EMP Effects and Considerations

[WARFAB]

Have we already done a thread discussing the details of how an EMP will impact things? I did a little reading on it a while back, but I've heard a lot of conflicting information. In some areas the issue is going to be only things plugged into the power grid. In other areas anything with a circuit board is going to be toast. No idea if the average surge protector will protect electronics that are facing power grid surges from an EMP.

Anyone know of a good resource that accurately describes what an EMP will do and ways to prepare for one? There seems to be a lot of conjecture on the matter.

[masterswimmer]

Just curious, would an EMP affect a pacemaker?
Does someone need to develop a bodysuit Faraday cage?

[24Pink14Stink]

http://empactamerica.org

[Ham_Chu]

The stuff they told us in the 90's (boy, this is turning into Cold War Memory Lane!)...EMP Primer:

HOW: The radiation from a substantial airburst (NUC detonates and fireball doesn't touch ground) way up high in atmosphere is the worst threat, but it exists with ANY NUC detonation. (closer to ground gives earth to absorb most of effect, higher up...not so much) The radiation (the fission chain reaction splits all sorts of atoms, breaking them into their resident parts) is in three basic forms, electron, proton and gamma rays. Electrons are, coincidentally, what makes electricity. With the detonation, all sorts of free electrons start flying about through the air at near light speed, looking to attach themselves to anything they can (see: magnetism), and pass through anything they can't (usually clothes is enuf to block these-electrons have very little mass-protons are a problem, and that gamma stuff can pass thru lead-lined concrete, but anyways).

WHAT: When enuf of these free-roaming electrons find things like copper, they grab onto it and flood it. When this occurs, the amount of electricity occupying that circuit is usually far above the engineer's specifications for that system (typical computer/integrated circuit operates at 5VDC or less (3.3VDC more common). You can see its not hard to get to above that low level.
Modern chips cannot take the kinda abuse that even 9VDC will do to them. These chips, and the boards they are soldered to just die. irrevocably, irreparably. Current flows in EVERY direction all at once at levels far exceeding their rating. (believe me, 16 years of teaching high school digital electronics...I've seen my fair share of smoked integrated circuits)

Regarding the previous Pacemaker question....if you are close enuf to the blast, and it runs on ANY circuitry (vacuum tubes should be safe, for those guitar players using 'tube amps')it is in danger of this effect. Right down to your riding lawnmower and toaster.

PREVENTION: The radios we had (both VRC-12 and SINCGARS) were sealed and lined in cases that were SUPER grounded to the vehicle chassis, in attempts to catch those 'lil rascals and divert them into the vehicle ground....but the HMMWV would have been smoked by the same effect, and therefore the power supply....so the radio would be useless anyways. But these were the same CARC painted radios that were supposed to absorb chemical agents, so the nerve agent would not emanate from the contaminated radio and kill us. Whatevs...

I think that's mostly right....its been a while (and a half)

[masterswimmer]

So the old adage to put your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye still holds true. I thought progress would have changed that routine by now.

[usmcveteran]

I thought I read before that there isn't a lot of concrete info out there anymore either because we don't really test nukes like that anymore.

[Ham_Chu]

I guess the scare is now that NK already has something in orbit. They were allowed to put something into orbit under 'strategic ignorance' strategy. Please note the date of the article linked below: http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/08/asia/n...nch/index.html

A detonation at 186 miles up should be enuf to score an EMP radius of 1,195 miles(you have motivated me to drag out the old manuals...). Right over the center of USA would blank out entire nation, and most of Canada & (parts of) Mexico.

a LowEarthOrbit, where most satellites are found, starts at 99 miles up(out to 1200 miles).

This does not imply that such a device already exists and is ready to be used. Just sayin'

Have a great day!

[WARFAB]

I guess the scare is now that NK already has something in orbit. They were allowed to put something into orbit under 'strategic ignorance' strategy.

X-37B anyone?

http://www.airspacemag.com/space/spa...-37-180957777/

I'm guessing the military could do quite a bit with a few years of top secret space plane time in orbit. Any chance they've already analyzed the NK satellite(s)?

[Ham_Chu]

Oh, and regarding the concrete thing...I can tell you that it takes 183 cm of tamped snow to withstand direct 7.62 hits (told ya I got the old manuals out), but nothing for EMP protection, or anything under 'nuclear' for that matter. Usually those shelters are rated by how much pressure they can withstand before popping, with you inside.

The only defense is as mentioned before.....ground stuff really well so the over-current has a better place to go than your circuitry.

I will never forget the NCO that taught us in case of a nuclear attack (tactical strike), get out of your track, crawl under it, and take the impact on your Kevlar. No, not kidding. Not one bit.

That 1100 mile radius, of course will have lessened effects the further out from GZ you get. The detonation would hafta be pretty large to reach out that far, well into the megaton range from what I've read. These jokers are fizzling reactions in the 10 KT range, smaller than Hiroshima.

WAR: I would think it pretty easy to detect some fissionable material in orbit, esp if you are spending a few years up there (if you WANTED to look for it & had the gear). But someone may not want to evoke a response by violating a satellites 'safe space.'

[thughes]

7.62 x 39 or 51?

[WARFAB]

WAR: I would think it pretty easy to detect some fissionable material in orbit, esp if you are spending a few years up there (if you WANTED to look for it & had the gear). But someone may not want to evoke a response by violating a satellites 'safe space.'

Can't help but assume it's been thought of already. Even the most conservative guesses say the x37 is carrying sensor arrays. It's not like the PRNK satellites would be the only ones we'd be checking out. If a third world dictatorship might have a nuke in orbit, then I'm guessing we'd be checking out Russian satellites as well. More than worth the time and effort if you ask me.

[WARFAB]

My general impression of everything that's been going on with North Korea leaves me skeptical of this article, but who knows. There is a chance that China or another nation secretly helped Lil Kim put something into orbit that could actually pose a threat.

http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2...u-s-homefront/

The irony is that a backwards country like North Korea probably wouldn't be impacted by an EMP as severely as a more technologically developed nation.

[Norm DeGuerre]

China does not want to destroy their best market for goods
the rest of Europe does not want their tainted Wal-Mart crap

edited to add:

European appliance mfgrs like Bosch have two separate lines of eqipment
one for the E.U.
and one for the U.S.of A
because americans will not pay for good products

[WARFAB]

China does not want to destroy their best market for goods
the rest of Europe does not want their tainted Wal-Mart crap

That just reaffirms my general skepticism. Either Kim doesn't have serious EMP capabilities or China would have ended him already.

[Meketrefe]

Does EMP affect solar panels?
also radios if they are protected indoors?