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Microwaves are form of
electromagnetic radiation
with an
electromagnetic
frequency range between 1 and 300 GHz
(109
hertz). They are a
specific type of Super High Frequency (SHF) and Extremely High Frequency (EHF)
radio wave with
wavelengths ranging from 1mm to 30cm. Like
radio
waves, they can
radiate through the oxygen-nitrogen environment of Class
M worlds without being significantly absorbed by the atmosphere.
Above 300 GHz, the absorption of
electromagnetic
radiation by a Class M planet's atmosphere is so great that it is
effectively opaque to higher
frequencies, excluding the
infrared and
visible
light
frequency ranges. Since
microwaves can penetrate the atmospheres of Class M planets with little
problem, they have often been used in satellite transmission technologies.
Some rare applications of lasers rely on
microwaves and are known as masers. |
