The EMP Threat: Ignoring the Nightmare Scenario (Electromagnetic pulse weapons-spooky)

Oracle ^ | 12-09-05 | Hal Lindsey

[emiller]

Between the efforts by the partisans to find a way to blame the Bush administration for intelligence failures and the media efforts to rehabilitate the Clinton administration, the report fell through the cracks.

It shouldn't have. Particularly when Iran is estimated to be only months away from being able to build nuclear weapons. In September 2000, Iran test-fired a new variant of its Shehab-3 missile. It exploded shortly after take-off in what was described in the Western media as a second 'failed missile test'. (An Iranian test conducted in 1998 also exploded shortly after takeoff.)

[emiller]

Granted this is from Hal Lindsey, but even so, I agree that this is a VERY serious issue. It seems like American culture and society exists to act like ether- keeping us occupied with things other than this. Shocking how simply one of these devices could take us out in 10 seconds. A sub off the coast- heck, a U-Haul truck if it's al qaeda. Not brain surgery.

[Danae]

ping for later

[emiller]

Wow, the charm of making. ha ha. nice tagline. :)

[ThePythonicCow]

I still can't figure out just how serious this EMP threat is. I see some websites making it out to be the end of civilization as we know it in this country, and other sites that present a good case that this is way over hyped. For the latter, see for example:

• The Next Fake Threat
• Crypt Newsletter: Urband Legend - EMP
• Crypt Newsletter: MP Gun: The Chupacabras of Infowar
• GBPPR Tech Bulletin #9 - Nuclear Electromagnetic Pulse (NEMP) Survival
• Crypt Newsletter: House Joint Economic Committee hearings

[Southack]

How much EMP damage was done during the 1981 Yucca Flats nuclear test here in the U.S.?

[ThePythonicCow]

I have no idea how much damage - other than it wasn't the end of electronic technology in America.

Do you have any idea?

[Southack]

No EMP damage.

None from the India and Pakistan nuclear tests in 1998, either.

None from the 1986 French nuclear blasts.

No EMP damage from the South African/Israeli/Taiwanese blast in the Indian Ocean, either.

[emiller]

From what I understand- in order to cause an electronic tsunami, a nuke with a particular yield has to be placed at so many miles above the surface. In order to maximize the damage to electronics. Underground tests don't yield the same results. Different altitudes get different results.

[mmercier]

No one is going to take us out with an EMP strike.

If some one tries we will smoke half the planet like a Marlboro and everyone will need a new teevee and stereo. Be the biggest economic boom in the history of civilization.

All these threats are hyped to an extreme extent by people who have a cottage industry promoting fear in the minds of people of less than average intellect.

[ASA Vet]

Congratulations on being the first for this weeks postings of the EMP story.

[RegulatorCountry]

Contrary to perception, most motor vehicles are safe, even those with computerized engine management systems. It's the tires. Electronic equipment could be endangered due to a tremendous power surge, but can be protected by constructing a "Farraday Box." which can often be quite simple. Also, amusingly, the tinfoilers might actually be on to something, because lining a room completely with tin foil can be effective if done properly.

It would cause a big mess and cost billions to repair the damage, but we're not exactly going to be sent back to the stone age by an EMP weapon attack.

[Southack]

"Tightrope on November 4, 1962 was the last of the US atmospheric tests of weapons systems. It utilized a Nike Hercules air defense missile system launched by the the DOD and detonated at 69,000 feet altitude yielding less than 40 kilotons."

Question for the day: how much EMP was generated by the Tightrope shot?

[ThePythonicCow]

Yes - certainly the height of the blast above the surface will matter. Not that I know exactly how it will matter, but I'm sure it does.

And certainly, as the many blasts that Southack lists show, typical nuclear blasts don't have catastrophic EMP affects.

The question is whether a nuclear blast of a weapon designed to maximize EMP affects, at an appropriate altitude, would have catastrophic affects, and over how wide an area.

[RunningWolf]

Thank you for your concern of our security, your input and your article, it is appreciated.

At many many levels EMP is way overrated of a threat to US. I could say more if you wish.

Wolf

[Critical Bill]

Intersting. I was also spooked reading this and the one after it( sleepwalking)...very plausible dirty bomb scenario.

[Southack]

There haven't been that many blasts that caused EMP damage on the ground...but one such blast was the Starfish shot...that was detonated in Space (248 miles up).

Of course, the fear-mongers who post EMP nonsense (always claiming that EMP blasts are "easy") leave out the part about getting a nuke into space!

Note also that the photos below show some, not all, street and housing lights knocked out in Hawaii.

Test:	Starfish Prime
Time:	9:00 9 July 1962 (GMT)
Location:	Johnston Island
Test Height and Type:	Thor Missile Airburst; 248 miles
Yield:	1450 kt

Device Diameter (inches):	20
Device Length (inches):	54.3
Device Weight (lb.):	1665

Starfish Prime was successful. The Thor missile carried the test instrumentation and the W-49 warhead/Mk-4 RV payload to 248 miles. The test appeared quite spectacular from Hawaii (800 miles away) and at Kwajalein (1600 miles away), with impressive light displays from an artifical aurora lasting up to seven minutes. The electromagnetic pulse (EMP) from this test sent power line surges throughout Oahu, knocking out [some] street lighting, blowing fuzes and circuit breakers, and triggering burglar alarms.

The W-49 warhead used in this test was used on the Thor, Atlas, Jupiter, and Titan missiles, and was a descendant of the versatile Mk-28 thermonuclear bomb.

Starfish Prime as seen from Honolulu
[click images to enlarge]

[1FASTGLOCK45]

EMP IS BUSH'S FAULT! He used the EMP force to win the Elections!!!/Sarc!

[Avenger]

"A sub off the coast- heck, a U-Haul truck if it's al qaeda. Not brain surgery."

Well, you gotta get the burst pretty high up otherwise its not going to cover a large area...so a U-Haul probably isn't cause a huge amount of damage.

[Kozak]

How much EMP damage was done during the 1981 Yucca Flats nuclear test here in the U.S.?

EMP from a nuke requires it to be detonated in the upper atmosphere. Thats how we learned about it the first place.



An explosion in near space over the pacific knocked out the power in Hawaii. Thats when we became aware of the EMP effect.

[Southack]

see #16