Did anyone actually witness evidence of disruption as the result of an electromagnetic pulse, or is it mainly theory?
Presumably, with all the atmospheric tests–especially those in Japan, this would have been documented.
Yes; they were witnessed during all those A- and H-bomb tests in the 40’s and 50’s.
Yeah, it is a well investigated phenomenon, and part and parcel of the Global Thermonuclear War planning done in the maddest time in our history. The concept is that it is a very strong strategic advantage to First Strike planning. If you pop a big one over central Russia, (or Omaha) you eliminate their entire command communication, and a very large part of the sophisticated weapons and defensive systems on-line at the moment.
So, you plan three layered defenses, with shielded plug in component replacements, and Strike Back scenarios that respond to the launch, rather than the hit. That way your weapons are safe, on their way over before the EMP takes them out. Then you batten down beneath two grounded grids of very high conductance, and get ready to pop in replacements in all your exposed equipment, when you pop back up for Operation Sore Looser.
You don’t want to know how that one goes.
Tris
Imagine my signature begins five spaces to the right of center.
There have been some tests. It appears that the major test was Starfish Prime (part of Operation Dominic), a 1.4 megaton device 400 km over the Johnston Island area in the central Pacific, on July 9, 1962. From THREAT POSED BY ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE (EMP) TO U.S. MILITARY SYSTEMS AND CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE:
“The effects of EMP from the Starfish event were observed in Hawaii, 1,300 kilometers east of the detonation. Street lights and fuses failed on Oahu and telephone service was disrupted on the Island of Kauai.
We have recently learned that Soviet scientists observed similar disruptions following their high-altitude tests. In one test, all protective devices and overhead communication lines were damaged at distances out to 500 kilometers. The same event saw a 1,000 kilometer segment of power line essentially shut down by these effects.”
“… some automobiles, at least in anecdotal reports, were shut down due to the Starfish explosion. These were automobiles in the Hawaiian Islands.”
From Descriptions of Nuclear Explosions:
“Some very-high-frequency (VHF) communications circuits in the Pacific area were unable to function for about 30 seconds after the STARFISH PRIME event.”
jrf