Aim of the project
The objective of the proposed project is the identification of specific physiological mechanisms that are responsible for the individual’s magneto sensitive reactions to space weather (SW) and geomagnetic field (GMF) variations, by simulating different GMF conditions in the experimental room.
The principal innovation of the proposed project is to design a new technology for the identification of physiological mechanisms of specific magneto sensitive reactions in humans to SW-GMF variations, via a pilot “dual-use” electronic magneto active compensation/simulation device providing highly sophisticated shielding solutions from environmental magnetic fields for studying the direct impact of SW-GMF. The innovation will also be the employment of a new diagnostic complex by the complex analysis of the GMF and medical data via original elaborated software.
The development of our understanding of the influence that SW - GMF exerts on the functional state of magnetosensitive individuals , as well as the mechanisms involved, and prevention of this potential negative impact will have an important scientific, medical, social and economic value.
Current status A large number of studies have identified significant biological and health effects associated with changes in SW-GMF. Compared with many anthropogenic sources, the field strengths involved are very small. However, important correlations between changes in SW-GMF with aggravations of the cardio vascular and central nervous systems have been found. Variations in solar activity, geomagnetic activity and ionospheric ion/electron concentrations are all mutually highly correlated and strongly linked by geophysical processes. A key scientific question is how a specific physiological mechanism causes the observed biological and health effects of SW-GMF and how to detect it? According to modern chrono-biologic conceptions, solar periodical and non-periodical activities are correspondingly the synchronizer or desynchronizer factors of modulation for the endogenous biological rhythms of a living organism. Many authors have noticed GMF synchronization effects; particularly characteristic spectral frequencies of GMF oscillations are often similar to those of major physiological processes in the living organism. This involves “non-linear resonant absorption” of ultra low frequency oscillating signals in the same frequency range. The Schumann Resonance signal was investigated as the possible plausible biophysical mechanism for the observed SW-GMF effects. There are also assumptions and theories that the GMF synchronization effect can occur through the modulation of the rate of synthesis of melatonin/serotonin which through receptors influences the circadian and circannual activity of the metabolism, body temperature, blood pressure, heart beat, peripheral blood flow, respiratory activity, sleep-wake cycle, reaction times, hormone levels and immune system blood cells. On the other hand, solar storms and solar storm-induced geomagnetic storms (GMSs) as a desynchronizer factor can pose a serious threat to magnetosensitive people on the Earth and near-Earth. GMSs are powerful stress factors affecting neurohumoral regulatory mechanisms: during GMSs the activity of the sympathoadrenal system varies, the balance of the autonomic nervous system is impaired, flow and coagulation properties of blood change. Destabilization of the functional activity of the cardiovascular system (CVS) raises, the risk of occurrence of hypertensive crises, various types of arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, up to the development of a fatal outcome.
The medical control of astronauts was performed on several flights during GMSs. In astronauts who performed flights only on days when GMSs occured and 1-2 days after GMSs ended, the activity of the regulatory systems was higher, and the regulatory balance of the autonomic nervous system ANS was authentically shifted towards the intensification of the sympathetic part, in comparison with astronauts who performed flights more than 3 days after GMSs ended. However, initial variations in the functional state of the astronauts stipulated different dynamics of alterations during the flight. Russian scientists classified people into three types depending on the initial regulation of their ANS based on the HRV method: 1. Parasympathetic regulation, 2. Balanced regulation, 3. Balanced regulation with elements of the sympathetic parts/sympathetic regulation. Some studies reported that a subset of the population is more sensitive to GMF.
The experimental study of the modulation effects of SW-GMF requires the following:
· Use appropriate technical specifications for experimental simulation of different GMF conditions being studied.
· Monitor local GMF conditions, allowing the recording of real events and studying their subsequent reproduction-simulation.
· Creation of appropriate technical, software and operational specifications to design a new diagnostic technology for the detection of specific physiological mechanisms responsible for magneto sensitive reactions in humans.
The effort provided by the project includes the accomplishment of the following tasks:
· Monitoring of local GMF conditions, creation of a computer database of GMF activity using ground-based local magnetometers recordings (own data).
· Monitoring of the main causes of geomagnetic disturbances, by analysis and processing of space (satellite) data, using internet access to obtain a global picture of the space environment and data on SW-GMF activity from world-wide databases.
· Selection of research subjects (volunteers), to reveal their initial magneto sensitive type.
· Creation of a new electronic block for the magneto compensation/simulation device.
· Simulation of different conditions of GMF in the experimental room using the magneto compensation/simulation device by means of natural recordings of GMF (own data) and their subsequent reproduction.
· Pulse (Rhythm), Holter and EEG-monitoring of research subjects, comparison of individual magneto sensitive responses under different simulated conditions of GMF, ordering of the monitoring data.
· Investigation of the possibility for detection of correlated frequency ranges between medical and GMF activity data.
· Comparing the spectral components of rhythmo grams, EEG and HRV of research subjects and GMF variations using original elaborated software; statistical processing of the monitoring data.
· Identifying the GMF specific synchronizer/desynchronizer frequency ranges for each individual magnetosensitive person, allowing the evaluation and prediction of probable deviations in the ANS during different levels of GMF activity.
· Designing the prototype of a technology for the identification of a specific mechanism responsible for magneto sensitivity.
· Determining the efficiency of the pilot diagnostic complex for clinical use to perform experimental studies concerning SW - GMF effects on individual magneto sensitive reactions in humans.· Preparing reports and publications based on the research results.
