Surface Electromagnetic Waves at Gradual Interfaces between Lossy Media
← Research streamThe paper reports that a low-loss propagating surface electromagnetic wave (“interfacial wave”) can exist at a gradual interface between two lossy conductive media. It suggests such waves could be guided along a seafloor–seawater interface enabling communicat…
Study snapshot
Abstract
Surface Electromagnetic Waves at Gradual Interfaces between Lossy Media Igor I. Smolyaninov; Surface Electromagnetic Waves at Gradual Interfaces between Lossy Media. Progress in Electromagnetics Research. 170:177-186. 2021. doi:10.2528/PIER21043006. Abstract A low loss propagating electromagnetic wave is shown to exist at a gradual interface between two lossy conductive media. Such a surface wave may be guided by a seafloor-seawater interface, and it may be used in radio communication and imaging underwater. It should allow communication distances of the order of 500m at 10 kHz along a sandy seabed. Similar surface waves may also be guided by various tissue boundaries inside a human body. For example, such surface wave solutions may exist at planar interfaces between skull bones and grey matter inside a human head at 6 GHz. Conclusion I have demonstrated that a new kind of low loss propagating surface electromagnetic wave, an “interfacial wave”, may exist at a gradual interface between two lossy conductive media. The comparison of its properties with the more well-known surface electromagnetic wave solutions, such as surface plasmons and Zenneck waves is summarized in Table 1. Such a deep-subwavelength surface wave may be guided by a seafloor- seawater interface, and it may be used in radio communication and imaging underwater. Similar surface waves may also be guided by various tissue boundaries inside a human body. For example, such surface wave solutions may exist at planar interfaces between skull bones and grey matter inside a human head at 6 GHz. A possibility of deep sub-wavelength SEW cavities (or “hot spots”) has been revealed in numerical simulations of SEW-related effects in human tissues. Therefore, it will be important to reexamine EM radiation safety issues associated with the potential excitation and scattering of the newly discovered surface electromagnetic waves inside a human body. jpier.org
AI evidence extraction
Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.
Main findings
The paper reports that a low-loss propagating surface electromagnetic wave (“interfacial wave”) can exist at a gradual interface between two lossy conductive media. It suggests such waves could be guided along a seafloor–seawater interface enabling communication distances on the order of 500 m at 10 kHz along a sandy seabed, and that similar solutions may exist at tissue boundaries such as skull bone–grey matter at 6 GHz; it notes numerical simulations indicating possible deep sub-wavelength SEW cavities (“hot spots”) in human tissues and calls for reexamining EM radiation safety issues.
Outcomes measured
- Existence/properties of low-loss propagating surface electromagnetic wave at gradual interfaces between lossy conductive media
- Potential guidance of surface waves along seafloor–seawater interface for underwater radio communication/imaging
- Potential existence of similar surface wave solutions at tissue boundaries (e.g., skull bone–grey matter interface)
- Implications for EM radiation safety due to potential excitation/scattering of such waves in human tissues
View raw extracted JSON
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"outcomes": [
"Existence/properties of low-loss propagating surface electromagnetic wave at gradual interfaces between lossy conductive media",
"Potential guidance of surface waves along seafloor–seawater interface for underwater radio communication/imaging",
"Potential existence of similar surface wave solutions at tissue boundaries (e.g., skull bone–grey matter interface)",
"Implications for EM radiation safety due to potential excitation/scattering of such waves in human tissues"
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"main_findings": "The paper reports that a low-loss propagating surface electromagnetic wave (“interfacial wave”) can exist at a gradual interface between two lossy conductive media. It suggests such waves could be guided along a seafloor–seawater interface enabling communication distances on the order of 500 m at 10 kHz along a sandy seabed, and that similar solutions may exist at tissue boundaries such as skull bone–grey matter at 6 GHz; it notes numerical simulations indicating possible deep sub-wavelength SEW cavities (“hot spots”) in human tissues and calls for reexamining EM radiation safety issues.",
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"keywords": [
"surface electromagnetic waves",
"interfacial wave",
"gradual interface",
"lossy media",
"conductive media",
"seafloor-seawater interface",
"underwater communication",
"imaging underwater",
"tissue boundaries",
"skull bone",
"grey matter",
"6 GHz",
"10 kHz",
"Zenneck waves",
"surface plasmons",
"EM radiation safety"
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}AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.
Identifiers and source
DOI: 10.2528/pier21043006
PubMed: Not supplied