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North Korea Nuke Tests Further EMP Bomb
Free Beacon ^

Posted on 09/06/2017 11:51:36 AM PDT by TroutGuy

North Korea for the first time this week revealed plans for using its nuclear arms for space-based electronics-disrupting EMP attacks, in addition to direct warhead ground blasts.

The official communist party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, published a report Monday on "the EMP might of nuclear weapons," outlining an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack produced by detonating a nuclear warhead in space.

"In general, the strong electromagnetic pulse generated from nuclear bomb explosions between 30 kilometers and 100 kilometers [18.6 miles and 62 miles] above the ground can severely impair electronic devices, electric machines, and electromagnetic grids, or destroy electric cables and safety devices," said the article authored by Kim Songwon, dean of Kim Chaek University of Technology in Pyongyang.

"The discovery of the electromagnetic pulse as a source of high yield in the high-altitude nuclear explosion test process has given it recognition as an important strike method," he stated.

(Excerpt) Read more at freebeacon.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: emp; empnuke; nkempnuke; nkoutofcontrol
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To: TroutGuy

Just so long as it is made clear that if we get an emp attack then Beijing will be hit as well.


21 posted on 09/06/2017 12:27:18 PM PDT by McCarthysGhost
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To: Magnum44

If you detonate a nuke in the sky, you can blow out the sun.... just like a puff of air blows out a candle.


22 posted on 09/06/2017 12:27:37 PM PDT by Lazamataz (The "news" networks and papers are bitter, dangerous enemies of the American people.)
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To: TroutGuy

1km or 1120km radius? Please clarify.


23 posted on 09/06/2017 12:29:49 PM PDT by loungitude (The truth hurts.)
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To: Lazamataz

Yes you are.

I’ve long thought about how to extract you from there (assuming you’re still there). Nope, you’re pretty much screwed if you can’t “bug in”. The Walking Dead has nicely articulated your likely survival scenarios.


24 posted on 09/06/2017 12:30:37 PM PDT by ctdonath2 (It's not "white privilege", it's "Puritan work ethic". Behavior begets consequences.)
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To: TroutGuy

4Ltr


25 posted on 09/06/2017 12:30:57 PM PDT by JDoutrider
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To: All

Since it would be nowhere near a kill shot if the Norks hit us with a EMP it would give us justification to turn them into an ashtray.


26 posted on 09/06/2017 12:31:37 PM PDT by gibsonguy
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To: Pearls Before Swine

“Device immunity may be much different. I can tell you that even at the commercial level, EMC hardening must have a major protective effect against EMP. Hardening equipment to electrostatic discharge (ESD), and to various other radiated and powerline conducted electromagnetic insults is mandated by various international standards and is common practice.”

Devices are affected by the E1 pulse, which, unlike the E3 pulse, doesn’t penetrate the ground. So it’s possible that buildings will shield computers to some degree from the E1 pulse.

Also, a very interesting feature of one of the Soviet tests was that the E1 pulse from a two-stage (i.e. hydrogen) bomb was surprisingly low:

“Interestingly, different sources concur that prompt peak E1 component of this 300-kiloton Soviet test was not excessive: between 5 kV/m and 10 kV/m. This is likely a result of the pre-ionization effect in two-stage weapons [16].”

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1549/2

Hydrogen bombs work in two stages, with the normal atomic detonation causing a second fusion reaction. The Soviet test suggests that, in the case of hydrogen bombs, the first stage pre-ionizes the atmosphere and ruins the ability of the second fusion detonation to cause a large EMP.


27 posted on 09/06/2017 12:33:05 PM PDT by TroutGuy
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To: TroutGuy

Well, the test range where the built the test long-distance power electrical lines was at that time fairly in the middle of nowhere. However, the secondary EMP effects proved much stronger than anticipated, and it blew out over 1,000 km of shallow-buried power lines and caused the power plant at Karaganda—the one nearest to the point of the high altitude detonation—to literally catch on fire.


28 posted on 09/06/2017 12:33:17 PM PDT by RayChuang88 (FairTax: America's Economic Cure)
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To: loungitude

“1km or 1120km radius? Please clarify.”

The latter, in the case of a detonation 100km from the surface. It’s simply a function of line of sight to the ground.

Now, what the effects in that area is the question, and both Hawaii and Kakhakstan were in the range of the 1960s tests and there were no severe power station failures there.


29 posted on 09/06/2017 12:35:45 PM PDT by TroutGuy
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To: RayChuang88

“However, the secondary EMP effects proved much stronger than anticipated, and it blew out over 1,000 km of shallow-buried power lines and caused the power plant at Karaganda—the one nearest to the point of the high altitude detonation—to literally catch on fire.”

With power stations, it’s all about the large transformers that take years to replace. If those are not dealt irreparable damage, then the other stuff can and will be repaired in fairly short order. Large transformers were not destroyed in either Kazhakstan or Hawaii, which is a very hopeful sign.


30 posted on 09/06/2017 12:39:04 PM PDT by TroutGuy
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To: TroutGuy
"Jeffrey Lewis, an arms control scholar"

Nice job, if you can get it...

No idea who Jeff is, but I worked in several actual nuclear tests, including EMP hardening tests for military electronics with the Defense Nuclear Agency back in the '80s. I tend to believe what I saw. Popular Mechanics - not so much.

Since you've devolved into the "know-it-all" mode, what's your background?

31 posted on 09/06/2017 12:49:37 PM PDT by Chainmail (A simple rule of life: if you can be blamed, you're responsible.)
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To: TroutGuy; All

This guy is calm, educated and prepared...Might want to listen to him and give your thoughts.

30-minute Interview 2 or 3 minutes in with Arthur T. Bradley.

Who is he?

1. He works for NASA
2. He has PhD in Electrical Engineering
3. HE IS CERTIFIED EMI/EMC and works with electromagnetics—his most important credential in his opinion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEaMlGfvYfQ

Indicates a percentage of these would be damaged...Not all but would/could create chaos.

EMP Commission Report has best DATA in his opinion. Biggest effect to nation electric grid mentioned

Fast rise time on the pulse affects small electronics.

Cars not all affected...

EMP is a “Line of Sight” event...in theory if detonated at couple hundred miles up above source region, could take out 70%


32 posted on 09/06/2017 12:50:30 PM PDT by Freedom56v2 (Freeper formerly known as bushwon ;))
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To: Pox

Wow. Guess I should listen to you and not worry about a thing, right?


33 posted on 09/06/2017 12:51:50 PM PDT by Chainmail (A simple rule of life: if you can be blamed, you're responsible.)
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To: Chainmail

You can worry till you have both feet in the grave. That’s your prerogative.

Not mine. Too many other issues in life.


34 posted on 09/06/2017 12:54:28 PM PDT by Pox (Good Night. I expect more respect tomorrow.)
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To: Lazamataz

Holy crap! I better hold on to my hat!


35 posted on 09/06/2017 12:55:00 PM PDT by Magnum44 (My comprehensive terrorism plan: Hunt them down and kill them)
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To: Red Badger

Screw that. Bring back the Mk-41.... It’s a real crowd pleaser at 25 megatons.


36 posted on 09/06/2017 1:00:15 PM PDT by 2CAVTrooper (Democrats... BETRAYING America since 1828.)
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To: Freedom56v2

“EMP is a “Line of Sight” event...in theory if detonated at couple hundred miles up above source region, could take out 70%”

70% of what? The United States? Not even close.

And the North Korean article talks about 100 km as being the maximum altitude they contemplate for their EMP bombs. Could be misinformation but I doubt.

And the most damaging Soviet test was at 290 km altitude with a 300 kt weapon- i.e. more powerful than the one the North Koreans tested.

The doomsayers on this issue have simply got to deal with the reality that very large devices have been tested over populated areas with very large weapons in the 1960s. And life went on pretty much as normal before. Yes, we’re more vulnerable to E1 pulse now because of all our computers, but this “we’ll be back to the stone age” talk is utter nonsense.

Hawaii and Kazhakstan weren’t sent back to the stone age and neither will we.


37 posted on 09/06/2017 1:02:04 PM PDT by TroutGuy
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To: TroutGuy

38 posted on 09/06/2017 1:03:34 PM PDT by Slyfox (Are you tired of winning yet?)
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To: Chainmail
The NKs know that an EMP would be a crippling, humiliating blow. Our military stuff is designed to withstand an EMP but the civilian infrastructure is not.

For that simple fact, the NKs know that they can enjoy humiliating us for a few minutes before the whole of NK becomes a radioactive ashbin.

39 posted on 09/06/2017 1:04:43 PM PDT by CommerceComet (Hillary: A unique blend of arrogance, incompetence, and corruption.)
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To: Freedom56v2

Also, I just noticed that this Dr. Bradley guy you rely on is associated with disasterpreparer.com. He wants to scare you to sell you stuff.

He’s precisely the kind of guy whose opinion you should throw into the trash can.


40 posted on 09/06/2017 1:06:44 PM PDT by TroutGuy
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