36 Hours: A Post-Apocalyptic EMP Survival Fiction Series (23 page)

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.

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APPENDIX A

Please learn from and enjoy a sneak peek of Bobby Akart’s best-selling analysis on the threats we face from an EMP: Electromagnetic Pulse, a part of
The Prepping for Tomorrow Series

by Bobby Akart.

CYBER WARFARE
EMP
ECONOMIC COLLAPSE

AN EXCERPT FROM EMP: ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE

PART ONE
WHAT IS AN ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE?

Chapter One
Let’s Get Technical

Author’s Note: Bear with us here. Understanding the technical aspect of electromagnetic pulse technology is critical to assessing the threat and making your preparations.

An electromagnetic pulse—EMP, is an intense burst of electromagnetic energy caused by an abrupt, rapid acceleration of charged particles, usually electrons. An EMP can contain elements of energy over a large part of the electromagnetic spectrum, from very-low-frequency radio, to ultraviolet, wavelengths.

A typical example is a lightning strike that produces a localized EMP. As the lightning makes contact, it can direct a large electrical current in nearby wires. A single current surge can damage sensitive electronic circuitry, such as wires and connection contained in computers and ancillary equipment. Most of us are aware that electronic and communications systems should have some form of protection against the effects of the surge of electricity caused by a lightning strike. Surge protection devices, AC outlets, and modem jacks offer limited protection against the naturally-occurring electromagnetic pulse caused by lightning.

By definition, an
explosion
results from the very rapid release of a large amount of energy within a limited space. This definition applies to a lightning strike, a conventional explosive like dynamite, as well as for a nuclear detonation. However, the energy produced by any one of these
explosions
results from different means.

The sudden release of energy causes a considerable increase of temperature and pressure so that all the materials present are converted into hot, compressed gasses. These gasses reach an extremely high temperature and an increase in pressure, as they expand rapidly. This expansion initiates a pressure wave, or shock wave in its surroundings, whether ground, air, or water. One of the common characteristics of any explosion is a sudden increase in pressure at the front of the resulting wave, followed by a gradual decrease behind it. A shock wave of any magnitude is commonly referred to as a
blast wave
because it resembles, and is often accompanied by, a very strong wind.

Understand that all explosions are relative. The effects of the shock wave are directly proportional to the amount of electromagnetic energy associated with the detonation. Its force and effect depend on the quantity of energy associated with the explosion.

Like most conventional munitions, nuclear weapons impact its target with a blast wave. There are significant differences, however. Nuclear explosions are millions of times more powerful than the largest of conventional weapon detonations. For the release of the tremendous amount of energy associated with a nuclear weapon, the mass of the nuclear explosive must be much less than that of a conventional high explosive. Also, the temperatures reached in a nuclear explosion are much higher.

One of the principal differences between conventional weapons and a nuclear EMP is the powerful electrical currents created by the blast. For that reason, the effectiveness of the conventional bomb and a nuclear EMP differ because the target is vastly different. Conventional weapons seek out hard targets—a surface burst. Nuclear EMPs seek out a high-altitude location above the Earth’s surface—an air burst.

Chapter Two
What are the characteristics of a nuclear EMP?

A nuclear EMP has three components—E1, E2, and E3, as defined by the International Electrotechnical Commission, or IEC.

The E3 pulse is a very slow pulse that can last anywhere from ten seconds to several minutes. An E3 is common in geomagnetic disturbances from the sun—
solar storms
, and will vary in effect, based on the strength of a solar induced EMP.

The E2 pulse usually lasting less than a second, is similar in strength and timing to the electrical pulses produced by lightning.

The E1 pulse is a very fast pulse that generates high voltages in electrical conductors. It is produced when gamma radiation from a powerful nuclear detonation strips away electrons from the Earth’s atmosphere. The process of stripping away the electrons is commonly known as the Compton Effect—the result of a high-energy photon colliding with a target, which releases the electrons. Once released, these electrons travel downward through the Earth’s atmosphere at nearly the speed of light.

If the Earth did not have a magnetic field, a large vertical pulse of electric current like this would strike the area immediately below the detonation. But in reality, the Earth’s magnetic field deflects the flow of electrons across the surface of the planet to create a very large, brief burst of energy—an EMP. This is why there is an inverse relationship between the height of the detonation and the surface area affected; the lower the detonation altitude—the smaller the affected area. A height burst of three hundred miles would affect the U.S. from coast-to-coast.

The E1 pulse causes most of its damage by overwhelming electrical breakdown voltages. An E1 pulse can destroy all forms of electronics because the surge of energy is simply too fast for ordinary surge protectors to provide sufficient protection from the enormous voltage spike.

Chapter Three
What are the differences between a Nuclear EMP, a CME, and an RF Weapon?

As was mentioned above, an electromagnetic pulse comes in many forms, including lightning, geomagnetic disturbances from the Sun, and nuclear weapons EMP weapons.

Here, we will also introduce some of the newest technology in the form of
Radio Frequency Weapons—RFW
.