Understanding how electromagnetic pulse works

[Tio Barnabe]

I heard about electromagnetic pulse, that it can cause damage to electronic devices if one intentionally shots out such a burst. But I wonder, wouldn't that person him/herself be affected by the pulse? I mean, the pulse would work like a lighting. So that person could even die by his/her own hands.
Am I right?

 

[.Scott]

I heard about electromagnetic pulse, that it can cause damage to electronic devices if one intentionally shots out such a burst. But I wonder, wouldn't that person him/herself be affected by the pulse? I mean, the pulse would work like a lighting. So that person could even die by his/her own hands.
Am I right?

EMPs (Electromagnetic Pulses) are far better at destroying electronic equipment than in harming people.
Lightning is a form of EMP that can harm people. But the most notorious deliberate man-made EMPs come from atomic bombs - particularly those detonated high in the atmosphere.

See this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_pulse

 

[Tio Barnabe]

EMPs (Electromagnetic Pulses) are far better at destroying electronic equipment than in harming people.

hmm, ok. Is there a way for ordinary people to produce such devices? Remembering that I'm interested on this topic because I'm concerned the threat we could potentially being under.

 

[.Scott]

hmm, ok. Is there a way for ordinary people to produce such devices? Remembering that I'm interested on this topic because I'm concerned the threat we could potentially being under.

It depends on what you are trying to do with it. A poorly designed electric motor will interfere with radio reception within you home. If you want anything more menacing, the Federal Communications Commission will require that you keep it contained.

Unless you include things like tasers, EMP devices don't make for especially good antipersonnel devices. Generally speaking, a big stick could cause more damage.

 

[Nidum]

Higher power arc welders and arc furnaces can produce troublesome levels of EMP . Quite enough in the near field to corrupt and sometimes permanently damage computer equipment and other sensitive electronic equipment .

 

[XZ923]

hmm, ok. Is there a way for ordinary people to produce such devices? Remembering that I'm interested on this topic because I'm concerned the threat we could potentially being under.

When you ask about the "threat" my assumption is that you're referring to a weapons system rather than accidentally creating a harmful EMP from a household tool. If that's the case, no, an "ordinary" person cannot produce such a device because the materials required to do so are highly regulated and controlled by the government.

 

[Drakkith]

hmm, ok. Is there a way for ordinary people to produce such devices? Remembering that I'm interested on this topic because I'm concerned the threat we could potentially being under.

The threat is minimal. Anything short of a nuclear weapon will produce an EMP with only a relatively small radius and even these devices are not trivial to make.

 

[Tio Barnabe]

the materials required to do so are highly regulated and controlled by the government

So that story about constructing one such device using car engine pieces and so doesn't work?

 

[XZ923]

So that story about constructing one such device using car engine pieces and so doesn't work?

I honestly haven't heard such a story; if you can post it I'd love to read it. An automotive alternator can certainly drive a device capable of producing low-level pulses, but that's barely enough to worry about even on a trivial level. I rebuild and test alternators with credit cards in my pocket all the time, never had a problem. However, a weapons-grade EMP of the level typically being alluded to in a "threat" regard is a byproduct of a nuclear explosion at a very high altitude. That is orders of magnitude beyond what anything on a car is capable of.

Again, I'm going off your characterization of the EMP being a "threat we're living under". I assume from this that you're referring to a large-scale EMP capable of devastating a developed nation's power grid. You can't do that with car parts (that I know of or could possibly conceive of). If you're concerned about a disgruntled junkyard owner putting some pieces together and wiping out the grid I think you can rest easy.

 

[Tio Barnabe]

Oh, I got it. Thanks!