New File Added: EMP Effects Notebook

[JimRobert]

Isopsycho,

Here is that article on Iran and the advanced nuke work they are doing:
http://www.newsmaxworld.com/global_t...06/282683.html. I think you will find this of much interest. Your thoughts?

[isopsycho]

Originally Posted by JimRobert

Isopsycho,

Here is that article on Iran and the advanced nuke work they are doing:
http://www.newsmaxworld.com/global_t...06/282683.html. I think you will find this of much interest. Your thoughts?

If this is true (the two point initiation) then some advanced weapon design either got leaked or the Iranians have been doing their home work. Given it took the US MANY tests to get it right, I think Iran acquired the technology and are testing their latest model based on the information.

Now, given all the recent nuclear tech declassified by DOE (not released but now able to talk/admit we have) two point detonation is complex geometry designed to focus the explosive waves much more efficiently (and safely) than a timing system used to blow several detonators. This ensure a better compression factor for the weapon system and achieves super-critical factor.

Would also suggest that Iran may have secondary thermal nuclear technology where the secondary system 'burns' more uranium to produce a larger yield (400kt to about 3-30 Mt).

Its not a good thing they have this capability.

My guess from all the loose nukes from the former soviet block are being used as test/study material on workable designs. Sense testing (even below ground) is detectable. Making their own fissile material makes it difficult to trace by current methods, so retribution would be a guessing game I'm not any administration would like to play.

Will be nice to finally graduate and get back into the pulse of things again. My last assignment kept my well informed and educated and my next assignment looks promising. In between I've pretty much fell out of touch besides required reading for some classes a couple of quarters ago...Don't tell my professors this...

[Pinhead]

At the elevations required to administer an EMP attack, would the nuclear fallout still be a problem? Or would the atmosphere be able to spread it out thoroughly enough? Are us Kansans screwed??

[isopsycho]

Originally Posted by Pinhead

At the elevations required to administer an EMP attack, would the nuclear fallout still be a problem? Or would the atmosphere be able to spread it out thoroughly enough? Are us Kansans screwed??

There will still be fallout but not in the same sense as a surface or near surface burst. The weapon itself will be completely ionized along with the fissile material which will be left in low earth orbit or the upper atmosphere. The atmosphere (troposphere if I remember my class stuff) at that altitude (20-40 KM is the magic zone for an EMP attack, anything above this zone will produce an EMP if its detonated along the 45th parallel - earth magnetic field plays a big part in the EMP development) debris moves around the earth in about 3-4 days so the material will be almost evenly spread (mix of radioactive material, but allot of tritium - see effects from the few atmospheric tests done). So as long as its not too many nukes fallout is not a concern, however, if it gets crazy and someone or allot of someones decide everyone should be EMP attacked then there will be an increase in GLOBAL radioactive levels, especially tritium, strontium, cesium and some other element I can't remember of the top of my head.

Anything more than 6 nukes in atmosphere will cause some problems, small at first but gradually worse as the radioactive material settles out of the atmosphere and into our food and water supplies.

If the attack is outside our atmosphere (above the troposphere) then the earth will trap the radiation in the Van-Allen belts where some of our satellites pass through (see my upload of effects of radiation on electronics for that headache). Also the radiation will propagate in the magnetosphere of the earth, moving back and forth from pole to pole and circumnavigate the earth while propagating, effecting any satellites that it passes through. Fallout on the earth zero in this case though.

[JimRobert]

BTW, Iso, I checked with the garbage can company, and so far, all they have told me is that it is of "pre-galvanized sheet steel." I asked for detailed composition, but this sure seems like a good expedient way to have a "poor man's" Faraday cage, hopefully! I was told they would have specific details emailed to me. Also, re. the above, I have read in various sources that the decay rate of fallout would mean that after a week or so, the danger from radioactivity would be negligible. Your note above about problems "gradually worsening" presumably just means from contamination from the "residue" of the nuclear fallout, not from radiation itself, correct? In other words, we would have to deal with contamination, but not direct radiation (granting that the contamination is, of course, the result of a nuke)

[isopsycho]

Originally Posted by JimRobert

BTW, Iso, I checked with the garbage can company, and so far, all they have told me is that it is of "pre-galvanized sheet steel." I asked for detailed composition, but this sure seems like a good expedient way to have a "poor man's" Faraday cage, hopefully! I was told they would have specific details emailed to me. Also, re. the above, I have read in various sources that the decay rate of fallout would mean that after a week or so, the danger from radioactivity would be negligible. Your note above about problems "gradually worsening" presumably just means from contamination from the "residue" of the nuclear fallout, not from radiation itself, correct? In other words, we would have to deal with contamination, but not direct radiation (granting that the contamination is, of course, the result of a nuke)

For the radiation, yes. Clarification on gradually worsening: I meant the radioactive particles would eventually come down. But yes, the 7 times half life (what ever the 1/2 life is, say 8 days for Iodine 131, would mean after about 56 days its virtually harmless) rule of thumb can be used on the fallout in the atmosphere, so most of it will be radioactively neutral by the time it settles. Except for the long life ones.

Galvanized steel will work, I'll do the calculation and see just how thick it should be. I'm assuming the can is 1/8 inch thick?

[JimRobert]

Thank you so much. I am told it is 32 gauge; not sure how that converts to inches, but the contact at the mfr is in tomorrow, and I will call then to get further details. This is **so** helpful what you are doing! Hopefully this is all for naught, like most other insurance, but if in fact there is some warning before an EMP attack, and suddenly folks are scrambling at the last minute, wouldn't it be cool that someone like you did the homework in the background, and was able to provide a "poor man's" means of protection for the populace!

[isopsycho]

Originally Posted by JimRobert

Thank you so much. I am told it is 32 gauge; not sure how that converts to inches, but the contact at the mfr is in tomorrow, and I will call then to get further details. This is **so** helpful what you are doing! Hopefully this is all for naught, like most other insurance, but if in fact there is some warning before an EMP attack, and suddenly folks are scrambling at the last minute, wouldn't it be cool that someone like you did the homework in the background, and was able to provide a "poor man's" means of protection for the populace!

32 gauge = .0097 inch or 0.24638 Millimeter

http://www.corrugated-metals.com/gaugeindecimals.html

[Woodchuck]

Isopsycho:

Over a number of threads there has been some contention about the ground wire on the Faraday cage acting as an antenna in itself if it is more than a foot or two in length. Therefore some have suggested that it may be better not having a ground wire at all. What are your thoughts on this?

Woodchuck

[isopsycho]

Originally Posted by Woodchuck

Isopsycho:

Over a number of threads there has been some contention about the ground wire on the Faraday cage acting as an antenna in itself if it is more than a foot or two in length. Therefore some have suggested that it may be better not having a ground wire at all. What are your thoughts on this?

Woodchuck

if the antenna is grounded the wave couples and goes to ground, exactly where you want it. If you don't have it grounded the Faraday cage will re-transmit (albeit strangely considering the geometry of the can, so don't even try to math model it, I've tried to little success) into the cage. Lower power and will cut out allot of the lower frequencies but the high power ones (the ones that do the most damage to sensitive electronics) will re-transmit and couple with anything inside the cage.

So do ground it, its the same concept as lightning.

[isopsycho]

OK, I did the skin depth calculation for cold steel pressed (closest I could get to galvanized steel, similar to brass according to my solid state physics book).

.32 gauge is .25 mm (this seems pretty thin for a trash can) anyway, the skin depth penetration for a 3 G Hz wave frequency (went with a high/peak wave frequency, all others should have a lower skin depth) is 4.6 *10^-9 (4.6 nano meters). So at 3-4 skin depths penetration only gets it 120 nano meters. The trash can makes a good shielding system (as long as its grounded).

If you don't ground it the re-transmitted wave will be quite high, almost 80% original strength.

The Db reduction is not significant mainly due to the material and the thickness, so if its not grounded make sure its over 10 cm thick.

[JimRobert]

Well, still no reply from Behrens, but I'll keep trying. Customer service there is exceptionally poor

[isopsycho]

Originally Posted by JimRobert

Well, still no reply from Behrens, but I'll keep trying. Customer service there is exceptionally poor

Don't worry about it I did some estimates, you could improve your Faraday cage by putting fine wire mesh screening around a cardboard box that fits inside your can, reduces the EMP-induced retransmitted wave by about 60% more. On top of the GROUNDED can, it should be about 90-99% reduction, pretty good protection measures.

[james223]

The following had some good info . unitedstatesaction.com standeyo.com empcommission .