Consumer Electronics Testing to Fast-Rise EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) (VEMPS (Vertical Electromagnetic Pulse Simulator) 2 Development)

The Army has initiated a research and development effort for a new free-field, fast-rise electromagnetic pulse EMP simulator, the second- generation Vertical Electromagnetic Pulse Simulator VEMPS II. Because of the unique performance characteristics of VEMPS II and the technological changes in consumer electronics over the past 10 years, there is a need to evaluate the incidental effects of VEMPS-II-like simulated EMP on modern consumer electronics. Although a similar evaluation of the effects of existing EMP simulators on consumer electronics was performed in 1978 the results obtained may not be directly applicable to the VEMPS II scenario and modern consumer electronics. One of the proposed site locations for the VEMPS II is the Woodbridge Research Facility WRF, the location of the Armys lead laboratory for EMP research. The environment at WRF was used as a basis for developing the physical parameters associated with the test efforts described herein. Various types of consumer electronics identified through a survey of the Woodbridge, VA, community, were exposed to EMP environments similar to the predicted VEMPS II environments, and the results evaluated. The analysis indicates that the impact, if any, of VEMPS II operation of consumer electronics in the public areas outside WRF will be minimal.