On Fri, 10 Apr 2009 05:58:57 -0700 (PDT), Mike
wrote:

Back in the mid-80's a debate team from Georgia State, in Atlanta,
spent an entire year researching debate arguments by thoroughly
combing the EMP literature. They had some interesting evidence that
one nuclear blast 100 miles above the surface of the US would
effectively disarm the entire US nuclear force by taking out
electronic components in both missile guidance systems and in the
electronics of the detonation systems. They ran a case arguing for the
unilateral nuclear disarmament of the US by deliberate air bursting a
nuke weapon. They also had evidence that US scientists have considered
the possibility of EMP air-bursts to prevent incoming nuclear weapons
(from the Soviet Union) from detonating when targeted at the US.
Supposedly much of the research on this is classified.

They were pretty successful with the case until other teams were able
to find evidence that both US and Soviet tactical planners had planned
for the possibility of EMP-led disarmament by maintaining small fleets
of nuclear-tipped ICBMs that had no solid state electronics in them.
At least through the mid-80's, both the US and Soviet Union maintained
small missile fleets that used vacuum tubes, which are much less
susceptible to EMP degradation. So, potentially, EMP could prevent
Doomsday.

In the late 70's and early 80's, the US conducted much testing of subs
pulling devices that produced an EMP without nuclear blasts. Though
the reseach effort has been documented and confirmed, the results
remain classified today.

Interesting topic, but I wonder why LazySuzy never posts about
shortwave.

Mike
Louisville, KY

EMP can be produced with a charge to push a permanent magnet through
the field of an electromagnetic coil of opposite polarity. I think
this was reviewed by the Australian defense consultant Carlo Kopp,
I'll look for the site. It's also been found to occur when permanent
magnets are shattered by explosives. In fact, DOD is looking into
adding an EMP component to ordnance as small as individual cluster
bombs.

TL