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China-Japan-Koreas
Russia-China NORK Electromagnet Pulse (EMP) Nuclear Blast Testing?
2017-09-21
[PJ] If North Korea detonated a nuclear device 200 kilometers above the Earth in order to create an electromagnetic pulse, would the U.S. counterstrike North Korea with conventional and perhaps nuclear weapons?

The answer had better be "hell yes."

Everyone agrees: an EMP attack over or near U.S., Japanese, or South Korean territory is a physical attack that would wreak havoc with communications, the power grid, and civilian physical infrastructure.

This quip makes the point with bumper sticker clarity: "EMP kills EMS."

American emergency medical systems, or EMS, depend on mobile communications to route EMS ambulances to accident sites and citizens in physical distress. An EMP attack would knock out a seizure victim's cell phone, the county EMS communication center, and the communications on the EMS ambulance. It would likely fry all of the electronics on the vehicle. If the ambulance has an electronic microchip key and a fancy-superkeen electronic ignition button, it might not even start.
Posted by:Besoeker

#9  I once worked an ER in a hospital where outside power and backup generators failed in succession. Flashlights were the only way to see anything. The only link between the hospital and the outside world was a standard land-line phone in the ER. All the other phones in the entire facility depended on either outside power or the backup generator. Most of our high tech gear had hours of built-in battery backup.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2017-09-21 19:06  

#8  It would be easier and probably cheaper to just harden current medical techs. Is this even possible?
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2017-09-21 19:02  

#7  Start picking up dead microwaves to store your sensitive electronics (comms, red eyes, NV, etc.).
And pray that there will only be a single EMP event, not a series of them spaced out over several months. Brush up on your Morse code knowledge, we might have to go back to flashing lights or click relays for long distance comms.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2017-09-21 19:01  

#6  Re: #3, most likely won't happen. Vacuum tube tech too bulky and consume too much power as well. Not likely to meet human safely regulations (to prevent electrocution of patents) Also will need a generator to power the equipment, batteries will not last very long.
They had EKG's etc. long before semiconductor technology was invented. The old tech didn't kill that many people. Either make the equipment EMP resistant or accept that many will die when an EMP event occurs, an event that can't be prevented. After the EMP event, power will come either from generators or not at all. I don't know how solar panels respond to EMP.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2017-09-21 18:59  

#5  Start picking up dead microwaves to store your sensitive electronics (comms, red eyes, NV, etc.).
Posted by: Skidmark   2017-09-21 14:56  

#4  Re: #3, most likely won't happen. Vacuum tube tech too bulky and consume too much power as well. Not likely to meet human safely regulations (to prevent electrocution of patents) Also will need a generator to power the equipment, batteries will not last very long.

Miniature vacuum tube tech too small to survive EMP. No such thing as vacuum tube computers/controllers (there are low bits processors, but not enough to be useful in complex medical tech.) It would be easier and probably cheaper to just harden current medical techs.
Posted by: Seeking cure for ignorance   2017-09-21 14:48  

#3  It is long past time for EMS to start using EMP resistant vehicles & equipment to the largest extent possible / affordable. Vacuum tube tech would survive EMP. Electronic infusion pumps, vital sign monitors, defibrillators & pacemakers probably would not.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2017-09-21 13:40  

#2  Consider the spherical 'impact zone' of an orbital EMP.
Posted by: Skidmark   2017-09-21 10:32  

#1  So much for ObamaBulbs.
Posted by: Skidmark   2017-09-21 09:42  

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