info

1. DEPARTMENT
OFTHE
ARMY
uxtllD tlAltS Affy laTttucl|lct Af,offqjtny coina o
ttDof ot trFoRxrlox/Fiw CaofftcE
foircloic! G.Maao€,
[aivtaxo ao75t5t95
DE8
182000
Freedom
of Infomation/
Privacy
Office
Nft,DonaldFriedman
ConfidentialLegalCorrespondence
ll25 Thid Steet
Napa,
Califomia94559-3015
DearMr. Friedman:
References:
a. YourFreedom
of Information
Act (FOIA)request
dated
May25,2006,totheDepartment
oftheAfmy,Freedom
of Information/Privacy
Act Division(DA FOIA/PADIV), for all
documents
pertaining
tothemicrowave
auditory
effect,microwave
hearing
effecr,
Freyeffect,
artificialtelepathy,
and/or
anydevice/weapon
whichuses
and./or
causes
sucheffect;andany
covertor undisclosed
useof hlpnosis.OnSeptember
5,2006,theDA FOIA/PADIV refened
a
copyof yourrcquest
to thisoffica. Yow request
wasreceived
onSeptember
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Enclosure

3. SEEffif
iieFenAr
Bioeffects
of Selected
Nonlethal
Weapons(fn
1)
Thisaddendum
to theNonlethal
Technologies*Worldwide
(NGIC-I147-101-98)
study
addresses
in summary,
some
ofthemostoftenasked
questions
ofnonlethal
weapons
technology,
theph)siological
responses
observed
in clinicalsettings
ofthe biophysical
coupling
andsusceptibility
ofpersonnel
tononlethal
effects
weapons.
These
results
identifyandvalidate
some
aspects
of maturing
nonlethal
technologies
thatmaylikelybe
encountered
or usedasnonlethaleffectorsin thefutureincludins:
. Laserandotherlight phenomena.
. Radioftequency
directed
energy.
. Awal bioeffects.
Thestudyofelectromagnetic
fieldsandtheirinfluence
onbiological
systems
is
incraaiing
rapidly.Muchofthis wo* is takingplacebecause
ofhealthconcems.
For
example,
increased
concem
hasarisen
regarding
theeffects
ofoperator
exposure
to the
electromagnetic
fieldsassociated
withshort-wave
diathermy
devices,
highpower
microwave
ovens,
rada!systems,
magnetic
resonance
imaging
units,etc.In addition,
muchconcem
hasarisen
aboutextremely
low frequency
(60Hz powerfrequency)
eleakicandmagnetic
fieldsthatoriginate
fiom high-voltage
kansmission
lines,indust[ial
equipment,
andresidential
appliances.
Bothoccupational
andresidential
lo[g-term
exposure
havebeenthefocusofepidemiological
studies.
Thestudies
havesuggested
possible
adverse
effects
onhuman
health
(e.9.,cancer,
rcproduction,
etc.).Laboratory
research
is stillbeingpursued
to identifypossible
mechanisms
ofinteraction.
However,
otherthanthermalheatingfor microwavefrequencies,
thereis no yetagreed-upon
mechanism
ofaction.As aco[sequence,
ourknowledge
base
is developed
entirely
with
phenomenological
observations.
Because
ofthis fact,it is notpossible
topredict
how
norithermal
biological effectsmaydiflbr llom oneexposure
modalityto another.It is
especially
difficult,because
ofthe smalldatabaseforfastpulses,
to predict
biological
effectsthatmightbeassociated
with high-powerpulsesofextremely shortduration.
There
is,however,
a growing
perception
thatmicrowave
irradiation
andexposure
to low
frequency
fieldscanbeinvolvedin awiderangeofbiologicalinteractions.
Some
investigators
areevenbeginningto describesimilaritiesbetween
microwaveirradiation
anddrugsregardingtheireffectsonbiological systems.
Forexarnple,
somesuggest
that
powerdensityandspecificabsorption
rateof microwaveirradiationmaybethoughtofas
analogous
to theconcentration
ofthe injectionsolutionandthedosage
ofdrug
EEGRADBbUNCj
AssT$EDP,.ff
c.
BY US.AINSCOM
FOIAA
AUh Psra.'. t02DOD52eii.tR t

4. admin;stration,
respectively.
Clearly,
theeffects
ofmicrcwaves
onbraintissue,
chemistry,andfunctionsarccomplexandselective.Observations
ofbody weightand
behaviorrevealedthatruts,exposed
rmdercertainconditionsto microwaves,eatand
drinkless,
havesmaller
bodyweightasaresultofnonspecific
stress
mediated
tbrough
thecentralnenous systemandhavedecreased
motoractivity.It hasbeerlfoundthat
exposure
of theanimalsto onemodalityof radiofiequencyelectromagnetic
energy
substantially
decreases
aggtessive
behaviorduringexposure.
However,theopposite
effects
ofmicrowaves,
in increasing
themobilityandaggression
ofanimals,
hasalso
beenshown
for adifferentexposure
modality.
Recent
published
dataimplicates
microwaves
asa factorrelated
to adeficitin spatial
memory
function.
A similartlpe of
effectwasobserved
with exposure
to a "resonance
tuned"extremely
low frequency
magnetic
field.Thus,thedatabase
is replete
withphenomenological
observations
of
biological
systems
"affected"
by exposure
to electromagnetic
energy.
(Thefactthata
biological
system
responds
to anextemal
influence
does
notautomatically
noreasily
truslateto thesuggestion
ofadverse
influence
onhealth.)
Theobjective
ofthe present
studywasto identifyinformation
ftomthisdeveloping
understanding
ofelectomagnetic
effects
onanimalsystems
thatcouldbecoupled
withhuman
biological
susceptibilities.
Situations
whcrcthcintersection
ofthesetwodomains
coexist
Drovide
oossibilities
for
usein nonlethal
applications.
I[capacitatingEffect:MicrowaveHeatitrg
Bodyheating
to mimica feveris thenatuleofthe R.F
incapacitation.
Theobjective
is to
provideheating
in a verycontrolled
waysothatthebodyreceives
nearlyuniformheating
andnoorgans
aredamaged.
Coretemperatwes
approximately
41oC areconsidered
tobe
adequate.
At suchtemperature
aconsiderably
changed
demeanor
will takeplacewiththe
individual.
Mostp€ople,
underfeve!conditions,
become
muchlessaggrcssive;
some
people
maybecome
moreinitable.Thesubjective
sensations
produced
by thisbuildupof
heatarefar moreunpleasant
thanthoseaccompanying
fever.In hlperthermiaall the
effectorprocesses
arestminedto theutrnost,whereas
in fevertheyaxenot. It is also
possible
thatmicrowave
h,?erthermia
(even
withonlya 1' C increase
inbrain
temperature)
maydisruptworkingmemory,thusresultingin disorientation.
BiologicalTsrgeUNormalFunctious,/Disease
State
Thetemperature
of warm-blooded
(homeothermic)
animalslike thehumanrcmans
pnctically unchanged
althoughthesurrounding
temperature
mayvaryconsiderably.
The
nomal humanbodytempentue recordedftom themouthis usuallygivenas37' C, with
theiectaltempemtueonedegree
higher.Variationbetweenindividualsis tlpically
between
35.8'C and37.8'C orally.Variatiorcalsooccurin anyoneindividuai
throughouttheday-a differenceof l 0' C or even2.0oC occurringbetweenthe
maximumin thelateallemoonor earlyevedng,andtheminimumbetween3 and5
o'clockin themoming.Strenuous
muscular
ex€rcise
causes
atemporary
risein body
temperatuethatis proportionalto theseverityofthe exercise;
thelevelmaygo ashigh as
40.0.c.

5. Extremeheatstress,
suchthatthebodyscapacityfor heatlossis exceeded,
causes
a
pathologicalincrease
in thetemperature
ofthe body.Thesubjectivesensations
prcduced
by thisbuildupofheat arefar moreunpleasant
thanthoseaccompanying
fever.In
hyperthermiaall theeffectorprocesses
arestained to theutmost,whereas
in feversthey
arenot.Thelimiting temperature
for survival,however,is thesamein bothcases--a
body
temperature
of42o C. Forbriefperiods,peoplehavebeenknownto survivetemperatures
ashigh as43 ' C.
In prolonged
h)?erthermia,
withtemperatures
over40' C to41. C,thebminsuffers
severe
damage
thatusuallyleadsto death.PeriodsofhlTrerthermiaareaccompanied
by
cerebraledemathatdamage
newons,andthevictim exhibitsdisorientation,
delirium,and
convulsions.
ThissFdromeis popularly
referred
to assunstroke,
orheatstroke,
depending
onthecircumstances.
Whenthehyperthermia
is prolonged,braindamage
interfereswith thecentralthermoregulatory
mechanisms.
In particular,sweatsecretion
ceases,
sothattheconditionis furtherexacerbated.
Mechanism
to Produce
theDesiredEffects
Thisconcept
buildsonabout40years
ofexperience
withtheheating
effects
of
microwaves.
Numerous
studies
havebeen
perfomedonanimals
to identify
characteristics
ofimportance
to theunderstanding
ofenergydeposition
in animals.
As a
resultof thephysics,
therelationship
between
thesizeofthe animalandthewavelength
ofthe radiofrequency
energy
ismostimportant.
In fact,thehuman
exposure
guidelines
to
radioftequency
radiationaredesigned
aroundknowledgeofthe differentialabsorption
as
a functiorof fiequency
andbodysize.Thechallenge
isto minimizethetimetoeffect
while causingnopermanent
injury to anyorganor thetotalbodyandto optimizethe
equipment
function.
Theorientation
ofthe incident
energy
withrespect
to theorientation
ofthe animalis alsoimportant.
In a studyofthe effectofRF radiationonbodytempelature
in theRhesus
monkey,a
freqtency(225MHz) is purposelychos€nthatdepositsenergydeepwithin thebodyof
theanimal.A dos€rateof 10W,&gcaused
th€bodytemperature
to increase
to 42oC in a
shorttime(10-15
min),To avoidineversible
adverse
effects,
th€exposurc
was
terminated
whenatemperature
of 42oC wasreached.
A lowerdoserateof 5 W,&g
caused
thetemperature
to increase
to 41.5o
C in lessthan2 hours.
Thereversible
narure
ofthis response
wasdemonstrated
by therapiddrcp in bodytemperature
whenRF
exposure
wasteminatedbeforeacritical temperature
of42o C wasreached.
It is
estimated
for ratsthattheabso6edthresholdconrulsivedoseliesbetween22 a!|td
35!/g
for exposure
dwationsftom lessthar a second
to l5 minutes.For 30-pinute exposurc,
theabsorbed
thresholddosefor decrease
in endurance
is near20J/g,thethresholdfor
work stoppage
approximately
9 J/g,andthethresholdfor work pertubation rangesliom
5 to 7 yg. All oftheabove
measures,
except
convulsions,
arct)?esofnonlethal
incapacition.
A roughestimate
of thepowerrequiredto heatahumanfor thistechnologyis on the
orderof l0 Wkg givenabout15to 30minutes
oftargetactivation.
Actualpowerlevels

6. depend
on climaticfactors,clothing,andotherconsiderations
thataffecttheheatloss
Aomtheindividualconcemed.
A methodfor expressing
doseratein termsofbody
surfacearea(i.e.,wattspersquare
meter)ratherthanbodymass(i.e.,wattsperkilogam)
wouldpemit amorereliable
prediction
ofthermaleffects
acrcss
species.
However,
there
axelargeuncertainties
in theability to extrapolate
thermorcgulatory
effectsin laboratory
animalsto thosein humanbeings.
This technologyis anadaptation
oftechnologywhichhasbeenaroundfor manyyears.lt
is well knownthatmicrowavescanbeusedto heatobjects.Not only is microwave
technology
used
tocookfoods,
butit isalsoused
asadirected
source
ofheatinginmany
industrial
applications.
It waseventhesubject
ofthe "Pound
Proposal',
a fewyears
agoin
whichtheideawastoprovideresidential
heating
topeople,
notlivingspace.
Because
of
theapparently
safenatureofbody heatingusingmicrowavetechniques,
avarietyof
innovativeusesofEM energyfor humanapplications
arebeingexplored.Thenonlethal
application
wouldembody
ahighlysophisticated
microwave
assembly
thatcanbeuscdto
prcjectmicrowaves
in orderto provideaconholled
heating
ofpersons.
Thiscontrolled
heating
will raise
thecoretemperature
ofthe individuals
to apredetermined
levelto
mimicahighfeverwiththeint€ntofgainingapsychological/capability
edge
onthe
enemy,
whilenotinflictingdeadlyforce,Theconcept
ofheatingis straightforward;
the
challenge
isto idgntifyandproduce
thecorrect
mix ofliequencies
andpowerlevels
needed
to dotheremoteheatingwhile not injuring specificorgansin theindividuals
illuminatedby thebeam.
A varietyoffactorscontribute
to theattractiveness
ofthis nonlethal
techrology.
First,it
is based
onawell-known
effect,
heating.
Everyhuman
is subject
to theeffects
ofheating;
therefore,
it wouldhaveapredictability
ratingof 100%.
Thetimeto onset
canprobably
beengine€red
tobetweel15and30minutes;
however,
timingisthesubject
ofaddilional
research
to maximize
heating
whileminimizingadverse
effeats
of localized
heating.
the
onset
canbeslowenough
and,/or
ofsuchfrequency
to beunrecogniz€d
by theperson(s)
beinginadiated.
Safety
to innocents
couldbeenhanced
by theapplication
andadditional
developme[tof advanced
sensor
technologies.
locapacitation
time couldbeextended
to
almostanydesiredperiodconsistent
with safety.(GivensuitableR&D, temperature
or
othervital signscouldb€monitorcdremotely,andtemperature
couldbemaintained
ata
minimumeffectivepoint).
Tim€to Onset
Thetimeto onset
is a fulctionofthepowerlevelbeingused.
Carefully
monitored
uniformheating
couldprobably
takeplacein between
l5 and30minutes.
Timeroorcet
couldbereduced
butwith increased
risk of adverse
effects.Minimum time is deDendent
onthepowerlevelofthe equipmentandtheefficiencyofthe aimingdevice.
Durationof Effect
Assumingthattheheatingis donecarefully,reversalof elevated
bodytemperature
would
beginassoonasthesource
ofheat is removed.

7. Tunability
This conceptis tunablein thatanyruteofheating,upto themaximumcapacityof the
souce,maybeobtained.Thusit is suitablefor usein agradualforceor ',rheostatic',
approach.
Ifthe situationallows,andthesourceis sufficientlypowerful,thereis the
possibility
tousethistechnology
in alethalmodeaswell.Prolonged
bodytemperature
above43' C is almostcertainto resultin permanent
darnage
to thebrainanddeath.
DistributionofHuman Sensitivities
to DesiredEffects
No reason
hasbeenidentifiedto suggest
thatanyone
wouldbeimmuneto this
technology.Individualswith compromised
thermoregulatory
mechanisms
wouldbe
susceptible
with alowerincidentenergydensity.Thiswouldincludepeoplewith orgalnc
damage
to theh,?othalamus,thepartofthe brainthatintegatestheautonomic
mechanisms
whichcontrolheatlossaswellaspeople
withcompromised
somatic
features
ofheatloss(e.g.,
respiration,
waterbalance,
etc.).
Thetechnologies
needed
for thethermal
technology
concept
arerelatively
well
d€veloped
because
ofthe knownbiophysical
mechanism,
theuniversal
susceptibility
of
humans
to themechanism
ofheating,
andbecause
ofa well developed
t€chnology
base
for theproductionofradiofrequencyladiation.Because
thehuma.n
bodyis
inhomogeleous,
ceftain
organs
are,by virtueoftheirsizeandgeometry,
moreeasily
coupled
withoneradiofrequency
wavelength
thananother.
Therefore,
to avoidpermanent
damage
to thesusp€ct
or to innocent
bystarders,
it maybenecessary
tovarythe
frequency
to avoidlocalized
heating
andconsequent
damage
to anyorgan,
Additionally,
it will benecessary
to avoidtheconditionsthoughtto beassociated
with theinductionof
cataracts.
Thus,whilethetechnology
ofmicrowave
heating
in general
ismatule,
adaptation
asanonlethal
technology
will rcquire
sophisticated
biophysical
calculations
k)
identifytheproper
regimen
ofmicrowave
llequencies
andintensities;
it will alsobc
necessary
to optimizeexistinghardwareto meetthebioph,sicalrequirements.
Possible
Itrflu€oc€or Subject(s)
Ifthe technologyfunctionsapproximatelyasenvisioned,
thetargeted
individual couldbe
ircapacitated
within l5 to 30minutes.
Because
thistechnology
isfocused
onarelatively
slowonset,it shouldonly beusedin situationswherespeed
is notimportant.Thevery
uncomfortable
nature
ofa highbodytemperature
maybeusefulin negotiations
or
possibly
for controlling
crowds.
It wouldbeequally
usefulonsingle
persons
ot crowds.
Evidencealsoindicatesadisruptionofworking memory thusdisorientation
mayoccur
because
ofall inabilityto consolidate
memory
ofthe recent
(minutes)
past.
Technological
Statusof Generator/Aiming
Device
Equipmentneeded
to explorethis conceptin thelaboratoryis availabletoday.Designand
construction
ofthe RF/microwavegenemtor
will depend
ontheconstraints
posedby the
calculations,
potentialgeneration
devices,alldenergy-directing
structures.
A varietyof

8. optlons
existforbothoftheseequipment
needs.
Theuseof advanced
frequency
and
modulation-agile
RFgeneration
andamplification
circuitrywill berequired
to o"scss
fully thefrequency/power/time
envelope
ofRF heatingprofilesrequir;d. Althoughmuch
equipment
is cornmerciallyavailable,it is likely thatcustomhadware andsoftwarewill
benecessary
because
availableequipment
hasnotbeendesigned
with theneedfor
frequ€ncy/intensily
variability,which w.illprobablybeneeded
for safetypurposes.
In
addition,thedesignof antennas
andotherenergy-directing
structueswili almost
certainly
involveunique
configurations.
Since
thistechnology
utilizesradiofiequency
energy,
it canbedefeated
bytheuseof shielding
provided
byconductive
barierslike
metalor metalscreen.
IrcapacitatingEffect:MicrowaveHearirg
Microwave
hearing
is aphenomenon,
descdbed
by human
observem.
as.thesensations
of
buzzing,ticking, hissing,or knockingsounds
thatoriginatewithin or imrnediatelybehind
thehead.Thereis no soundpropagatilgthroughtheair like nomal sound.This
technology
in itscrudes!
formcouldbeused
todistract
ildividuals:ifrefined.it could
alsobeused
to communicate
withhostages
or hostage
takeNdirectlyby Morsecodeor
othermessage
systems,
possibly
€venby voiaecommudcation.
BiologicalTarget/NormslFunctiotrs/Disease
State
Thistechnology
makes
useofa phenomenon
firstdescribed
in theliterature
over30vears
ago.Differentt)?esofsounds
wereheard
depending
ontheparticulars
ofthe pulse
characteristics.
Vaf,ious
experiments
wer€performedonhumansandlaboratorvanimals
exploring
theoriginofthis phenomenon.
At thistime,virtuallyall investigators
whohrve
studied_the
phelomenon
nowaccept
thermoelastic
expansion
ofthe brain,-the
pressurc
waveofwhich isrcceived
andprocessed
bythecochlear
microphonic
system,iohctlrc
mechanism
ofacoustic
perception
ofshortpulses
ofRF energy.
Onestudy(in 1975)
usilg human
volunteers,
identilied
thethreshold
energy
ofmicrowave-auditory
rcsponscs
in humans
asa function
ofpulsewidthfor 2450MHz radioftequency
energy.
it is also
foundthatabout40J/cmzincidentenergydensityperpulsewai required.
-'
Mechanism
to ProducetheDesired
Effects
After thephenomenon
wasdiscovercd,
severalmechanisms
weresuggested
to explainthe
hearing
ofpulsedRFfields.Thermoelastic
expansion
withinthebrainin rcsponse
to RF
pulseswasflrst studiedanddemonstntedin inertmatedalsfid wasDroposed
asthe
rnechanism
ofhearingofpulsedRFfields.A presstlre
waveis generited
inmostsolid
andliquidmaterials
by apulseofRI energy--a
pressurc
wavethatis seveml
orders
of
magnitudelargerin amplitudethanthatresultilg from radiationpressure
or from
elecnoslrictive
lorces.
Thecharacteristics
ofthe field-induced
coihlearmicroohoruc
rn
guinea
pigsandcats.
therelationship
ofpulse
duralion
andltu-eshold.
phvsicri
measurements
in waterandin tissue-simulating
materials,
aswell asnumerous
theoretical
calculations-allpoint to thermoelastic
expansion
asthemechanism
ofthe hearins
Dhenomenon.

9. Scientists
havedetermined
thethresholdenergylevel for humanobservers
exposed
to
pulsed
2450-MHz
fields(0.5-to32micrcnpulsewidths).
Theyfoundthat,regardless
of
thepeakofthe powerdensityandthepulsewidth, theper-pulsethresholdfoia normal
subject
isneax
20mJ/kg.Theavemge
elevation
ofbraintemperature
associated
witha
just-perceptible
pulsewasestimated
tobeabout5xl0 6.C.
Timeto Onset
Thephysicalnatureofthis themoelasticexpansion
dictatesthatthesounds
areheardas
theindividual
pulses
areabsorbed.
Thus,theeffectis immediate
(withinmilliseconds).
Humanshavebeenexposed
to R.Fenergythatresultedin theDroduction
of sounds.
Durationof Effect
Microwavehearinglastsonly aslongastheexposure.
Thereis no residualeffectafier
cessation
ofRF energy.
Turability
Th€phenomenon
is tunablein thatthecharacteristic
soundsandintansitiesofthose
sounds
depend
onthecharacteristics
ofthe RFenergy
asdelivered.
Because
the
ftequency
ofthe sound
heard
is dep€ndent
onthepulsechamcteristics
ofthe RFenergy,
it seems
possible
thatthistechnology
couldbedeveloped
to thepointwhere
wordscould
behansmitted
tobeheardlikethespoken
wod, except
thatit couldonlyboheard
within
aperson's
head.
In oneexperiment,
communication
ofthewordsfromonetotenusing
"speech
modulated"
microwave
energy
wassuccessfully
demonstrated.
Microphones
next
to thep€rson
experiencing
thevoicecouldnotpickupthesound.
Additional
develonncnt
ofthis wouldopenupawiderange
ofpossibilities.
DistributiotrofHuman SeDsitlvities
to Desir€dEffects
Because
thephenomenon
actsdirectly oncochlearprccesses,
thethermoelastic
pressure
wavesploducesounds
ofvarying Aequency.
Many ofthe testsrunto evaluatgthe
phenomenon
producedsoundsin the5 kHz rangeandhigher.Because
humansarekno.wn
to experience
awiderange
ofhearinglossdueto cochlear
darnage,
it is possible
that
somepeoplecanhearRF inducedsounds
thatotherswith high&equency
hearingloss
cannot.
Thus,thereis a likelyrange
ofsensitivity,
primarilybased
onthet)?e ofpulse
andthecondition
ofthecochlea.
Bilateral
destruction
ofthe cochlea
hasbeen
demonstxated
to abolishall RF-inducedauditorystimuli.
RecoYery/Safety
Humanshavebeensubjected
to thisphenomenon
for manyyears.Theenergydeposrnon
requiredto producethis effectis sosmallthatit is notconsidered
hazardous
expenmentation
wheninvestigatingresponses
atthejust-perceptiblelevels.
11

10. Possible
Influenceon Subject(s)
Applicationofthe microwavehearingtechnologycouldfacilitateapdvatemessage
transmission.
It maybeusefulto provideadisruptiv€conditionto apersonnot awaxe
of
thetechnology.Not only might it bedisruptiveto thesense
ofhearing, it couldbe
psychologicallydevastating
if onesuddenlyheard"voiceswithin one'shead.
"
Technological
Statusof Getrerator/Aiming
Device
This technologyrequiresno extrapolation
to estimate
its usefulness.
Microwaveenergy
canbeappliedatadistance,
andtheappropriate
technologycanbeadapted
ftom existing
radarunits.Aiming deviceslikewiseareavailablebut for specialcircumstances
which
requireextremespecificity,theremaybeaneedfor additionaldevelopment.
Exteme
directional
specificity
wouldberequircd
to hansmitamessage
to asinglehostage
sunounded
byhiscaptors.
Signals
canbetransmitted
longdistances
(huDdreds
ofmeters)
usingcurrent
techrology.
Inngerdistances
andmoresophisticated
signaltlpeswill
require
morebulkyequipment,
butit seems
possible
totransmit
some
t,?e ofsignalsat
closer
ranges
usingman-potable
equipment.
Range
Theeffective
range
couldbehundreds
ofmeters.
Incapacitating
Effect:Disruptionof NeuralCoutrol
Thenatureof theincapacitation
is arhythmic-activitysFchronizationof brainneurons
thatdisrupts
normalcodicalconkolofthe corticospinal
andcorticobulbar
pathwaysthrs
disrupts
normalfunctioning
ofthe spinalmotorneurons
whichcontrolmuscle
conltlclron
andbodymovements.
Persons
suffering
fromthiscondition
losevoluntary
controlof
theirbody.Thiss),nchrcnization
maybeaccompanied
by asudden
lossofconsciousness
andintense
muscle
spasms.
BiologicalTargeUNormal
Functions/Disease
Strte
Thenormalfunctionofthe brainis to controlall formsofbehavior,voluntarycontrolof
body,andthehomeostatic
pararnete$ofthe organism.In normalconditions,all thebrain
structur€s,
neuro[ populations,networks,andsingleunitsfunctionwith specificrhyhnic
activity depending
ontheincomingsensoryinformatioq infomation fiom mnemonic
skuctwes,andsignalsf:romvisceralorgans.Eachsingleneuronprovidesspecific
processing
ofinformation it receives
andformsaspecificpatternofimpulse firing as
outgoinginformation.Synchronization
ofn€won activityis anatual mechanism
ofthe
brainfunctionthatusessuchcontrollingprocesses
asmotivation,attentionandmemory
(experience)
in orderto organizebehavior.For example,
motivationalprccesses
are
considered
asactivatingascending
signalsthatslarchronize
theneuronactivity ofspecific
brainstructures
andneuronnetworks;this activation/slnchronization
in hrm activates
specific
formsofbehaviorsuchassexual,
aggressive,
ingestive
activities.

11. In normalfunctioningthedegree
ofneuronalsynchronization
is highly controlled.From
expedments
thatrccordtheneuronalactivity iI1differentbmin axeas
simultaneouslv
in
animals,
it is knownthatcorelationofspikeactivitybetween
neurons
(measured
bl the
correlationlevelof synchronization)
changes
depending
ontheslageof behavior,
motivation,
attention,
or activation
ofthememory
processes.
HowJver,
undersome
conditions,suchasph)rsicalstress,
heatshock,or shongemotionalstress,
thel€velof
s),ncbronization
maybecomehigher,involving nonspecificlargepopulationsofbrain
neuronsandtle s)mclronizationmaybecomeuncontrollable.
Dependingonatwhich frequencytheslmchronization
rh),thmoccursandhowmany
neuonsareinvolved,
it mayproduce
different
physical
effects;
muscle
weakness,
involuntary
muscle
contractiols,
lossofconsciousness,
or intense
(tonic)muscle
spasms.
Thehigherlevelof sl,nchronization
takesplacein persons
affectedwith epilepsywhen
theyexpedence
periodic
seizures
since
theyhaveapathologic
source
(e.g.,frorninjuryto
thebrain)of rh',thmics)'nchronization.
Because
theneurophysiological
rnechanisms
of
epileptiform
syrchronization
arebetter
documented,
thisincapacititing
technology
rs
described
in termsof €pileptogenesis.
Theneurophysiological
mechanisms
active
in epileptogenesis
involvechanges
in
membrare
conductances
andneuotransmitter
alteEtions
astheyaffectneuional
interaction.
In theprocess
ofepileptogenesis,
eithersome
neurons
arcdischarging
too
easilyb€cause
ofalterations
in membmne
conductances
or thereis afailureoiinhibitory
neurotransmission.
Theactual
discharges
havebeen
recognized
toresultfromaneuronal
depolarization
shiftwithelectrical
syrchrony
in cellpopulations
related
in pa ro
changes
in membrane
conductances.
Theionicbasis
andbiochemical
substiate
ofthis
activation
havebeena.reas
ofconsiderable
studybutstill leave
manyquestions
unanswered.
Whatarcthebasiccellular
properties,
present
in nomal cellsandtissuc.
rhli
couldcontribute
to thegeneration
ofabnormal
activity?
Whatparts
ofthe systems
are
low thresholdandfunctionastriggerel€ments?
'
Oneofthecurrent
hlTrotheses
is involved
withmicrocircuitry,
particularly
localslmapnc
interactions
in neocortical
andlimbicsystem
structures.
In thehippocampus,
theroleof
thetriggerelementhasbeenlongattributedto theCA3 pyramidaliells_a hypothesis
basedonthcfactthatspontaneous
s)mchto[ous
burstdischaxge
canbeestablished
in
CA3 neuons Somestudiesdescribe
anintrinsicallybursting
-e[
typein theneocoftex
thatplaysarolesimilarto thatofCA3 cellsin thehippocampus
andthatofdeepcellsin
theplriform cortex.Theintrinsicnatue ofthesecellsappears
to beall important
contnbutorto theestablishment
of slnchronizedburstingin theseregions.Another
apparent
requirement
in suchapopulationis for a certaindegree
ofsynaptic interaction
anongneurons,
suchthatdischarge
of even
onecellenlists
theactivityofits neighbors.
Giventhepresence
oftheseburstingcellsandtheoccurrence
ofexcitatory interactions
arnong
themin normaltissue,
it mayactually
bethemoryhologic
substrate
for
epileptiform
discharges.
Anotherh,?tothesishasfocusedpaiicularly ontheroleofN-methyl_D-aspartate
(NMDA) receptors.
Variousfactorsregulatetheeffcacy ofNMDA receptors:
therr
q

12. voltage-dependent
blockadeby magnesium
andmodulationby glycineandpolyamrnes.
Forexarnple,
in thelow magnesium
model,spontaneous
slncluonousburstdischarge
in
hippocampal
plramidal cell populationsis sensitiveto NMDA antagonists.
Thatfinding
suggests
thatit istheopening
ofNMDA channels,
byrelieving
themagnesium
blockade,
thatfacilitatesepileptiformactivity.
Significantattentionin theliteratureis alsobeinggivento gamma-amino
butFic acid
(GABA) receptors
for thepotentialrole in controlofexcitability. Changes
in GABA
inhibitory
efficacy
carr
leadto important
effects
ontheexcitability
ofthe system.
GABAergic
inhibitory
posFsynaptic
potentials
(lPSPs)
havebeen
shown
to bequite
labi1e
in response
to repetitive
activation
ofcorticalcellpopulations,
asmayoccurduring
epileptiformdischarge.
Scientists
haveshownthatevenasmallpercentage
changein
GABAinhibitioncanhaveprofound
effects
onneocodical
epilsptogenesis.
These
changes
in CABAergic inhibition maybethekey to aoexplanation
ofhow repetitive
discharge
pattems
givedseto ictaldischarge.
Further,
thereappears
to beasignificant
increase
in excitatory
posts)'naptic
potential
(EPSP)
frequency
priorto seizueinitiation
anobservation
thatis consistent
with lossoflPSPefficacy
priorto ictalonset-
Theabove
h)?otheses
describe
different
mechanisms
ofepileptogenesis,
butit isquite
possible
thatall ofthesemechanisms
takeplace,
andtheyreflectlargevarietyoft)?cs of
epileptic
seizures.
Thecommon
principle
ofthe mechanisms
proposed
is thechange
of
membrane
propeties(i.e.,conductance,
permeability
etc.)ofcertainneurons
which
rcsultsin d€polarization
andburstdischarging.Somefactors(e,g.,tauma) canaffect
th€sespecificneuronsandinitiatesynchrcnyfor neuronsthatconrol intemal
communication
andcommunication
withvarious
muscle
s)rstems
notassociated
wlth
vitalfunctions
(i.e.,headbeating,
breathing).
Highstrength
pulsed
cl€ctricfieldscould
alsobesucha factor.
Mechanism
to Reproduce
theDesiredEffects
Application
ofelectromagnetic
pulses
isalsoaconceptual
nonlethal
technology
thatuses
electromagn€tic
energyto irduce neurals)'nchronyanddisruptionof voluntarymuscle
control.
Theeffectiveness
ofthis concept
hasnotbeendemonstrated.
However,
frompast
work in evaluatingthepotentialfor electromagnetic
pulsegenerato$to aflecthumans,it
is estimated
thatsufficientlyshongintemalfieldscanbegenerated
within thebrainto
triggerneurons.
Estimates
arethat50to 100kv/m freefield ofvery sharppulses(- I nS)
arerequiredto produceacell membranic
potentialof approximately
2 V; thiswould
probablyb€suflicientto triggerneuonsor makethemmoresusceptible
to firing.
Theelecfomagneticpulseconceptis onein which avery fast(nanosecond
timeframe)
high voltage(approximately100kv/m or greater)electomagneticpulseis repeated
at
thealphabrainwavefrequency(aboutl5 Hz). It is knownthatasimilar frequencyof
pulsing
lightcantriggersensitive
individuals
(those
withsome
degree
of light-sensitivity
epilepsy)into a seizureandit is thoughtthatby usingamethodthatcouldactuallytrigger
nerves)'napses
directlywithanelectrical
fiel4 essentially
100%ofindividualswouldbe
susceptible
to seizureinduction.Thephotic-induced
seizurephenomenon
wasbomeout
lo

13. demonstrably
onDecember
16,1997onJapanese
television
rvhen
hundreds
ofviewersof
apopularcartoonshowweretreated,inadvertently,to photicseizureinduction(fi eure
lU. Thephotic-induced
seizurcis indirectiDthattheeyemustrcceiveandtransmitthe
impulseswhichinitially activateaportionofthe blain associated
with theopticnerve.
Fromlhatpointtheexcitabjlity
spreads
tootherporlions
of thebrain.Wirhthe
electromagnetic
concept,excitationis directlyonthebrain,andall regionsareexcited
concurently.
Theonset
ofsFchony anddisruption
ofmuscular
conk;l is anticiDated
to
benearlyinstantaneous.
Recoverytimesareexpected
to beconsistent
with, or morerapid
than.thatwhichisobserved
in epileptic
seizures.
Timeto Onset
No experimental
evidence
is available
forthiscortcept.
However,
light-induced
seizures
latency
onset
in photosensitive
epileptics
varies
from0.1to aboutl0 seconds.
Because
of
thefactthattheelectdcalimpuls€striggeredby light mustspread
to otherpartsoftho
brain,photic-induc€d
seizuesareexpected
to havea genemllysloweronsetthanneunl
sFchrcny inducedby high-stengthpulsedelectricfields.
Durationof Effect
Forepileptic
individuals,
thet]?icalduration
ofa petitmalevent
or apsychomoror
evenr
is I minute
or 2,possibly
longer,
whiletheduration
of agrand
malseizure
is I to 5
minutes.
In anon-epileptic
individual
whois induced
by el€chomagnetic
means,
the
durations
ofthedifferent
events
areexpected
to beroughlythesame
astheepileptic
i[dividual'sevents
aftertheextemal
excitation
isremoved.
Tunability
There
aremanydegrees
ofepilepticseizuein diseased
penons,andit seems
reasonable
thatelectromagnetic
stimulation
ofneuralsyrchrony
mightbetunable
withregard
to tnc
anddegeeofbodily influence,
depe[ding
ontheparameters
associated
withthechosen
stimulus.Because
thereareno actualdatato build on,thesestatements
mustbe
considered
tentative.It is knownthatin thestudyofphotic-inducedseizues,panmeters
canbevariedsothattheindividual
understudydoes
notactually
undergo
a grand
mal
seizure.
Thisknowledgegiv€sco[fidencethattheproposed
technologywouidbetunable.
DistributionofHumatrSensitivities
to DesiredEffects
It is anticipated
that100%ofthepopulation
wouldbesusceptible.
Themechanism
isone
thatcouldactorl manyindividualneuronalcellsconcurrentlyandhencedoesnot depend
onspreading
regionsofelectrical activity asin thedisease
state.
Possible
InlluenceotrSubjects(s)
If thetechnologyfunctionsapproximatelyasenvisioned,
thetargetedindividualcouldbe
rncapacitated
veryquickly. Because
therehavebeenno reportedstudies
usingthe
I

14. conditionsspecified,experimental
work is requiredto chaxacterize
onsettime.Different
tlpes of technologies
couldbeemployedto influencewide areas
or singleindividuals.
Because
thistechnologyis considered
to betunable,theinfluenceon subjectscouldvary
ftommild disruption
ofconcentmtion
tomuscle
spasms
andlossofconsciousness.
The
subject(s)
wouldhavevaryingdegrees
of voluntarycontroldepending
onthechosen
degree
of incapacitation.
Technological
Statusof Generator/Aiming
Device
An electric
fieldskength
ofroughly100Kv/moveratimeperiodof 1nanosecond
is
approximately
theconditionthoughtto benecessary
to producethedesiredeffectwhen
provided
toanoverallrepetition
rateof 15Hz.Suchafieldmaybedeveloped
usinga
radarlike,high-peak-power,
pulsed
souceor anelectromagnetic
pulsegenerator
operated
at 15Hz.These
technologies
existtodaysufficient
to evaluate
thedisabling
concept.
Powerrequirements
arenothighbecause
thedutyfactoris solow.Aimrng
devices
arecurentlyavailable,
butahighdegree
ofdirectionality
atlorg distances
will
require
development,
It maybenecessary
to provide
bursts
ofthesenanosecond
pulscsin
orderto stimulatethedesiredeffect.As thedutytime increases
sodoestheaveragc
powerrequirement
for powersource,Because
therewerenoopenliteraturereportsfrom
whichtomakeinferences,
thereis some
uncertainty
about
thepowerlevelsrequired.
Ratrge
Theeffective
range
couldbehundreds
of mete$.
DefeatCapabilities/Limitatiors
Shielding
canbeprovided
by conductive
barriers
likemetalor metalscreen.
Therearca
number
ofdrugsthatarecapable
ofinducingconvulsive
seizures
andothers,
like
phenoba6ital,
diphenyllhydantoin,
trimethadione,
2-4dinitrophenol,
andacetazohunide,
which areaoticonlulsive.Anticonvulsivedrugsareknownto behelpful in reducingthe
effectofseizures
in epil€ptic
patients,
buttheirabilityto reduce
theeffectoftheproposed
technologyis unlinown(possiblyno effect)butexpected
to belessthanfor photic-
induced
seizures.
Incapacitating
Effect;AcousticEnergy
Thenatureofthe incapacitation
coNists of severcprcssure
sensations,
nystagnus(a
spasmodic,
involuntarymotion ofthe eyes),andnausea
caused
by high intensitiesof
9140-155
dB).Nlstagmus
occrus
whenconvection
curlents
axe
produced
(cupula
movement)
in thelateralearcanal.This cupulamovementcauses
theeyesto move
involuntarily;
hence,
theextemal
worldisinterpreted
asmoving.
Thesubject',sees',
his
surroundings
tumingrcundhim andatthesainetimeexperiences
asensation
of tuming.
Persons
exposed
to theselevelsof soundexperience
nausea.
BiologicalTargevNormalFunctiols/Disease
State
7

15. Thetwo latemlsemicircularcanals,onelocatedin eachinnerear.alertapeNonto the
factthathisupight head
is experiencing
angular
acceleration.
Withinth; ampulla
ofthe
canalareseveral
socalled
haircells.Theciliaof these
cellsprolrude
intothelumen
of
theampullawherethey{rreencased
in amassofjelly-like material(thecupula)which is
attached
to theoppositewall ofthe canal.As theheadaccelerates,
thecilia arcbentby an
inertialforceofthe cupula
andtheviscous
liquidin thecanallumen.
Thebending
ofihe
cilia exciteshaircellswhichin tum exciteafferentneurons;
tlese thenalertthebrainthat
achange
ofpositionofthe head
hasoccurred.
Similarevents
occurwhentheheadstops
moving.Theresultofa strong
haircellstimulus
to thebminis arapideyemovement,
callnystagmus,
afeelingofdizziness
anddisorientation,
andaDossibilitv
ofnausea
and
vomltmg.
Normalhearing
is in therange
between
thefrequencies
of20,000to 16,000
Hz withthe
optimalsensitivity
for mostpeople
between
theftequencies
of500 to 6000Hz.
Mechanism
to ProducetheDesiredEffects
Because
theendorgans
for acoustic
andvestibular
perception
aresoclosely
related,
intense
acoustic
stimulation
canresultin vestibular
effects.
Theh]?othesis
isthatthe
sound
ofnormalintensity
produces
oscillations
ofthe endolymph
andperilynpn,
compensated
for by oscillations
ofthe roundwindow.Highintensity
sound
produces
eddycunents,
whicharelocalized
rotational
fluiddisplacements.
Highintensity
sound
canalsoproduce
nonlinear
displacement
ofthe stapes,
causing
a volumedisplacement,
theresultofwhichcanbea fluidvoidin thclaby.inth.
To fill thevoid,fluidmaybe
displaced
alongtheendollmphatic
ductand,/or
blockcapiltary
pathways,
which,in tum,
couldstimulate
vestibular
receptors.
Stimulation
ofthe vestibular
receptors
mayleadto
nausea
andvomitingif thesound
pressure
levelis highenough.
Conclude
thatbothtj(l(ly
currents
andvolumedisplacement
serve
to stimulate
vestibular
receptors
in humans,
whenexposed
to highlev€lsofnoise.
Onestudyfoundnystagmum
in guinea
pigs€xposed
tohighlevelsofinfrasound
via
stimulation
ofthe vestibular
recepto$.
Howev€r,
thesame
labwasunable
to produce
nystagmus
in human
subjects
at5- and10-second
exposures
to apuretoneat 135dB,
broadband
engine
noise,
or a I00Hz toneat I20dB,pulsed
threetimes/s
or 2 minutes.
Thesarne
research
wasunable
to elicitnystagmus
atlevels
upto 155dB,andalsoequally
unable
to produce
nystagmus
usinginfrasound
levelsof I l2-150dB in guinea
prgs,
monkeys,andhumars.However,research
with audiblecomponents
in thesound
spectrumwith guineapigsandmonkeysproducednystagmus.
Otherresearchers
report
othervestibulareffectsin additionto nystagmus
atthefollowing thresholds:125dB fiom
200-500
Hz,l40 dB at 1000
Hz,and155dB at200Hz.Decremerts
in vestibula.r
tunctionoccurconsistentlyfor broadband
noiselevelsof 140dB (with hearins
prolectlon).
Humansubjectslistenedto veryhigh levelsof low-frequencynoiseandinfrasoundin the
protectedor unprctected
modes.Two-minutedurationashighas140to 155dB produced
amngeof effectsfrom mild discomfortto severe
pressure
sensations,
nausea,
gaggrng,
l3

16. andgiddiness.
Effectsalsoincludedbluned vision andvisualfield distoiions in some
exposure
conditions.Thenatweanddegreeofall effectswasdependent
onbothsound
levelandliequencywith themostsevere
effectsoccurringin theaudiblefiequencyrange
(asopposed
to infrasound),
atlevelsaboveabout145dB. Theinvestigators
foundno
temporarythresholdshift (TTS) amongtheirsubjects,
andtheuseof hearingprctecton
greatlyalleviatedtheadverse
effects.
Sincetheearlydaysofjet-enginetestingandmaintenance,
a[ecdotalevidence
has
appeared
linking exposueto intensenoise,with suchcomplaintsasdizziness,
vertigo,
nausea,
andvomiting.
As aresultofsirennoiseat 140dB,subjects
consistently
reported
a feeling
ofbeingpushed
sideways,
usuallyawayftomtheexposed
ear,andonesubject
reporteddifflculty standingononefoot.
Theseeffectswerenot asdramaticasfrom th€jeFengineOroadband)
noiseat 140dB.
Thisresearch
concludes
thatthethreshold
of labyrinthine
dysfunction
is about135to 140
dB andthattheseeffectsoccurduring,but not after,exposurc.
Timeto Otrset
No timesto onsetofnauseaor n)stagmuswercidentifiedin theliteraturebut is presumcd
toberelatively
immediate
based
oneffects
to thelabyrinth
system
occwringduring,
but
notafter,exposure
to sound
pressure
levelsof 135to 140dB.
Durationof Effect
Theincapacitation
la6ts
onlyaslotlgastheincapacitating
sound
ispresent.
Tunability
Based
onthedatapresented
above,
it is unclear
whether
thedegree
ofnausea
or
nystagmus
is tunable,but similarsymptomscaused
by otherstimuli a.re
variablein
degre9.
DistributionofHuman Sensitivitles
to Desir€dEffects
It is mostprobablethatall individualswill besusceptible
to this stimuluswith the
exception
ofthosewithadisease
or defect
(i.e.,deafmutes)
ofsomepartor partsof the
vestibularsystem.
Datashowedno consistent
decrease
in vestibulo-ocular
reflectswith
inoeasedage.
Recovery/S
afety
Normalsubjectsarelikely to recoverimmediatelyandexperience
no or unmeasurable
changes
in hearingunlesswell knownliequency-intensity-time
factorsareexceeded.
This is basedon studieswhich foundnotemporarythresholdshift in hearingof subjects
testedatlow frequency.Occupational
safetypersonnel
generallyrecognizethat 1I 5
r+

17. dB(A) is to beavoidedandthat70dB(A) is assumed
safe.Isbelievedthatthenoise
energywith predominating
frequencies
above500Hz haveagreater
potentialfor hearing
lossthannoiseenergyat lowerfrequencies.
Occupational
standards
for noisestatethata
personmaybeexposed
continuouslyfor 8 hoursto 90dB(A) or 15 minutesto I 15
dB(A).
Possible
Influenceon Subject(s)
Inductionofnystagmusandnausea
will havevariableeffectson individuals.Effectsmay
besufficientlyincapacitation
to allow offensiveadvantage;
theperceptionof sickness
maymakeasubjectsusceptible
to peFuasion.It wouldbedilncult to targetsingle
individualsatthepresentlevelof sounddirectingtechnology.This technologymaybe
bettersuit€d
for goupsofpeople.
Techtrological
Statusof Generator/Aimltrg
Device
Sound
generating
technology
iswell developed
butnothighlyportable.
Aimingdcvices
arepoorly developed.
Rrnge
Undernormalcircumstanc€s
thesoundpressuleleveldecreases
6 dB(A) whenthe
distance
fromthesource
is doubled.
Forexample
ifthe sormd
is 100dB(A)at 100It, at
200ft thesound
wouldbe94dB(A).At veryhighsound
levels,
certain
conditions
may
leadto nonlineareffectsin propagation
andgreatlyincrease
rangeaccuracy.
DefeatCapabiliti€s/Limitrtions
Negative
effects
ofaudiblesound
aregreatly
decreased
ifhearingprctection
iswom.
High frequencysoundis moreeasilyblockedthanlow frequencysou[d dueto
wav€lengtheff€cts.
Lrser-hduced BiologicalEffects
Theirarethreebasicdamage
mechanisms
associated
with exposure
to laserradiation:
chemical,thermal,ard mechanical
or acoustic-mechanical.
Thelaser-induced,
chemicalalteratio$ in irradiatedtissuearereferredto as
photochemical
damage.
Thelikelihoodof laserradiationin theblue-lightportionof the
electromagngtic
spectrum
(.380to .550microns)
inducing
photochemical
reactions
progressiv€ly
d€creases
with increasing
wavelength.
Photochemical
effectsarenot
observed
uponexposure
to ndiationwithwavelengths
exceeding
.550to .650micfons
because
thekineticenergyassociated
with thesephotonsis insufficientto initiatea
photochemical
change.
l5

18. Ontheotherhand,thethermaleffectis aprimaxymechanism
for laser-induced
mJ
ury.
Theextentof theinjuriesinduceddepends
uponthewavelength
andenergyofthe
incidentmdiation,durationof exposure,
andthenatuleofthe exposed
tissueandits
absorption
characteristics.
Generally,
thismechanism
predominites
in thevisibleandthe
near-infrared
(.760to 1.4microns)portionsofthe electromagnetic
spectrumandfor
almost
all CW andpulsed
exposures
between
0.1milliseconds
andI to 5 seconds.
Thethird injury mechanism
associated
with exposure
to laserradiationis themechanical
or acoustical-mechanical
effect.Theradiantenergyis absorbed
intothetissueand,asa
result
ofrapidthermal
expansion
followingashort(l nanosecond
to 0.1millisecond)
laser
radiation
pulse,
apressure
waveis generated
thatmayresult
in explosive
tissue
injury.
Generally,
all three
mechanisms
operate
concunently
in aniradiatedanimal.
Thermar
effectscurrentlypredominate
for continuous
wave(CW) lasers,
while mechanical
effects
areofincreased
sigrificance
forpulsed-mode
lasers.
Withevenhigher
power,onemust
alsoconsider
nonlinear
phenomena
suchasmultiphoton
absorption
andelectromagnetic
fieldeffects.
Theorgans
mostsusceptible
to extemal
laser
radiation
aretheskinandeyes.
Theseverity
ofinjury is affected
by thenature
of thetarget,
theenergy
density
delivered
tothemrger,
thefiequencyandpowerofthe laser,atmospheric
attenuation
ofthe beam,andtheuseof
filteringor ampliflng opticsbythetarget,
etc.
Theprimaryeffectontheskinis thermaldarnage
(bums).Theseverityvariesftom slight
er],'thema
or reddening
to severe
blistering
or charring,
depending
onsuchfactors
astotal
energy
deposition,
skinpigmentation,
andthetissue,s
abilityto dissipate
heat.
Theeyeisparticularly
susceptible
to intense
pulseoflaserradiation
because
ofits unique
sensitivity
to light.Thefocusing
effectissimilarto thatofa magnifying
lens,which
focuses
tbeenergyon aparticularspot.Sincethecomeaandlensofthe eyeamplify the
intensity
ofthe lightincident
upontheretina,
theretinais extremely
sensitive
to visible
andnear-inftaredlight, anddamage
to theretinamayresultin temporaryor permanent
lossofvisualacuity.Lasereyeinjuries
varyaccording
toincident
power,spotsize,beam
angle,temporalmode(CW or pulsed),andpulserepetitionfrequency.
Reportedeffects
includecomeallesions,bums,cataracts,
andretinallesions.
Somehigh-powerlaserscancause
antipersonnel
effectsby thedepositionof themal
energy.Theselasersmustoperateatawavelengththatis readilyabsorbed
by theskinor
thecomea.Thesegenerallyincludethefar- andmid-IR regioru(10to 12micronsand3
to 5 microns)aswell astheultravioletregion(<0.4microns).However.ultraviolet
wavelengths
generallydonotpropagate
well in theatmosphere,
sotheprimarythreat
wavelengths
to beconsidered
arebetween
3 andl2 microns.Althoughrelativelymodest
amountsof far-IR laserpowerarerequiredto producesuperficialbumsontheskinat
shortranges,
andeffortsto designrheostaticallylethallaserweapons
areon going.
lb

19. Nonlethalblindinglaserweapons
generallyusecollimatedbeams
with very low beam
divergence,
andtheenergycontainedin thebeamdiminishesrelativelyslowly overgreat
distances.
knagilg systems
suchaseyesandEO vision systems
havefocusingopticsthat
bringtheincidentplanewaveof light to focusatthesensor
plane.This resultsin ahigh
opticalgain(geater than100,000
for eyes),which makestheassociated
sensor
luLoerable
to relativelylow fluences
oflaser energy.
Theeffectsof laselson eyesarethreefold:
. Dazzlingor inducedg1are.
. Flashblinding
or lossofnight adaptation.
. Pemanent
or semipermanent
blinding.
Theseverityoflaser eyeinjuriesvariesaccordingto theincidentpower,spotsize,beam
angle,
pupildiameter
(ambient
lightconditions),
temporal
mode(CWor pulsed),
an<r
PRFofthe laser.Reportedeffectsincludecomealbums,catamcts
(apemanent
cloudiness
ofthe lens),
andretinal
bumsandperfoEtions.
fow-energylaser
weapons
arc
capable
ofcausing
thelatter.
Exposuetorelatively
low laser
energies
canproduce
temporary
changes
in theabilityto
seewithoutproducingpermanent
injury. Exposueto laserlight canproduceaneffect
call€dglareordazzle,
whichissimilarto thetemporary
lossofvisionexperience
whco
viewingtheheadlights
ofan oncoming
car.Thevisualeffects
lastonlyaslongasthe
lightispresent
in thelieldofview (FOV).At slightlyhigherenergy
exposures,
thesam€
laser
radiation
cansaturate
or flashblind
thephotoreceptor
cells,resulting
in afterrmages
thatfadewiti timeafterexposue.
Onlyvisibleradiation
will induce
veilingglareor aftcr
images;
near-IR
radiation
will notproduce
these
effects
eventhough
theradiant
encrgy
reaches
thephotor€ceptor
cells.Flashblindness
anddazzle,
whilenotpermanent
in,urrus,
cancause
discomfort
andtemporary
lossofvision.Some
studies
haveshown
tharuazzle
andflashblindness
canseriously
impact
mission
performance,
especially
in highlyvisual
tasks
suchaspilotinganaircraft
or aiming.
Blinding is thepermanent
or semipermarent
lossofvisual acuity.Theeffectcanlasr
fiom severalhou'sonwardandgenerallyis evidenced
by ada* spotin thefield of
vision.Thisspotiscalledascotoma.
Theimpactofthe scotoma
onvisualacuitywill
varywith thesizeandpositionofthe injury. Humanvisionis greatlyaffectedwhenthe
laser
damage
is tothecentral
visionarea
ofthe retinacalledthefovea.
Nonfoveal
laser
damage
maybelesssevere
or evengounnoticedbecause
it affectsonly theperipheral
vision.Themostseriousretinalinjuriesoccurwhentheincidentlight is sointensethata
perforationin theretinais formed,resultingin ahemonhage
into eitherthesubretinal
layeror,in themostsevere
cases,
thevitreous
humorofthe eve.Lesssevere
exDusurcs
resultin lesionsontheretila.
Foot ote:
1-(U) This appendixis classifiedFOROFFICIAL USEONLY in its entirery.
t.1
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