Editing History and Applications of HAARP Technologies (section)

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

In an attempt to answer all questions regarding the possible negative and harmful effects of HAARP, the HAARP home website provides in its "Frequently Asked Questions" page:

"Q: Are there any health hazards due to fields produced by HAARP?

A: The health and safety of the public (and of the scientific researchers who will be present at the site) has been a primary focus in the design of the HAARP IRI. There are no locations on-site where the E-M fields exceed safety standards for RFR exposure as defined by IEEE/ANSI C95.1-1992 and NCRP Report No 86. In fact, the E-M fields measured at the closest public access to the site are lower than those existing in many urban environments. We have provided a more detailed look at this issue in a separate page on HAARP E-M Safety.

Q: Will HAARP be used to generate ELF?

A: Previous experience at other facilities has shown that it is possible to generate a small but useful ELF signal through ionospheric heating. This field will be more than one and a half billion times weaker than the Earth's background field and about one million times weaker than the level where researchers have reported biological effects in the literature. The field is so weak, in fact, that sophisticated instruments must be used to observe it, yet it is still quite useful for many applications. Also see the ELF section for a thorough discussion of this aspect of ionospheric research.

Q: What about radio frequency interference?

A: Analyses conducted during the environmental impact process suggest that radio frequency interference could occur for receiver systems that operate in the areas surrounding Gakona. However, other facilities similar to the HAARP IRI and its diagnostic instruments have achieved compatibility with other users of the radio frequency environment. The government is committed to achieve compatibility with other users of the electromagnetic spectrum and an electromagnetic compatibility program has been established to assure this goal is achieved.

Q: How large will the HAARP IRI be when it is complete?

A: When it is completed, the HAARP IRI will consist of 180 antennas on a total land area of about 23 acres. The final facility will have a total transmitter power of about 3,600 killowatts. This is the last phase of the project and is the maximum size that was approved (and the maximum size that can be constructed) in accordance with the Environmental Impact Process. We have provided a comparison of the various phases of the IRI throughout the program, from the initial prototype up to and including the final facility.

Q: Can HAARP be used for military purposes?

A: The HAARP facility will be used for basic and applied research related to the study of the Earth's ionosphere. It is not designed to be an operational system for military purposes. The HAARP specifications were developed by a consortium of universities to meet the requirements for a world-class research facility and an expanded group of universities are playing a major role in the design of future research efforts. Administratively, HAARP is restricted to operate only on a "not to interfere" (NIB) basis by the NTIA and is classified as an experimental station in the NTIA spectrum certification document."

It is a major concern of many scientists and researchers that perhaps these questions and answers do not cover all of the ground that the HAARP Program itself plans to cover during its operations in future years - especially when the power dramatically increases!.