Lights Out: EMP Warfare

If there is an EMP, I doubt if any of our computerized cars are hardened to resist the pulse....

 

Hi wild...,

Given that 1950's automotive ignition coils were burned open in Hawaii when EMP was accidentially discoverd, I doubt any vehicles will function, except maybe old mechanical injector pump diesels.

 

Time to start purchasing aluminum foil. Make sure to get several boxes, enough to cover the Prius with no gaps. Use any leftover to make a hat. :madgrin:

 

Do you have to wear the tinfoil hat when you are in the Prius? Or, only when outside of the Prius once it has been covered with tinfoil?

 

Only when the voices get too loud. :madgrin:

 

A high-altitude nuclear detonation produces an immediate [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flux"]flux[/ame] of [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_ray"]gamma rays[/ame] from the nuclear reactions within the device. These [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photon"]photons[/ame] in turn produce high energy free [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron"]electrons[/ame] by [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compton_scattering"]Compton scattering[/ame] at altitudes between (roughly) 20 and 40 km. These electrons are then trapped in the Earth's magnetic field, giving rise to an [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscillating"]oscillating[/ame] [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_current"]electric current[/ame]. This current is asymmetric in general and gives rise to a rapidly rising radiated [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_field"]electromagnetic field[/ame] called an electromagnetic pulse (EMP). Because the electrons are trapped essentially simultaneously, a very large electromagnetic source radiates coherently. The pulse can easily span continent-sized areas, and this radiation can affect systems on land, sea, and air. The first recorded EMP incident accompanied a high-altitude nuclear test over the [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australasia"]South Pacific[/ame] and resulted in power system failures as far away as [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii"]Hawaii[/ame]. A large device detonated at 400–500 km (250 to 312 miles) over [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas"]Kansas[/ame] would affect all of the continental U.S. The signal from such an event extends to the visual horizon as seen from the burst point. Thus, for equipment to be affected, the weapon needs to be above the [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizon"]visual horizon[/ame]. Because of the nature of the pulse as a large, long, high powered, noisy [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltage_spike"]spike[/ame], it is doubtful that there would be much protection if the explosion were seen in the sky just below the tops of hills or mountains.
The altitude indicated above is greater than that of the [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Space_Station"]International Space Station[/ame] and many [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_Earth_orbit"]low Earth orbit[/ame] satellites. Large weapons could have a dramatic impact on [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite"]satellite[/ame] operations and communications; smaller weapons have less such potential.





How the peak EMP on the ground varies with the weapon yield and burst altitude. The yield here is the prompt gamma ray output measured in kilotons. This varies from 0.115–0.5% of the total weapon yield, depending on weapon design. The 1.4 Mt total yield 1962 [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish_Prime"]Starfish Prime[/ame] test had an output of 0.1%, hence 1.4 kt of prompt gamma rays. (The blue 'pre-ionisation' curve applies to certain types of [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermonuclear_weapon"]thermonuclear weapon[/ame], where [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_ray"]gamma[/ame] and x-rays from the primary fission stage [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionisation"]ionise[/ame] the atmosphere and make it electrically conductive before the main pulse from the thermonuclear stage. The pre-ionisation in some situations can literally short out part of the final EMP, by allowing a conduction current to immediately oppose the Compton current of electrons.)



Typical [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_weapon_yield"]nuclear weapon yields[/ame] used during [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_War"]Cold War[/ame] planning for EMP attacks were in the range of 1 to 10 megatons.[21] This is roughly 50 to 500 times the sizes of the weapons the [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States"]United States[/ame] used in [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan"]Japan[/ame] at [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshima"]Hiroshima[/ame] and Nagasaki. Physicists have testified at United States Congressional hearings, however, that weapons with yields of 10 kilotons or less can produce a very large EMP. [22]
The EMP at a fixed distance from a nuclear weapon does not depend directly on the yield but at most only increases as the square root of the yield (see illustration above). This means that although a 10 kiloton weapon has only 0.7% of the total energy release of the 1.44 megaton [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish_Prime"]Starfish Prime[/ame] test, the EMP will be at least 8% as powerful. Since the E1 component of nuclear EMP depends on the prompt gamma ray output, which was only 0.1% of yield in [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish_Prime"]Starfish Prime[/ame] but can be 0.5% of yield in pure fission weapons of low yield, a 10 kiloton bomb can easily be 5 x 8% = 40% as powerful as the 1.44 megaton [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish_Prime"]Starfish Prime[/ame] at producing EMP.[19]
The total prompt gamma ray energy in a fission explosion is 3.5% of the yield, but in a 10 kiloton detonation the high explosive around the bomb core absorbs about 85% of the prompt gamma rays, so the output is only about 0.5% of the yield in kilotons. In the [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermonuclear"]thermonuclear[/ame] [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish_Prime"]Starfish Prime[/ame] the fission yield was less than 100% to begin with, and then the thicker outer casing absorbed about 95% of the prompt gamma rays from the pusher around the fusion stage. [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermonuclear_weapons"]Thermonuclear weapons[/ame] are also less efficient at producing EMP because the first stage can pre-ionise the air[19] which becomes conductive and hence rapidly shorts out the electron [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compton_current"]Compton currents[/ame] generated by the final, larger yield thermonuclear stage. Hence, small pure fission weapons with thin cases are far more efficient at causing EMP than most megaton bombs.
This analysis, however, only applies to the fast E1 and E2 components of nuclear EMP. The [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geomagnetic_storm"]geomagnetic storm[/ame]-like E3 component of nuclear EMP is more closely proportional to the total energy yield of the weapon. [1]

Weapon distance

A unique and important aspect of nuclear EMP is that all of the components of the electromagnetic pulse are generated outside of the weapon. The important E1 component is generated by interaction with the electrons in the upper atmosphere that are hit by gamma radiation from the weapon -- and the subsequent effects upon those electrons by the Earth's magnetic field.[20]
For [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_altitude_nuclear_explosion"]high-altitude nuclear explosions[/ame], this means that much of the EMP is actually generated at a large distance from the detonation (where the gamma radiation from the explosion hits the upper atmosphere). This causes the electric field from the EMP to be remarkably uniform over the large area affected.
According to the standard reference text on nuclear weapons effects published by the U.S. Department of Defense, "The peak electric field (and its amplitude) at the Earth's surface from a high-altitude burst will depend upon the explosion yield, the height of the burst, the location of the observer, and the orientation with respect to the [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geomagnetic_field"]geomagnetic field[/ame]. As a general rule, however, the field strength may be expected to be tens of kilovolts per meter over most of the area receiving the EMP radiation."[23]
The same reference book also states that, ". . . over most of the area affected by the EMP the electric field strength on the ground would exceed 0.5Emax. For yields of less than a few hundred kilotons, this would not necessarily be true because the field strength at the Earth's tangent could be substantially less than 0.5Emax."[23]
(Emax refers to the maximum electric field strength in the affected area.)
In other words, the electric field strength in the entire area that is affected by the EMP will be fairly uniform for weapons with a large gamma ray output; but for much smaller weapons, the electric field may fall off at a comparatively faster rate at large distances from the detonation point.
It is the peak electric field of the EMP that determines the peak voltage induced in equipment and other electrical conductors on the ground, and most of the damage is determined by induced voltages.
(For nuclear detonations within the atmosphere, the situation is more complex. Within the range of gamma ray deposition, simple laws no longer hold as the air is [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionisation"]ionised[/ame] and there are other EMP effects such as a radial electric field due to the separation of [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compton_scattering"]Compton electrons[/ame] from air molecules, together with other complex phenomena. For a surface burst, absorption of gamma rays by air would limit the range of gamma ray deposition to approximately 10 miles, while for a burst in the lower-density air at high altitudes, the range of deposition would be far greater.)


In simpler terms North Korea could actually TOTALLY SCREW the U.S. if they detonated 300 miles above us with low kiloton yield weapon!!!

Thanks to wikipedia

 

"In simpler terms North Korea could actually TOTALLY SCREW the U.S. if they detonated 300 miles above us with low kiloton yield weapon!!! "

Can NK get anything 300 miles up into the air even over NK?

 

Conspiracies Are Us?



Don't anyone tell Kow that everone else knew about EMPs decades ago.

And whatever you do don't quote my post.

 

They are making progress.....learning from their mistakes...

I would really not like to figure it out after the fact..

Remember "Dark Angel" That was the premise of that story line!!

 

Most electronic equipment built today for the top-end customers and high-end products have ESD circuitry built in. This curcuitry will redirect a sudden rising voltage appearing at an input terminal, off to ground. An ESD event has such characteristics. An EMP event would induce a voltage with very similar characteristics as an ESD event. So, quite likely these circuits will have some degree of protection against an ESD event.

Now, does our Prius have these circuits built in? I havent' a clue. A good manufacturer will put them in when the box is designed, but likely the boxes used in the Prius come from all sorts of manufacturers. Some may have ESD protection built in, other may not.

 

Sorry, couldn't help myself. :madgrin:

 

And I thought it was about Jessica Alba in tight leather.

 

Perhaps there is an explanation for the shootdown of a satellite with a tank full of frozen hydrazine that was on its way to re-enter the atmosphere?

 

Back in 1989, there was a huge solar flare which knocked out the power grid all over Quebec in Canada. I would imagine that an EMP attack would be like that.

Question is, has the power infrastructure been improved to handle events like solar flares since then? If it has, maybe the power grid can actually withstand an EMP attack.

As far as an ICBM-launched EMP attack from North Korea goes, at least there will be some time for reaction... It takes an ICBM at least 20 minutes to reach the U.S. west coast from North Korea, and I'm sure NORAD has an eye on them.

 

This definitely reminds me of Goldeneye when people working for 006 deployed an EMP weapon over a Russian satellite control center after they stole a EMP-hardened Eurocopter. It fried 2 MiGs and the control center. Scary.

 

I'm going to have many nice dreams tonight. Thanks!

 

This is old news, but given recent actions by North Korea, is again making the news

Yes, I have concerns. Not for our primary tactical, strategic, C4I military equipment, that is hardened to resist HAEMP per MIL-STD-188-125-1, MIL-STD-2169, MIL-HDBK-423, and others.

I have frequently commented on HAEMP in other threads, as I have had some projects involving test/verification. Of course, I couldn't go into heavy detail, as I had to sign the usual security oaths:

http://priuschat.com/forums/freds-house-pancakes/50637-emp-say-goodbye-life-we-know.html

etc

Something like the HMMWV is designed to continue operating in an EMP environment. A heavier vehicle, like the Oshkosh HEMTT or MTVR, is also designed to continue operating in an EMP environment

There is no civillian vehicle I am aware of, that will continue to operate in the EMP test regime. At the very least, the civillian vehicle glitches and stops running. Rarely, the fault can be cleared by disconnecting the neg at the battery, waiting a few minutes, and reconnecting.

What usually happens to a civillian vehicle, the wiring harness acts like an antenna to the chaotic energy from the HAEMP. As was first postulated by Dr Nicholas Christofilos (Generally credited with theorizing the effects of HAEMP, the existence of the Radiation Belt but could not publish due to a security restriction giving Van Allen all the credit, ELF ie Project Sanguine for EMP resistant communication with submarines, etc) the chaotic energy produced by HAEMP is detrimental/catastrophic to modern electronics

The ideal location for maximum HAEMP effect is exoatmospheric. A 1 MT nuclear warhead is ideal for such a purpose, as noted the Starfish Prime test knocked out the lights around 1,000 miles away in Hawaii

A lot of folks wonder why the US suddenly abandoned its Safeguard anti ballistic missile system, after spending >$20 billion developing it. The ABM worked by means of the Spartan W71 warhead, it had been intended to be launched from hardened facilities in ND, to intercept Soviet ICBM's on their re-entry phase

In 1971, the W71 warhead was successfully tested under Amchitka Island, part of the Aleutian chain in Alaska. It's widely regarded that the test, code named Cannikin, was the primary motivating factor for the formation of Greenpeace

The restored archival footage of the S and P waves hitting the recording trailer park, in slow motion, are very impressive. Note how the sonotubes are forced upwards out of the ground

Safeguard would never have worked. That is, it *would* have worked by intercepting inbound Soviet ICBM's. But you would have had multiple exoatmospheric 5 MT nuclear detonations. Even if Safeguard could have intercepted every inbound ICBM, the multiple HAEMP generated by such an event would have sent us back to pre-industrial times

As far as consumer items, some smaller devices may continue to work. For example, transister radios owned by contractors and servicemen at Johnston Island continued to work after Starfish Prime. However, most long haul radio communication was disrupted for 3-6 hours due to the ionosphere being charged/disrupted

Another reason why the vast, expensive network of Mid Canada Line, Pine Tree Line, and DEW line radar stations were abandoned. Although the equipment was designed to work in an EMP environment, the only means of communication back to NORAD was troposcatter radio. The troposcatter would have been knocked out by the EMP anyway

There really isn't anything to be done to protect us from EMP, or for that matter solar or extrasolar events. It's exotically expensive to certify a given piece of equipment or vehicle to work reliably in an EMP environment, a Prius would cost twice as much