EMP blast - what would happen really?

[Jim Thompson]

I just saw one of those programs on the telly where lotz of americans get
killed by a tornado then get saved buy the fire department and there were
some really good shots of the electricity stuff blowing up and the bloke in
charge said he knew there were people dieing out there when he saw that.

Anyway, I wondered why he didn't phone up the electricity company and ask
them to switch it off before it got there. Then all of the electricity stuff
wouldn't have blown up and all those americans would not have died.

DNA

'Cept it doesn't happen. Think about it. Fuses on every pole.

...Jim Thompson

 

[Richard Henry]

I just saw one of those programs on the telly where lotz of americans get
killed by a tornado then get saved buy the fire department and there were
some really good shots of the electricity stuff blowing up and the bloke in
charge said he knew there were people dieing out there when he saw that.

Anyway, I wondered why he didn't phone up the electricity company and ask
them to switch it off before it got there. Then all of the electricity stuff
wouldn't have blown up and all those americans would not have died.

The transformers blowing up was an indicator, not a cause, of the
destruction.

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

I just saw one of those programs on the telly where lotz of americans get
killed by a tornado then get saved buy the fire department and there were
some really good shots of the electricity stuff blowing up and the bloke in
charge said he knew there were people dieing out there when he saw that.

Anyway, I wondered why he didn't phone up the electricity company and ask
them to switch it off before it got there. Then all of the electricity stuff
wouldn't have blown up and all those americans would not have died.

DNA

Repeat to yourself: "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It
was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was only a movie!" "It was
only a movie!" "It was only a movie!"


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

 

[Eeyore]

I just saw one of those programs on the telly where lotz of americans get
killed by a tornado then get saved buy the fire department and there were
some really good shots of the electricity stuff blowing up and the bloke in
charge said he knew there were people dieing out there when he saw that.

Anyway, I wondered why he didn't phone up the electricity company and ask
them to switch it off before it got there. Then all of the electricity stuff
wouldn't have blown up and all those americans would not have died.

That wouldn't been an exciting action thriller ( US style ) then would it ?
Suspension of disbelief is esential to enjoying Hollwood's best efforts.

Graham

 

[Sjouke Burry]

Well, I just zapped a door handle with 18,000 volts. Not even a mark
on the door handle. Somehow you are confusing volts with energy.
There is very little relationship. How often do you blow your hand off
due to static electric discharge? Voltage without other parameters
tells us nothing - but can be used to hype junk science claims on the
naive and those who blindly believe Rush Limbaugh.

Having asked questions such as why, then that 10000+ volts induced
one meter of wire means nothing. I discharged 18,000 volts in only
0.003 meters - much more intense electric field - and I am still here
to talk about it.

No, I was talking about the voltage in wires(low resistance,high current,
like in lightning(for a few miles of wire,millions of volts at currents
of thousands of amps).
The area that explosion hits, is much bigger than your thundercloud,
and voltage and current is much worse.
Its the voltage and the available current together causing damage.
The sparks you talk about have only minute currents behind them.
Another thing which is worse, is that events take 10 to 100 times
as long as a lightning strike,so try to imagine lightning hitting
everywhere at the same time,at energy levels a thousend times.
Believe me , you want to be somewhere else,by preference at the
other side of the planet.
As somebody else said,at Hawaii the USA blew the powergrid,
from hundreds of miles or more away,and that was not intended to
happen,so conditions for EMP shock were not optimal.

 

[colin]

Wat would you think happens if 10000+ volts is induced
in every meter of wire? Suddenly like with lightning,
every computer,tv etc being blitzed, power lines evaporating,
and all technical installations going to their last reward.
All done by exploding a nuclear device just above the atmosphere.
Some such damage seems to have occurred ,with a test explosion
from th USA,frying the electric net on an island in the pacific.
What happens is,atoms get separated from their electrons,causing
the transportation of a huge amount of charge(like in lightning)
only much worse,and it works best,if the radiation front hits the
atmosfere from above.
So yes, your battery keeps working, but your radioantenna
or your headphone wire picks up enough to blow your radio.
Isolation on the wiring in motors is the first to go,unless
the motor is not connected to anything.

I was wondering if the EMP is polarised ?
well I assume it cant be unipolar, so what would determine the polarisation,
maybe its randomly poilarised,
otherwise if you were in the right axis you wouldnt be affected.

Colin =^.^=

 

[Paul Hovnanian P.E.]

[snip]

Andy comments:

After reading the replies to your question, I am afraid that
they have missed the point.

The answer is , NO, you would not be able to download
porn until you bought a new computer.......

Sorry, ;.... but that's the fog of war.....

The porn servers would be knocked out too. After a nuclear exchange, we
would have to dedicate enormous resources towards the production of new
porn to replace the old. If not enough performers volunteer, we may have
to resort to conscription.

 

[Mark]

I may be wrong but....

I have a hard time beliving that an EMP pulse at 20 miles is worse than
a lightning bolt at 100 feet. With simple design you can survive a
lighting bolt at 100 feet. Cars do it all the itme.

If the EMP pulse is closer than 20 miles, the EMP is the least of your
problems.

Mark

 

[Jim Thompson]

I may be wrong but....

I have a hard time beliving that an EMP pulse at 20 miles is worse than
a lightning bolt at 100 feet. With simple design you can survive a
lighting bolt at 100 feet. Cars do it all the itme.

If the EMP pulse is closer than 20 miles, the EMP is the least of your
problems.

Mark

EMP is an invention of the same folks who brought you RoHS and Global
Warming ;-)

...Jim Thompson

 

[Eeyore]

I may be wrong but....

I have a hard time beliving that an EMP pulse at 20 miles is worse than
a lightning bolt at 100 feet. With simple design you can survive a
lighting bolt at 100 feet. Cars do it all the itme.

Read up the Hawaii example. It was more than 20 mi away !

Graham

 

[Eeyore]

'Cept it doesn't happen. Think about it. Fuses on every pole.

It amuses me that electricity in the USA is still so widely delivered on poles !
Along with those pole pigs. I think we're a bit odd here ( in my road ) having
phone lines coming off poles still. Well... one of mine does.

Graham

 

[Phat Bytestard]

I've heard that if an EMP weapon were used, *nothing* in the blast area
that relies on electricity would work.

Is this really true?

If you had an alkaline battery, it would still put out a voltage,
correct?

Failing that, one could still take a roll of paper towels, immerse the
towels in a salt solution (table salt should do), place alternating
plates of copper and zinc (or any two dissimilar metals), and obtain a
current... right?

Would motors still work, or would their windings be guaranteed
destroyed in an EMP blast?

Thanks,

Michael

After an EMP event, batteries will still hold their chemical charge,
electrical motors will still function (except, perhaps, for the
smallest micro-motors), relays will still function, as would
electron-tubes. The power grids will see a major overload, and
protection circuits will "kick" in. Whether they recover in a timely
manner is another subject.

What will be damaged are most unprotected electronic circuits: Consumer
electronics, TVs, radios, cell phones, iPods, Blackberries, hand-held
video games, home computers, etc. Even automobiles have so much
electronic gear (computers, sensors) that they would be rendered
useless after an EMP event. This is one [small] reason I keep a 1969
Chevy truck -- no electronics.

The key is the threshold energy: motors, generators, transformers,
relays, power-grid components, vacuum tubes all operate in the range of
10 milliJouls to >1 MegaJoules, while all consumer electronics
(integrated circuits) have a threshold energy at or below 1 milliJoules
(down to 100 nanoJoules and less). EMP pulses can produce 10
milliJoules inside of electronic circuits, and 100 Joules outside of
electronic enclosures.

The majority of military electronic gear has protection circuits
built-in so they would survive (at least they are designed and tested
that way).

The secondary of the ignition coil... Will pop-a-wire.

 

[Phat Bytestard]

Almo, you are confusing two very different things.

EMP is not an atomic particle sort of wave, but instead is essentially
a very powerful radio wave. It induces current in antennas -
intentional ones, and also any conductor that it encounters. When it
hits the huge antenna that is the electrical power grid, it can be
powerful enough to fry "big" things like motors, but when it hits
smaller conductors it can induce enough to fry sensitive things like
IC's (which often are more electrically fragile than tubes). The power
of the pulse-induced current does the primary damage, though there
could perhaps be some secondary effects.

But you've mixed it up with the effect of individual charged particles,
such as from radioactive decay or cosmic sources, on very small
structures in IC's. That's an entirely different matter - it cuases
erroneous operation and flips flip flops, but it usually
non-destructive, unless it triggers self-distructive current flow from
the ordinary power supply by putting an IC into latch-up.

Excellent post.

 

[Phat Bytestard]

Scrub that last link. There's loony stuff later on written by right wing
nitwits.

What classification do you fall into?

 

[Phat Bytestard]

Andy comments:

After reading the replies to your question, I am afraid that
they have missed the point.

The answer is , NO, you would not be able to download
porn until you bought a new computer.......

Sorry, ;.... but that's the fog of war.....

Andy in Eureka, Texas

At least now we all know what you do with your computer, Andy.

 

[Phat Bytestard]

I thought I went out of my way to point out the "confusion" part.
Although, true, it has been a matter of debate for a long time,
nonetheless; is light a wave or a particle? Is light considered
electro-magnetic energy?

AGAIN, LIGHT IS NOT the only thing such an event releases.

A very large MAGNETIC PULSE, which is quite capable of moving
electrons in ANY conductor it encounters as it passes by. Said motion
can be at such an excited level and rate that catastrophic damage can
occur in delicate devices.

An ESD event can "burn" a single p/n junction and render a chip
useless, or set one up for an early failure.

An EM Pulse can induce flows that can "burn" a p/n junction in much
the same manner.. a rush of current.

I have seen chips that were accidentally made with a missing mask
layer. After up to 800 hours of operation in the field, and as little
as 30 hrs, they would gather charge inside, and since they were audio
chips, one could notably hear the baseline static noise go up in the
chip. We had to change out 250,000 installed devices Good thing they
were only 64 pin J lead chips. Some had to be pulled from customer
set tops. The chip maker likely lost over $10M paying for the fix.
Not really related, but illustrative of the vulnerability of such
devices.

 

[Phat Bytestard]

Michael A. Terrell

Sometimes, you are only a troll ****. You know better than that dumb
shit, dumbshit!

 

[Phat Bytestard]

I was wondering if the EMP is polarised ?

Of course it is. It is a singular pulse.

well I assume it cant be unipolar, so what would determine the polarisation,
maybe its randomly poilarised,
otherwise if you were in the right axis you wouldnt be affected.

Trust me, at this magnitude all conductors it goes through will be
affected.

 

[Phat Bytestard]

With simple design you can survive a
lighting bolt at 100 feet. Cars do it all the itme.

Cars are diverting an single electron flow that is happy to go right
to ground. An EM Pulse passes right through entire planets.

It's all about magnitude.

 

[Phat Bytestard]

If the EMP pulse is closer than 20 miles, the EMP is the least of your
problems.

Very true. If the source is what you infer.

There are other ways to form a pulse, albeit on a much smaller
scale.