Effect of Soil Conditions on the Electromagnetic Field From an Impulse Radiating Antenna and on the Induced Voltage in a Buried Cable

Impulse Radiating Antenna (IRA) is a highly efficient antenna that has a number of applications in both civilian and military sectors. These antennae produce fast rising pulses in a narrow beam that can give rise to high intensity electromagnetic fields having a wide impact on electrical and electronic systems. One such area where the impact becomes prominent is the present day telecommunication network. This system consists of buried coaxial cables connected to sensitive equipments at their terminations. Henceforth, there could be situations where the incident IRA field can interfere with the cables laid in the area. As the cables pass over different regions with varied soil texture and characteristics, the proportion of the IRA field incident on it will vary, that is dependent upon the nature of the soil in which the cable is buried. This paper reports the response of different types of soils to incident IRA fields and the induced voltage in a cable buried in such soils. A case study of different types of soils is also included in the paper. It is found that the soils in industrial areas are more prone to electromagnetic interference from IRA rather than in a highly moist ground.