Electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) are a growing concern worldwide. EMPs, also known as direct energy weapons are being used by military and law enforcement in a variety of ways. These EMP weapons have the ability to impact electronics in a variety of ways ranging from just temporarily interrupting operations to completely destroying them. As more and more adversaries gain this technology, the importance of being prepared has increase exponentially.
What is an EMP?
An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) is a short burst of electromagnetic energy that can be extremely damaging to electronic equipment. EMP energy can be transferred in the form of electromagnetic radiation, an electric field, electrical conduction or a magnetic field. Since EMPs have a short duration, their impact can occur across large ranges of frequencies.
The pulses of an EMP are characterized based on their type of energy, range of frequencies and their pulse waveform. The type of energy can be conducted, electric magnetic or nuclear. The waveform characteristics include the amplitude, duration and shape.
How are EMPs produced?
EMPs can be produced naturally, occur from man-made equipment. Natural EMPs include lightning strikes and electrostatic discharges (ESD), geomagnetic storms/coronal mass ejections of solar origin. Man-made EMPs include power line surges, pulses created by ignition systems, nuclear electromagnetic pulses (NEMP) and non-nuclear electromagnetic pulses (NNEMP). Military EMPs can be either nuclear in origin or non-nuclear.
What are NEMPs and HEMPs?
NEMP stands for Nuclear Electromagnetic Pulse. A NEMP is a quick pulse of electromagnetic radiation resulting from a nuclear explosion that cause damaging current and voltage surges. The radiation emitted can impact the surrounding air by ionizing it. This creates a secondary EMP since the atoms of air lose their electrons and then regain them.
A high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) produces gamma rays that are converted to EMP in the mid-stratosphere. These EMPs have an impact over a wide area within the line of sight of the detonation. By occurring in the thinner air of higher altitudes, the EMP is much stronger.
An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) is a short burst of electromagnetic energy that can be extremely damaging to electronic equipment. EMP energy can be transferred in the form of electromagnetic radiation, an electric field, electrical conduction or a magnetic field. Since EMPs have a short duration, their impact can occur across large ranges of frequencies.
The pulses of an EMP are characterized based on their type of energy, range of frequencies and their pulse waveform. The type of energy can be conducted, electric magnetic or nuclear. The waveform characteristics include the amplitude, duration and shape.
How are EMPs produced?
EMPs can be produced naturally, occur from man-made equipment. Natural EMPs include lightning strikes and electrostatic discharges (ESD), geomagnetic storms/coronal mass ejections of solar origin. Man-made EMPs include power line surges, pulses created by ignition systems, nuclear electromagnetic pulses (NEMP) and non-nuclear electromagnetic pulses (NNEMP). Military EMPs can be either nuclear in origin or non-nuclear.