Accession Number:
AD0777846
Title:
Theory of the High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse
Descriptive Note:
Technical Report
Corporate Author:
AIR FORCE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB
Personal Author(s):
Report Date:
1974-03-01
Pagination or Media Count:
119.0
Abstract:
The thesis consitutes a microscopic approach to the electromagnetic pulse EMP caused by a high altitude nuclear weapon burst. This approach involves the detailed calculations for the time-dependent electromagnetic fields of a single relativistic, Compton electron created in the upper atmosphere by the gamma radiation from the weapon detonation. The effect of all such electrons created is superimposed to obtain the net effect or the EMP measured by an observer. The basic theory developed ignores the conductivity which builds up in the surrounding air. This is shown to be a relatively good assumption for weapons with gamma radiation yields less than a kiloton.