Journal of Microwave Power and Electromagnetic Energy (JMPEE)
TITLE	Heating Rate Modeling and Measurements in Phantom and In Vivo of the Human Upper Extremity in a Defective 2450 MHz Microwave Oven [PDF]
AUTHORS	J. Oleson, T. Samulski, S. Clegg, S. Das and W. Grant 1994 29 2 101-108
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Abstract Multiple door interlock switches in commercial microwave ovens are designed to prevent accidental exposure and injury. We report a) heating rate (°C/sec) measurements in a phantom of the human upper extremity in a 2450 MHz microwave oven having interlock switches deliberately bypassed; b) skin temperature measurements on the upper extremity of a human volunteer similarly exposed; c) perception of warmth and pain experienced by the volunteer during exposure; d) thermographic camera recordings of the volunteer's skin; and e) finite element modeling of specific absorption rate (SAR) in the volunteer's hand. Moderately severe pain was experienced at the fingertips after 5 sec of exposure, consistent with the modeled SAR, measured heating rates, and published data on the temperature threshold for pain. We estimate that an additional 9 sec of exposure would be required to produce irreversible injury, consisting of focal thermal injury in the fingertips and possibly the thenar and hypothenar eminences. Key Words: Microwave absorption, Microwave injury, Microwave oven, Modeling, Finite element method.