electromagnetic pulses - something to worry about?
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Need much more information.What kind, what frequency, what field strength at what distance, how transmitted?
Originally Posted By: Eddie
Need much more information.What kind, what frequency, what field strength at what distance, how transmitted?
Sounds like he is asking about a neutron bomb
Need much more information.What kind, what frequency, what field strength at what distance, how transmitted?
Sounds like he is asking about a neutron bomb
Originally Posted By: penguin
Sounds like he is asking about a neutron bomb
Any nuke explosion.
Sounds like he is asking about a neutron bomb
Any nuke explosion.
Originally Posted By: crinkles
Are electrical equipment really at risk from something like this? and would all electrical stuff be? or just some? would a fridge still work, but a computer be fried?
buy one and find out for yourself
http://www.amazing1.com/emp.htm
Are electrical equipment really at risk from something like this? and would all electrical stuff be? or just some? would a fridge still work, but a computer be fried?
buy one and find out for yourself
http://www.amazing1.com/emp.htm
Kestas
Staff member
Something in the deep recesses of my memory tells me this is true. The EMP would fry delicate electronics.
I believe should an EMP event ever happen, only my 71 Cutlass (and other non-electronic-laden vehicles) would be able to operate. The electricals on that car that are most sensitive to EMP are the diodes in the alternator and the ignition coil.
I believe should an EMP event ever happen, only my 71 Cutlass (and other non-electronic-laden vehicles) would be able to operate. The electricals on that car that are most sensitive to EMP are the diodes in the alternator and the ignition coil.
Google emp Hawaii
In 1962 there was a nuclear test over the Pacific about 800 miles from Hawaii that caused problems in Hawaii. That was accidental, a weapon that was optimized for EMP and delivered for maximum effectiveness could shut down a large portion of a large country.
Modern electronics are far more susceptible to EMP that the old stuff used in the 1960s.
In 1962 there was a nuclear test over the Pacific about 800 miles from Hawaii that caused problems in Hawaii. That was accidental, a weapon that was optimized for EMP and delivered for maximum effectiveness could shut down a large portion of a large country.
Modern electronics are far more susceptible to EMP that the old stuff used in the 1960s.
Do a quick google search on it. We lost recorded records during our first nuke test back in '45. The newer electronics are more easily damaged unless shielded.
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Do a quick google search on it. We lost recorded records during our first nuke test back in '45. The newer electronics are more easily damaged unless shielded.
I hadn't heard of the 1945 data loss, thanks for the info.
Shielding is a bugger. For an electronics box to be useful, it needs to have power supplied to it and signals going in and out. Unfortunately, power and signal conductors make good EMP antennas.
Design for EMP resistance is a complex field and keeps lots of people making good salaries busy.
Do a quick google search on it. We lost recorded records during our first nuke test back in '45. The newer electronics are more easily damaged unless shielded.
I hadn't heard of the 1945 data loss, thanks for the info.
Shielding is a bugger. For an electronics box to be useful, it needs to have power supplied to it and signals going in and out. Unfortunately, power and signal conductors make good EMP antennas.
Design for EMP resistance is a complex field and keeps lots of people making good salaries busy.
Unless you plan on wraping the componets in lead,burring in 3-6 feet of water or earth you are introuble. I would not worry about it since only a nuke or micro nuke can reall get the job done in a portable fashion. It is kind of like worring about a nurtron bomb? You could but to what end.
Our government has been trying to develop small handheld EMP devices that had limited range and no harm to troop close buy like outside a door.......Last I checked those and light sabers where just science fiction. The EMP generators used to test products like military gear are held by a crane and have their own electrical sub-station.
P.S. Buy Vaccum tube gear with no solidate state controll mechinisms and you will be fine. Most electrical motors today have state of the art or digital surface mount devices that control them. So take out the controller and the electrical motor stops working so say good buy to most appliences.
Our government has been trying to develop small handheld EMP devices that had limited range and no harm to troop close buy like outside a door.......Last I checked those and light sabers where just science fiction. The EMP generators used to test products like military gear are held by a crane and have their own electrical sub-station.
P.S. Buy Vaccum tube gear with no solidate state controll mechinisms and you will be fine. Most electrical motors today have state of the art or digital surface mount devices that control them. So take out the controller and the electrical motor stops working so say good buy to most appliences.
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Originally Posted By: penguin
Originally Posted By: Eddie
Need much more information.What kind, what frequency, what field strength at what distance, how transmitted?
Sounds like he is asking about a neutron bomb
Originally Posted By: Loobed
buy one and find out for yourself
http://www.amazing1.com/emp.htm
Now guys don't be blowing up neutron bombs without adult supervision okay LOL
I know that's not what you meant but its the first thing that popped into my mind, like a Homer Simpson 4th of July lol
Originally Posted By: Eddie
Need much more information.What kind, what frequency, what field strength at what distance, how transmitted?
Sounds like he is asking about a neutron bomb
Originally Posted By: Loobed
buy one and find out for yourself
http://www.amazing1.com/emp.htm
Now guys don't be blowing up neutron bombs without adult supervision okay LOL
I know that's not what you meant but its the first thing that popped into my mind, like a Homer Simpson 4th of July lol
EMP will pretty much stop this world if the pulse is sufficiently strong.
Bad news is, over 98% of the electronic goods, from your ipod to PC to anything that runs on solid state or IC will be dead with just roughtly 3~30mV pulse; but then JB is right about the fact that tubes will still work provided that the radio broadcast stations still run on tubes (big fat watercooled Eimac transmission tubes anyone)?
recall that during the late stages of cold war: Americans found a means of confiscating a Mig-21 fighter plane, and inside there were portions of the controlling module that was still running on tubes (ditto with some of the Soviet tanks which runs on a rugged 6C33c) that can withstand several volts of EMP during a nuclear blast......
Q.
Bad news is, over 98% of the electronic goods, from your ipod to PC to anything that runs on solid state or IC will be dead with just roughtly 3~30mV pulse; but then JB is right about the fact that tubes will still work provided that the radio broadcast stations still run on tubes (big fat watercooled Eimac transmission tubes anyone)?
recall that during the late stages of cold war: Americans found a means of confiscating a Mig-21 fighter plane, and inside there were portions of the controlling module that was still running on tubes (ditto with some of the Soviet tanks which runs on a rugged 6C33c) that can withstand several volts of EMP during a nuclear blast......
Q.
On a more serious note just how does an EMP do it's damage? I can understand how it would wipe out magnetic storage media but how does it destroy IC's?
wow i opened a can of worms. reason i asked was that i was thinking which watch to buy, a mechanical drive needing no batteries or a digital watch (which i prefer) and my mind drifted off to the unpractical side of dreaming of which would theoretically last longer. in any case i have a mechanical one.
Originally Posted By: Shannow
arcing and stuff.
Well I kinda figured that but how does it get all that current in there? Is it basically the same principle as a generator I guess - just with an insanely powerful magnetic field?
arcing and stuff.
Well I kinda figured that but how does it get all that current in there? Is it basically the same principle as a generator I guess - just with an insanely powerful magnetic field?
BIL
If you have a moving magnetic field (i.e. pulse), crossing a stationary conductor, you generate a current, and heat. Associated voltage can jump the "lines" on semiconductors etc, or the current can cook them.
Moving conductors in stationary fields, same thing.
If you have a moving magnetic field (i.e. pulse), crossing a stationary conductor, you generate a current, and heat. Associated voltage can jump the "lines" on semiconductors etc, or the current can cook them.
Moving conductors in stationary fields, same thing.
Ok I gotcha. That's one more little deposit in the 'ol knowledge bank lol.
Thanks
Thanks
It's been a while, but I used to work on some EMP hardened equipment. The danger in our equipment was EMP acting on reverse biased semiconductor junctions. The EMP would cause them to avalanche (i.e. conduct in the reverse bias state) and damage them. They would typically fail to a short disabling the equipment permanently. We used a purchased hybrid that would detect the early alpha or gama radiation (I don't remember for sure) and shut down and crowbar the power supplies in time for the large pulse to arive. When the large pulse arrived, the unit was in a powered down safe state. This all had to occur in 17ms if I remember correctly including recovery of normal function.
I have seen some articles on non-nuke generated EMP being used as a weapon. I also saw something about the cops using a device in the future that will zap an automotive ECU to stop a car chase. I'm a little concerned about the selectivity of this device.
For more reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_pulse
I have seen some articles on non-nuke generated EMP being used as a weapon. I also saw something about the cops using a device in the future that will zap an automotive ECU to stop a car chase. I'm a little concerned about the selectivity of this device.
For more reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_pulse
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