[seastay]

So if they just test fired a bomb near surface level, how is it that EMP didn't effect north Korea and surrounding countries if its so dangerous, isn't north Korea only 100 miles wide ?

[IYAS9YAS]

So if they just test fired a bomb near surface level, how is it that EMP didn't effect north Korea and surrounding countries if its so dangerous, isn't north Korea only 100 miles wide ?

Altitude and magnitude are key. The higher up it is, and the bigger yield it has, the worse the effect. We did several above ground and low altitude tests, and even then there was an EMP effect, but it gets worse the higher in the atmosphere you go.

[Blueflag]

EMP is generally described in three forms- E1,2 & 3.

The civilization killer model, the E3, is caused by a very high altitude nuclear explosion that excites the atmosphere with X-rays causing very high energy electrons to propagate over a wide area. These high energy electrons induce voltage spikes in electronics. This is what kills a high tech civilization.

Net: a ground burst is not an EMP killer. The Korean test was underground and the direct pulse was absorbed by the earth.

Read this : https://fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL32544.pdf