magnus%thep.lu.se@Urd.lth.se (Magnus Olsson) (01/18/91)
From: magnus%thep.lu.se@Urd.lth.se (Magnus Olsson) It is well known that exploding a nuclear charge produces an electromagnetic pulse that cripples electronic equipment within in a wide radius. I've always thought this was caused by the massive amount of ionizing radiation from the explosion. However, several posters have mentioned that you can get an EM pulse from conventional explosives, too. What is the cause of the pulse in this case? Is it as powerful (and damaging) as that from a nuclear bomb? Magnus Olsson | \e+ /_ Dept. of Theoretical Physics | \ Z / q University of Lund, Sweden | >----< Internet: magnus@thep.lu.se | / \===== g Bitnet: THEPMO@SELDC52 | /e- \q
gsnow@pro-freedom.cts.com (System Administrator) (01/21/91)
From: gsnow@pro-freedom.cts.com (System Administrator) In-Reply-To: message from magnus%thep.lu.se@Urd.lth.se |It is well known that exploding a nuclear charge produces an electromagnetic |pulse that cripples electronic equipment within in a wide radius. |I've always thought this was caused by the massive amount of ionizing |radiation from the explosion. However, several posters have mentioned that |you can get an EM pulse from conventional explosives, too. What is the |cause of the pulse in this case? Is it as powerful (and damaging) as that |from a nuclear bomb? Typically you will find that the amount of EMP is directly relational to the size of the blast. If you have enough TNT to equal the blast potenial of a nuclear explosion, you would get the same amount of EMP that you would get with the same size nuclear explosion. As far as I know, it has little to do with the radiation involved, is it just the side-effect of such a large explosion. Gary --- UUCP: ogicse!clark!pro-freedom!gsnow | Pro-Freedom: 206/253-9389 ProLine: gsnow@pro-freedom | Vancouver, Wa ARPANet: crash!pro-freedom!gsnow@nosc.mil | Apple*Van InterNet: gsnow@pro-freedom.cts.com | Vancouver Apple Users Group
chidsey@smoke.brl.mil (Irving Chidsey) (01/24/91)
From: Irving Chidsey <chidsey@smoke.brl.mil>
In article <1991Jan21.035412.3674@cbnews.att.com> gsnow@pro-freedom.cts.com (System Administrator) writes:
<
<Typically you will find that the amount of EMP is directly relational to the
<size of the blast.
<
<If you have enough TNT to equal the blast potenial of a nuclear explosion,
<you would get the same amount of EMP that you would get with the same size
<nuclear explosion. As far as I know, it has little to do with the radiation
<involved, is it just the side-effect of such a large explosion.
<
<Gary
<---
No, moving the atoms and molecules isn't enough, because they are
electricly neutral. The gamma rays strip the outer layer of electrons
from the atoms, about simultaneusly, and send them off at relativistic
velocities. There is a large charge separation, and a very strong electric
field. The nucleii are strongly attracted by the fleeing electrons, and
vice versa, and the electrons eventualy come back and electrical neutrality
is restored. In the meantime there is one humongous electrical pulse. At
low altitudes the density is high, averything happens at very short range,
and there just isn't enough charge separation to do anything. You need
to strip the electrons, so conventional explosives won't do it; it takes
a nuclear bang at high altitude.
They discovered it when they tried to find out why so many street
lights in Hawaii went out during an atomic bomb test.
Irv
References? Assorted ancient Scientific American articles and very old
physics texts.
--
I do not have signature authority. I am not authorized to sign anything.
I am not authorized to commit the BRL, the DOA, the DOD, or the US Government
to anything, not even by implication.
Irving L. Chidsey <chidsey@brl.mil>