Nuclear electromagnetic pulse in the context of Altitude

Nuclear electromagnetic pulse in the context of Altitude

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⭐ Core Definition: Nuclear electromagnetic pulse

A nuclear electromagnetic pulse (nuclear EMP or NEMP) is a burst of electromagnetic radiation created by a nuclear explosion. The resulting rapidly varying electric and magnetic fields may couple with electrical and electronic systems to produce damaging current and voltage surges. The specific characteristics of a particular nuclear EMP event vary according to a number of factors, the most important of which is the altitude of the detonation.

The term "electromagnetic pulse" generally excludes optical (infrared, visible, ultraviolet) and ionizing (such as X-ray and gamma radiation) ranges. In military terminology, a nuclear warhead detonated tens to hundreds of miles above the Earth's surface is known as a high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) device. Effects of a HEMP device depend on factors including the altitude of the detonation, energy yield, gamma ray output, interactions with the Earth's magnetic field and electromagnetic shielding of targets.

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Nuclear electromagnetic pulse in the context of Nuclear weapon

A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either nuclear fission (fission or atomic bomb) or a combination of fission and nuclear fusion reactions (thermonuclear weapon), producing a nuclear explosion. Both bomb types release large quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter.

Nuclear weapons have had yields between 10 tons (the W54) and 50 megatons for the Tsar Bomba (see TNT equivalent). Yields in the low kilotons can devastate cities. A thermonuclear weapon weighing as little as 600 pounds (270 kg) can release energy equal to more than 1.2 megatons of TNT (5.0 PJ). Apart from the blast, effects of nuclear weapons include extreme heat and ionizing radiation, firestorms, radioactive nuclear fallout, an electromagnetic pulse, and a radar blackout.

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LINKED FROM (PARENTS)
← Nuclear weapon ← Atomic bomb ← Atomic bombs ← Nuclear weapons ← Atomic weapon ← Fission bomb ← Nuclear warhead ← Nuclear Bomb ← Nuclear bomb
LINKS TO (CHILDREN)
Electromagnetic radiation → Nuclear explosion → Electric field → Magnetic field → Voltage surge → Altitude → Nuclear weapons yield → Gamma ray → Earth's magnetic field → Electromagnetic shielding →