Stress biologique

Ap Index & Wolf Number correlation risk

Mortalité Humaine

A demonstration of the relationship between geomagnetic storm activity and suicide

Do ambient electromagnetic fields affect behaviour?

Berk M, Dodd S, Henry M.

Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences-Barwon Health, University of Melbourne, Geelong, Australia.

The relationship between ambient electromagnetic fields and human mood and behaviour is of great public health interest. The relationship between Ap indices of geomagnetic storm activity and national suicide statistics for Australia from 1968 to 2002 was studied. Ap index data was normalised so as to be globally uniform and gave a measure of storm activity for each day. A geomagnetic storm event was defined as a day in which the Ap index was equal to or exceeded 100 nT. Suicide data was a national tally of daily male and female death figures where suicide had been documented as the cause of death. A total of 51 845 males and 16 327 females were included. The average number of suicides was greatest in spring for males and females, and lowest in autumn for males and summer for females. Suicide amongst females increased significantly in autumn during concurrent periods of geomagnetic storm activity (P = .01). This pattern was not observed in males (P = .16). This suggests that perturbations in ambient electromagnetic field activity impact behaviour in a clinically meaningful manner. The study furthermore raises issues regarding other sources of stray electromagnetic fields and their effect on mental health. Bioelectromagnetics. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Solar and geomagnetic activity, extremely low frequency magnetic and electric fields and human health at the Earth's surface

• Authors: Palmer, S.1; Rycroft, M.2; Cermack, M.3
• Source: Surveys in Geophysics, Volume 27, Number 5, September 2006 , pp. 557-595(39)
• Publisher: Springer

The possibility that conditions on the Sun and in the Earth's magnetosphere can affect human health at the Earth's surface has been debated for many decades. This work reviews the research undertaken in the field of heliobiology, focusing on the effect of variations of geomagnetic activity on human cardiovascular health. Data from previous research are analysed for their statistical significance, resulting in support for some studies and the undermining of others. Three conclusions are that geomagnetic effects are more pronounced at higher magnetic latitudes, that extremely high as well as extremely low values of geomagnetic activity seem to have adverse health effects and that a subset of the population (10-15%) is predisposed to adverse health due to geomagnetic variations. The reported health effects of anthropogenic sources of electric and magnetic fields are also briefly discussed, as research performed in this area could help to explain the results from studies into natural electric and magnetic field interactions with the human body.

Possible mechanisms by which variations in solar and geophysical parameters could affect human health are discussed and the most likely candidates investigated further. Direct effects of natural ELF electric and magnetic fields appear implausible; a mechanism involving some form of resonant absorption is more likely. The idea that the Schumann resonance signals could be the global environmental signal absorbed by the human body, thereby linking geomagnetic activity and human health is investigated. Suppression of melatonin secreted by the pineal gland, possibly via desynchronised biological rhythms, appears to be a promising contender linking geomagnetic activity and human health. There are indications that calcium ions in cells could play a role in one or more mechanisms. It is found to be unlikely that a single mechanism can explain all of the reported phenomena.

Keywords: Cardiovascular system; ELF waves; Geomagnetic activity; Heliobiology; Melatonin; Schumann resonance

Mortalité des plantes

Mortalité et Nombre de Wolf

• Populations corrélées
  • A: Mortalité des plantes
    • Coordonnées géomagnétiques: 46°-63°N , 46°-63° S
  • B: Nombre de Wolf
• Période
  • 1932-1999: k = 0.74± 0.21

Mortalité et Ap Index

• Populations corrélées
  • A: Mortalité des plantes
    • Coordonnées géomagnétiques: 46°-63°N , 46°-63° S
  • B: Nombre de Wolf
• Période
  • 1940-1976: k = 0.51± 18
  • 1932-1999: k = 0.27± 0.13

[...] Ces considérations nous indiquent que les fluctuations de températures et les autres facteurs météorologiques ne peuvent expliquer à eux seuls les pics de mortalité. La comparaison des données sur la mortalité avec les Nombres de Wolf (WN), voir panneau du haut, fig.1 montre un degré élevé de corrélation (k = 0.74± 0.21) ainsi que pour l'index Ap présenté dans le panneau du bas. "L'index AP" est un index du champ magnétique planétaire et donne ici le niveau de perturbation magnétique entre les latitudes géomagnétiques 46° et 63° nord / sud.

Dans tous les cas, la dépendance de la réponse biologique des plantes et de leur état physiologique a été démontré en relation avec les Champs ElectroMagnétiques Faibles (EMF) [Kashulin, Pershakov, 1995].

Nous suggérons qu'un facteur héliogéophysique non identifié est impliqué dans le processus de modulation de la mortalité, et sa variation est mieux corrélée à celle du Nombre de Wolf qu'à la perturbation magnétique (index Ap).

The special consideration shows that temperature fluctuations and other meteorological factors can not explain the mortality peaks. The comparison of the mortality data with Wolf numbers (WN), see top panel of Fig.1, has showed a rather high level of correlation (k = 0.74± 0.21) for Ap index is presented on the bottom panel. It is a planetary magnetic index and shows the magnetic disturbance level between 46° and 63° north and south geomagnetic latitudes

In any case, the dependence of plant biological response on it physiological state was shown in relation to weak artificial EM fields effects [Kashulin, Pershakov, 1995]. We suggest that unidentified intermediate heliogeophysical factor is involved in the modulation of mortality process, and its variation matches making more to WN as compared to the magnetic disturbance index Ap

Article correspondant

Effets Heliogéophysiques sur la mortalité des plantes subartiques

REFERENCES

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