Thermal implications of high SARs in the body extremities at the ANSI-recommended MF-VHF safety levels

Surface-temperature elevation of the wrist and the ankle sections were measured for a healthy human subject at room temperature (22-25 degrees C) for a variety of RF currents and SARs (specific absorption rate) in the frequency band 1-50 MHz. The observed highest rates of temperature increase in degrees C/min are given by the best-fit relationships: 0.0045*SAR in W/kg for the ankle section and 0.0048*SAR for the wrist section, the latter being involved for conditions of contact with ungrounded bodies like cars, trucks, fences, etc. Since ankle-section SARs on the order of 182-243 W/kg and wrist-section SARs as high as 1045 W/kg have previously been projected for the E fields recommended in the ANSI C95.1-1982 safety guide, fairly high rates of temperature increase are anticipated.