A nuclear electromagnetic pulse, or NEMP for short, is the result of intense gamma radiation, caused for example by the explosion of a nuclear weapon, at an altitude of several hundred kilometers. The forces generated can have a direct impact on electronic systems, causing them to malfunction or become completely disabled. For example, the electronics in special vehicles for the military or in mobile shelters can be affected.
While electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) describes the interaction between technical devices in their immediate environment, NEMP involves significantly higher disturbance variables that only last for a short period of time. Appropriate shielding therefore requires different technical requirements than EMC. NEMP hardening is created, for example, with the help of isolating transmitters and amplifiers or Faraday cages.
Simulation of a NEMP
In addition to nuclear weapons, a nuclear electromagnetic pulse can in principle also be generated selectively by other weapon systems. For this reason, effective NEMP hardening is a factor that plays an increasingly important role in the design of special vehicles for the military. The load can be simulated by a NEMP in special test centers. The maximum values here are an electric field strength of 50 kV/s and a magnetic field strength of 133 A7mThe findings from this are used, among other things, for planning and implementation in system integration.
