Generation of Nuclear EMP
Several major factors control the effectiveness of a nuclear EMP weapon. These are
- The altitude of the weapon when detonated;
- The yield and construction details of the weapon;
- The distance from the weapon when detonated;
- Geographical depth or intervening geographical features;
- The local strength of the magnetic field of the Earth.
Beyond a certain altitude a nuclear weapon will not produce any EMP, as the gamma rays will have had sufficient distance to disperse. In deep space or on worlds with no magnetic field (the moon or Mars for example) there will be little or no EMP. This has implications for certain kinds of nuclear rocket engines, such as Project Orion.
Read more about this topic: Electromagnetic Pulse
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