What would a constant low EMP do to electronics?

[AnotherSOFSurvivor]

From what I've read, it doesn't have to be a particularly large yield weapon. What is more important is the construction of it. Since it is the gamma emission that causes the EMP when it hits the atmosphere, the most effective weapon is built with a lightweight casing that allows the maximum gamma to escape. Large weapons are usually cased in U-238 to increase explosive yield, and this absorbs the gamma.

And yes, the altitude is also important. Gamma hits the atmosphere by line-of-sight, so the higher the better for ground coverage. To get to 500 klicks you would need a rocket. One launched from a ship anchored off the US coast would get to altitude so quickly that it's questionable that it could be intercepted. Patriots aren't capable of that altitude anyway. Some Navy ships carry missiles that could do the job, if they were close enough to the launch.

There was a study done that a balloon lofted weapon could get high enough to cause an EMP capable of affecting the East coast of the US from New York to Washington DC. That's millions of people without power. I'm on the wrong computer to get the reference for this, I can get it later if you want.

That would be cool - I am by no means a SME on EMR/EMP Weapons - an air balloon/zeppelin would be a very low-cost, low-tech and novel solution. Damn I am kind of mad I didn't think of that.

I would still hope we would pick that up - I forgot how extensively weather balloons were used in the past for C4ISR purposes, you'd think we still scan for it.

Ultimate retrofitting of tech - a tactical nuclear weapon and firing system on a hot air balloon - I would be pretty impressed.

[sideKahr]

...Ultimate retrofitting of tech - a tactical nuclear weapon and firing system on a hot air balloon - I would be pretty impressed.

Not hot air - helium. Akin to Project Man High back in the 50's that sent Joe Kittinger above 99% of the atmosphere, where unbelievably, he bailed out. A balloon has to go really up there to cause an EMP, above 120,000 feet. But it's really not that hard to do, Red Bull sent a guy that high recently for publicity. It would be a lot easier to send one that was unmanned.

[Kauboy]

As said, your question doesn't make much sense.
In an EMP, there are 3 distinct "phases" that happen after detonation.
The first is called the E1 component. This is the reaction of electrons in the atmosphere being struck by the tremendous gamma ray burst from the blast. These energy levels can reach 2 million electron volts immediately after detonation. By the time they reach the ground, they would be somewhere around 50K volts/meter (6.6 megawatts per square meter). This pulse hits earth about 10ns after the blast, and can last up to 20+ns. This is the part that knocks out fragile unprotected electronics.
The second is called the E2 component. This would be about the equivalent of a lightning strike, and would not produce much widespread damage, since the first pulse would have fried most of what this one would have.
The third is the... you guessed it, E3 component. This can last for several seconds, up to a few minutes IIRC, and would attack long lines of transmission, like long cables and antennas. The longer the run, the more potential energy it can hold, and the more damaging the pulse to anything connected to that line. This is where plugged in appliances could be affected, if they were not harmed by the first two pulse components.

The E1 part affects the upper atmosphere, and causes the air molecules to gain a negative charge. This ionizes the atmosphere for a time, and during that time, any additional detonations would NOT include an E1 component, since there would be no free electrons to transmit the energy toward the ground.

The E2 component, being similar to lightning, is something that *could* be maintained, in theory, by artificial means, but would require a serious amount of energy to sustain.

The E3 is only ever mimicked by solar storms, and would not be something a manmade contraption could sustain on any wide scale.

So, a sustained *anything* would be impractical at best, and impossible at worst.

[AnotherSOFSurvivor]

Not hot air - helium. Akin to Project Man High back in the 50's that sent Joe Kittinger above 99% of the atmosphere, where unbelievably, he bailed out. A balloon has to go really up there to cause an EMP, above 120,000 feet. But it's really not that hard to do, Red Bull sent a guy that high recently for publicity. It would be a lot easier to send one that was unmanned.

In theory and practice definitely doable, I just have a hard time believing that NORAD and other Alphabet Soup Agencies would not notice a non-state actor (or any other agile threat actors) float a helium balloon into the exosphere and set off a tactical nuclear device. It is scary to think how easy it is if we wanted to do it - granted we would do it to an underdeveloped nation like Syria which is pretty stupid, being underdeveloped what would we knock out? Like 2 CRT TVs and a Ham radio?

[Slippy]

I think you all have adequately answered our new little friend. On to more important things like what is PartiallyHuman missing?

[Prepared One]

I think you all have adequately answered our new little friend. On to more important things like what is PartiallyHuman missing?

Ummmmmmmmm.

[sideKahr]

I think you all have adequately answered our new little friend. On to more important things like what is PartiallyHuman missing?

Well, PartiallyHuman, and partially:
Un-human
Non-human
In-human
Ex-human
Super-human ?

We're a versatile species.

[8301]

Give AlmostHuman a break. He probably just picked some EMP tid bits from this site and was asking what he thought was a reasonable question. We all had to learn about emp and it took a bit of time.

[AlmostHuman]

Actually I was asking what effects an Electromagnetic Field would have on electronics within its range.

[AnotherSOFSurvivor]

Actually I was asking what effects an Electromagnetic Field would have on electronics within its range.

Dude, a bunch of the previous posters - myself included gave more than adequate information regarding that inquiry.

No one is going to break it down barney, as this is something that is real science with real theories - not how to turn on an Xbox. Read through the links I provided - Kauboy also gave an excellent in-scope and focused evaluation of what an EMP does - EMR is not far behind it, where a EMP will destroy unshielded electronics sustained, localized EMR will block out RF and if properly amplified may or may not short or otherwise disrupt other improperly grounded electrical systems and devices.