inexpensive and widely available receiving-technology. The result is an ELF receiver technology, which includes hardware and software. It is designed with standard parts, which are low in prices and easy to get. Any standard PC with an USB connector and a sound card can be used for detection and analysing.

My research and development was operated part-time and now covers more than 10 years. With writing of these theses in the first version, I started in October 2008.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Used formulaic symbols
• Used abbreviations
• 1. Introduction
  • 1.1 Sources of low-frequency magnetic fields
  • 1.2 Wavelengths
  • 1.3 Magnetic field strength
    • 1.3.1 Field around a long electrical conductor
    • 1.3.2 Field of the magnetic dipole
    • 1.3.3 Field strength
  • 1.4 Example of ELF-signals
  • 1.5 The aim of this work
• 2. ELF-Signal measuring technology
  • 2.1 Hardware to acquire ELF-Signals
    • 2.1.1 Sensors
      • 2.1.1.1 Use of Hall-Sensors
      • 2.1.1.2 SQUIDs (Josephson-Effekt)
      • 2.1.1.3 Air coils
        • 2.1.1.3.1 Inductivity of the sensor coil
        • 2.1.1.3.2 Linearization
          • 2.1.1.3.2.1 Linearization with an parallel resistance
          • 2.1.1.3.2.2 Linearization with an integrator
      • 2.1.1.4 Ground rods
    • 2.1.2 Analog low pass filter 6th order
      • 2.1.2.1 Types of low pass filters
      • 2.1.2.2 Development of Butterworth-low-pass filters in general
      • 2.1.2.3 Designing a Butterworth low-pass filter of 6th order
      • 2.1.2.4 Measurement results
    • 2.1.3 Concepts for digitization of the signal
      • 2.1.3.1 Using the sound board of a personal computer
      • 2.1.3.2 Using the USB-Interface
      • 2.1.3.3 Digitising and preparation of the signal
        • 2.1.3.3.1 Sampling
        • 2.1.3.3.2 Quantization
        • 2.1.3.3.3 Coding
        • 2.1.3.3.4 USB-Interface
          • 2.1.3.3.4.1 Requirements to transfer the data into the computer
          • 2.1.3.3.4.2 The USB-Processor
      • 2.1.4 Power supply
      • 2.1.5 The complete device
        • 2.1.5.1 Sensor selector, linearizer and measurement range
        • 2.1.5.2 Filter
        • 2.1.5.3 Power Supply, Analog-Digital-Converting and USB-Interface
          • 2.1.5.3.1 Software for the microcontroller which works as ADC
    • 2.2 Software for acquiring and analyzing ELF-Signals
      • 2.2.1 Software for acquiring ELF-Signals
        • 2.2.1.1 The ELF-Recorder
      • 2.2.2 Software for analyzing ELF-signals
        • 2.2.2.1 Sample rate and frequency shifting
  • 3. Measurements in practise
    • 3.1 Place of receiving and installation
    • 3.2 Recording
    • 3.3 Causality
    • 3.4 Bearing
  • 4. Analysis of acquired ELF-signals
    • 4.1 ELF immission in residential areas
      • 4.1.1 Signals with limited local spread
        • 4.1.1.1 Whistle
        • 4.1.1.2 Cow
        • 4.1.1.3 Foghorn
        • 4.1.1.4 Owl
        • 4.1.1.5 Locomotive
        • 4.1.1.6 Voice
        • 4.1.1.7 Dot matrix printers
        • 4.1.1.8 Pan flute
        • 4.1.1.9 Key shift
        • 4.1.1.10 Telex
      • 4.1.2 Signals with width local spread
        • 4.1.2.1 Goose-Signal
          • 4.1.2.1.1 Goose - Time signal
          • 4.1.2.1.2 Goose – Occurance and spreading
          • 4.1.2.1.3 Summary about the Goose-signal
        • 4.1.2.2 Heartbeat-Signal
          • 4.1.2.2.1 Measuring of the signal parameter
          • 4.1.2.2.2 Regional occurrences of the Heartbeat-Signal
        • 4.1.3 Measurements in the village "Horm" (Part of Hürtgenwald)
    • 4.2 ELF emissions outside of residential areas
    • 4.3 Lignite mining areas as ELF-emitters
    • 4.4 Windmills as ELF-emitters
    • 4.5 Household appliances as ELF-emitters
      • 4.5.1 ELF-signal of a dishwasher
      • 4.5.2 ELF-signal of a washing machine
      • 4.5.3 ELF-Signal of an electrical clock
      • 4.5.4 Typical field strengths of household appliances at mains frequency
      • 4.5.5 Consequences from the measurements with the household devices
    • 4.6 Other signals
      • 4.6.1 Irregular frequency curves ("squeak signal")
      • 4.6.2 Spontaneous onset of lines
  • 5. Artifical ELF-Signals
    • 5.1 Estimation of the magnetic field strength (formerly flux density)
    • 5.2 Estimation of source properties
      • 5.2.1 Measuring setup
      • 5.2.2 Measuring-Setup with conductor loop
      • 5.2.3 Measurement with ground spike
    • 5.3 Comparison with "naturally" occurring signals
  • 6. Considerations and hypotheses regarding the signal-origin
    • 6.1 Anthropogenic sources
      • 6.1.1 Appliances
      • 6.1.2 Industrial equipment / railroad
      • 6.1.3 High frequency waves
    • 6.2 Natural sources
  • 7. The effect of ELF-signals
    • 7.1 Effect of ELF-Signals in electronic circuits
      • 7.1.1 Influence through magnetic alternating frequencies
      • 7.1.2 Shielding
    • 7.2 Influence of ELF-Signals in the nature
    • 7.3 Influence of ELF-Signals on human biology
      • 7.3.1 Hormonal balance
      • 7.3.2 Biorhytm
      • 7.3.3 Immune system
      • 7.3.4 Nervous system, behavior, psyche
      • 7.3.5 Effect models
        • 7.3.5.1 Body current density
        • 7.3.5.2 Calcium
        • 7.3.5.3 Cell membrane
        • 7.3.5.4 Cyclotron resonance model
        • 7.3.5.5 Direct neural effects
  • 8. Closing remarks
  • Appendix
    • Used equipment
    • Source Code ELF-Recorder
  • References

  Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

  This work aims to demonstrate the existence of ELF signals with frequencies lower than the power supply network, analyze their structure and composition, and investigate their potential sources. The study focuses on the development of an affordable and readily available ELF receiver technology, encompassing both hardware and software, for the detection, digitization, and analysis of these signals.

  • Detection and analysis of ELF signals
  • Development of an ELF receiver technology
  • Investigating the origin of ELF signals
  • Evaluating the impact of ELF signals on electronic circuits, nature, and potentially human biology
  • Interdisciplinary approach incorporating physics, geology, and telecommunications

  Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

  The text begins by introducing the concept of ELF signals, discussing their sources, wavelengths, and magnetic field strength. It then delves into the technology used to measure and analyze ELF signals, describing the hardware components like sensors, filters, and digitizers, as well as the software used for recording and analysis.

  The following chapters present a detailed analysis of various ELF signals recorded in different environments, particularly residential areas, open cast mines, and near household appliances. The text explores the characteristics, possible origins, and potential effects of these signals on electronic circuits, nature, and human biology.

  Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

  The primary keywords and focus topics include ELF signals, extremely low frequency, electromagnetic fields, magnetic waves, receiver technology, sensor, filter, digitizer, data acquisition, analysis software, signal characteristics, anthropogenic sources, natural sources, biological effects, electronic circuits, nature, human biology.

• Autor: Franz Peter Zantis (Autor:in)
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2015
• Seiten: 131
• Katalognummer: V338798
• ISBN (eBook): 9783668303676
• ISBN (Buch): 9783668303683
• Sprache: Englisch
• Schlagworte: ELF, Extremely Low Frequency Elektrosmog Extrem niedrige Frequenzen