I was watching this show about electro magnetic pulse (EMP) bombs last night. They said that if one was detonated, it would fry everything with a circut board. I also heard the same thing would happen if a solar mass ejection or solar flair hit the earth. They said it would take years, even decades, to recover from that sort of event. My question is, If everyone turned off their computers, phones, etc. and all the cities and countries shut down their electrcal systems, satellites, etc. would they be fine after the flair/blast? Or are they just as likely to fry off, as on?
2007-02-21 06:29:55 · 3 answers · asked by Dacey 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The earth's own magnetic field protects us from solar flares and CMEs. Most communications satellites orbit outside the protection of the magnetic field, so they are vulnerable, but they are built to withstand radiation, flares and CMEs. When a strong CME is about to hit earth (we get at leasta day's warning), the satellite operators take measures to protect the satellites.
On earth, the nuclear bomb to produce EMP will pretty much destroy all consumer electronics whether they are on or off. This includes computers in automobiles, cell phones, radios, TVs, ipods, computers, etc. etc. Most of technology will come to a halt.
Even the power-grid would shut down. The large components -- transformers, generators -- would survive, but the electronic controllers would be fried.
Military electronics is designed to withstand EMP (for the most part).
Any electronic gear inside of a sealed, air-tight metal box would also withstand the EMP.
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2007-02-21 06:57:10 · answer #1 · answered by tlbs101 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We have multiple solar flares every year with the strongest ones occurring at sun spot peaks and once every 20 years we'll have a regional outage based on a flare and we learn to protect ourselves better. The problem with the power grid is that it's so big that it acts like a giant antenna. You would have to disconnect grid points so that they don't form huge antennas. That would definitely help, yes.
2007-02-21 06:35:29 · answer #2 · answered by Gene 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The delicate electronics would be trashed even if they were off. It's because of the induced current from the magnetic pulse.
Some metals can shield against a magnetic field, so it'd be possible to shield your stuff by placing it in a properly grounded metal box. *shrug*
2007-02-21 06:49:43 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋