EMP Threat

[CharlesHarris]

[Mortblanc]

So just exactly do we get for our 2 billion dollars?

[CharlesHarris]

A lifetime supply of recycleable bog roll.

[Mortblanc]

Already got that,

what else?

What I saw in the solutions section of that write up was simply to write the DHS a blank check for 2 billion and they would solve the problem.

Strange that it was the DHS recommended to get the cash and not the Department of Energy since their panic point was the loss of the power grid.

[bigpaul]

what does this have to do with a UK site exactly??

[CharlesHarris]

EMP is not just a threat to the US. The consequences of a major EMP attack could be worldwide, or could be regionalized. One 10kt device detonated 1000 km above the UK would take out the entire grid in UK, Ireland and the Benelux countries.

[Devonian]

EMP is not just a threat to the US. The consequences of a major EMP attack could be worldwide, or could be regionalized. One 10kt device detonated 1000 km above the UK would take out the entire grid in UK, Ireland and the Benelux countries.

1,000 km???

That would be in outer space

[CharlesHarris]

Correct for a continental event coast-to-coast of US or entire EU

Near ground burst for local event.

[Mortblanc]

The problem with that is that EMP strength diminishes with distance just like the strength of blast and radiation. It is inversely squared per distance and falls off rapidly.

By the time you go high enough to cover a wide area the strength is so weak it will not be effective.

[Scythe13]

1000km is still considered a low earth orbit. To put it into perspective, Hubble is around 600km, with some polar and solar satellites between 600-1700km. So it would be doable. The question is the power of the EMP it would cause. Because pumping something that high into orbit does take an awfully big about of fuel! Think about the space shuttles used to get to the orbiting space stations. The 3 major parts are all rocket boosters. The shuttle itself is pretty small. So to get a BIG nuke that high is going to be really hard work.

It's a good read and worth while. Thanks for posting.