EMP pulse vs car.

[corporateslave]

Some excerpts from the emp commission reports:

"We tested a sample of 37 cars in an EMP simulation laboratory, with automobile vintages ranging from 1986 through 2002.... Twenty-five automobiles exhibited malfunctions that could be considered only a nuisance (e.g., blinking dashboard lights) and did not require driver intervention to correct. Eight of the 37 cars tested did not exhibit any anomalous response... Approximately 10 percent or more of the automobiles exposed to higher field levels may experience serious EMP effects, including engine stall, that require driver intervention to correct"

"The trucks ranged from gasoline-powered pickup trucks to large diesel-
powered tractors. Truck vintages ranged from 1991 to 2003...Of the trucks that were not running during EMP exposure, none were subsequently
affected during our test. Thirteen of the 18 trucks exhibited a response while running. Most seriously, three of the truck motors stopped. Two could be restarted immediately, but one required towing to a garage for repair. The other 10 trucks that responded exhibited relatively minor temporary responses that did not require driver intervention to correct. Five of the 18 trucks tested did not exhibit any anomalous response up to field
strengths of approximately 50 kV/m.... Approximately 15 percent or more of the trucks will experience engine stall, sometimes with permanent damage that the driver cannot correct."


I think you guys are overestimating the effects on an EMP on cars. Most of the arguments made here are purely theoretical, based on actual testing most vehicles will still be drivable after being hit with an EMP.

[G lock]

cover everything with foil!

this guy does a real good job explaining EMP protection

[mschliebs]

My 1977 Fj40 is immune to the EMP. Accept the Springfield, of course. I decided to go with the FN9 or FN40 instead of the EMP 9. Can't have the EMP in 40 in the State of Confusion.

[killmime1234]

fear of emp is like being afraid of aliens and zombies

...um, yes... Are you not afraid of aliens and zombies?

Some excerpts from the emp commission reports:

"We tested a sample of 37 cars in an EMP simulation laboratory, with automobile vintages ranging from 1986 through 2002.... Twenty-five automobiles exhibited malfunctions that could be considered only a nuisance (e.g., blinking dashboard lights) and did not require driver intervention to correct. Eight of the 37 cars tested did not exhibit any anomalous response... Approximately 10 percent or more of the automobiles exposed to higher field levels may experience serious EMP effects, including engine stall, that require driver intervention to correct"

"The trucks ranged from gasoline-powered pickup trucks to large diesel-
powered tractors. Truck vintages ranged from 1991 to 2003...Of the trucks that were not running during EMP exposure, none were subsequently
affected during our test. Thirteen of the 18 trucks exhibited a response while running. Most seriously, three of the truck motors stopped. Two could be restarted immediately, but one required towing to a garage for repair. The other 10 trucks that responded exhibited relatively minor temporary responses that did not require driver intervention to correct. Five of the 18 trucks tested did not exhibit any anomalous response up to field
strengths of approximately 50 kV/m.... Approximately 15 percent or more of the trucks will experience engine stall, sometimes with permanent damage that the driver cannot correct."


I think you guys are overestimating the effects on an EMP on cars. Most of the arguments made here are purely theoretical, based on actual testing most vehicles will still be drivable after being hit with an EMP.

Those are some interesting statistics. Of the model year's tested, a large percentage of those would have to be computer controlled. This kind of turns the the stereotypical "all micro-electronics destroyed" situation on it's head.

It makes me wonder if my cell phone would stay on in that kind of situation. I have to imagine the kinds of measures taken to prevent electrostatic damage to the phone's internal may work as a protective barrier to an EMP blast. It also occurs to me that the antenna might channel the EMP blast directly to the circuitry, though.

[bohoki]

yea there is a lot of conjecture jsut because something can do something doesn't mean it will do it

the army's requirement it that it wont do something

kind of like how a microwave may interfere with a pacemaker but it probably never will

[Saym14]

Some excerpts from the emp commission reports:

"We tested a sample of 37 cars in an EMP simulation laboratory, with automobile vintages ranging from 1986 through 2002.... Twenty-five automobiles exhibited malfunctions that could be considered only a nuisance (e.g., blinking dashboard lights) and did not require driver intervention to correct. Eight of the 37 cars tested did not exhibit any anomalous response... Approximately 10 percent or more of the automobiles exposed to higher field levels may experience serious EMP effects, including engine stall, that require driver intervention to correct"

"The trucks ranged from gasoline-powered pickup trucks to large diesel-
powered tractors. Truck vintages ranged from 1991 to 2003...Of the trucks that were not running during EMP exposure, none were subsequently
affected during our test. Thirteen of the 18 trucks exhibited a response while running. Most seriously, three of the truck motors stopped. Two could be restarted immediately, but one required towing to a garage for repair. The other 10 trucks that responded exhibited relatively minor temporary responses that did not require driver intervention to correct. Five of the 18 trucks tested did not exhibit any anomalous response up to field
strengths of approximately 50 kV/m.... Approximately 15 percent or more of the trucks will experience engine stall, sometimes with permanent damage that the driver cannot correct."


I think you guys are overestimating the effects on an EMP on cars. Most of the arguments made here are purely theoretical, based on actual testing most vehicles will still be drivable after being hit with an EMP.

interesting. also people need to realize that books like Patriot and One Second After represent very worst case scenarios.

I would imagine that cars parked in lower levels of reinforced concrete parking structures would be well shielded.

[corporateslave]

I think it is still worth it to be prepared with backup parts if you have the means to do so. For a person like me with limited resources, other preparations take priority. Even though most cars subjected to the tests survived the EMP, I will still likely buy backup electronics for my car once my other preparations are in order.

[LMT4ME]

From the Congressional Research Consul

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL32544.pdf

High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP) and
High Power Microwave (HPM) Devices:
Threat Assessments

“A high altitude nuclear explosion (that creates HEMP) produces three major
energy components that arrive in sequence, and which have measurably different
effects that can be cumulatively damaging to electronic equipment. The first energy
component is the initial energy shockwave, which lasts up to 1 microsecond, and is
similar to extremely intense static electricity that can overload circuitry for every
electronic device that is within line of sight of the burst. A secondary energy
component then arrives, which has characteristics that are similar to a lightning
strike. By itself, this second energy component might not be an issue for some
critical infrastructure equipment, if anti-lightning protective measures are already in
place. However, the rise time of the first component is so rapid and intense that it
can destroy many protective measures, allowing the second component to further
disrupt the electronic equipment.”

“EMP attack directed against the United States involving no violent destruction, nor
instant death for large numbers of U.S. citizens, may not necessarily evoke massive
nuclear retaliation by the U.S. military, where, for example, large numbers of
innocent civilians of a nation with a rogue leader might be killed. Such a perceived
lower risk of assured destruction by the United States, and widespread knowledge
about the vulnerability of U.S. civilian and military computers to the effects of an
EMP attack, could actually create a new incentive for other countries or terrorist
groups to develop, or perhaps purchase, a nuclear capability.”

“The study concluded that an EMP attack affecting the Baltimore-Washington-
Richmond region could result in economic output loss potentially exceeding $770
billion, or 7% of the nation’s annual gross domestic product. Even under the most
favorable assumptions, including both shielded and unshielded critical infrastructure,
an EMP might still result in damage that would require one month of recovery and
economic loss of $9 billion and $34 billion respectively.

In the worst case, according to the study, not only is the damage from EMP
widespread, but the duration of disrepair lasts for years. In such cases, there are
numerous complicating factors that could slow the recovery process. The quantity
of replacement equipment needed to restore the economy may quickly exhaust
readily available supplies and, in extreme cases, existing manufacturing capacity. In
such cases, the availability of skilled labor to replace and restore key infrastructure
elements may also be in extraordinarily short supply. High-altitude EMP would also affect much larger parts of the region than the immediate Baltimore-Washington Richmond area, further complicating recovery efforts. It is unlikely that restoration would occur in an orderly, linear fashion. More likely, restoration efforts would start slowly and gather speed as basic infrastructure is gradually brought on line.”

“In 2004, the EMP Commission held the collective the opinion that DOD had not
engaged in any tabletop exercises and simulations that anticipate and EMP attack.
In fact, an EMP commissioner observed that over the past 40 years, DOD has tended
to “not introduce EMP attack into exercise scenarios or game scenarios because it
tends to end the game, and that is not a good sign”.(38)”

Ref (38) Dr. Lowell Wood, testimony before the House Committee on Armed Services, H.A.S.C
No. 108-37, July 22, 2004, p.23.

My input not study - Note Wood is one of the pre eminent scientists in the US – he invented xray laser and Regans star wars science that brought down the USSR.