pchris@inuxc.UUCP (12/09/83)
I'm reading this newsgroup for the first time, so excuse me if
this subject has been discussed previously.
In "The Day After", why did all the cars stall before the
missles hit?
Phil Fair
AT&T Consumer Products Laboratories
!inuxc!pchrisgregorym@tektronix.UUCP (Gregory Muth) (12/13/83)
The reason all the cars stalled (and all electrical devices failed)
was due to the EMP (Electro-Magnetic Pulse) effect. This is caused when-
ever a nukie bomb is detonated and is a magnetic *shock wave* that tends
to destroy semiconductors and similar devices.
In the movie, prior to bombs detonating on or near the ground, there
was a high altitude detonation. With nothing to absord the EMP, it was
widespread and thus affected the ignition systems of automobiles. There
was a good deal of discussion with regards to the realism the movie por-
trayed in this respect.
For one thing, the EMP, like all magnetic waves travel at the speed
of light and the EMP is also short (milliseconds) in duration, so in that
respect the movie was in gross error. (What do you expect from Sci-Fi.)
Many readers wondered if the cars body would shield the inner workings of
the ignition system.
But nobody really knows how drastic the effect would be. Perhaps
we could drop a nukie on ABC and find out...wetcw@pyuxa.UUCP (T C Wheeler) (12/19/83)
Note to master of net groups... This group has died an honorable death. You may nuke it off now.