An electromagnetic bomb or E-bomb is a weapon designed to disable electronics on a wide scale with an electromagnetic pulse. The electromagnetic radiation from an explosion (especially nuclear explosions) or an intensely fluctuating magnetic field is caused by Compton-recoil electrons and photoelectrons from photons scattered in the materials of the electronic or explosive device in a surrounding medium. The resulting electric and magnetic fields may couple with electrical/electronic systems to produce damaging current and voltage surges. The effects are usually not noticeable beyond the blast radius unless the device is nuclear or specifically designed to produce an electromagnetic shockwave. Example of an electromagnetic pulse, in this case caused by the electrical discharge required to fire the Z machine. ... Electromagnetic radiation can be imagined as a self-propagating transverse oscillating wave of electric and magnetic fields. ... It has been suggested that Nuclear explosive be merged into this article or section. ... In physics, a fluctuation is a variation in an extensive or intensive quantity, such as energy, density or voltage, from its spatial or temporal average. ... Current (I) flowing through a wire produces a magnetic field () around the wire. ... In physics, Compton scattering or the Compton effect, is the decrease in energy (increase in wavelength) of an X-ray or gamma ray photon, when it interacts with matter. ... The electron is a fundamental subatomic particle that carries a negative electric charge. ... The photoelectric effect is the emission of electrons from a surface (usually metallic) upon exposure to, and absorption of, electromagnetic radiation (such as visible light and ultraviolet radiation) that is above the threshold frequency particular to each type of surface. ... The word light is defined here as electromagnetic radiation of any wavelength; thus, X-rays, gamma rays, ultraviolet light, microwaves, radio waves, and visible light are all forms of light. ... In particle physics, scattering is a class of phenomena by which particles are deflected by collisions with other particles. ... A transmission medium is any material substance, such as fiber-optic cable, twisted-wire pair, coaxial cable, dielectric-slab waveguide, water, or air, that can be used for the propagation of signals, usually in the form of modulated radio, light, or acoustic waves, from one point to another. ... It has been suggested that optical field be merged into this article or section. ... Voltage spikes are fast, short duration surges (overvoltages) in the electric potential in a given circuit. ... It has been suggested that Nuclear explosive be merged into this article or section. ...

The electromagnetic pulse was first observed during high altitude nuclear weapon detonations. An electromagnetic pulse lasts for less than a nanosecond, and travels outward in every direction as an electromagnetic shock wave. This shock wave will induce heavy currents in all electronic equipment that mainly contains semiconducting and conducting materials. This produces immense heat that melts the circuitry inside. As such, while not being directly responsible for the loss of lives, these weapons are capable of disabling electronic systems on which industrialized nations are highly dependent. The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 kilometers (11 mi) above the hypocenter. ... A nanosecond is an SI derived unit of time equal to 10-9 of a second. ...

Devices that are susceptible to this type of damage, from most to least vulnerable:

1. Integrated circuits (ICs), CPUs, silicon chips.
2. Transistors.
3. Vacuum tubes (also known as thermionic valves).
4. Inductors, motors.

Transistor technology is likely to fail and old vacuum equipment survive. However, different types of transistors and ICs show different sensitivity to EM: bipolar ICs and transistors are much less sensitive than FETs and especially MOSFETs. To protect sensitive electronics, a Faraday cage must be placed around the item. Some makeshift Faraday cages have been suggested, such as aluminium or tin foil. Integrated circuit showing memory blocks, logic and input/output pads around the periphery Microchips with a transparent window showing the integrated circuit inside. ... Assorted transistors A transistor is a semiconductor device that uses a small amount of voltage or electrical current to control a larger change in voltage or current. ... In electronics, a vacuum tube or (outside North America) thermionic valve or just valve, is a device generally used to amplify, switch or otherwise modify, a signal by controlling the movement of electrons in an evacuated space. ... An inductor is a passive electrical device employed in electrical circuits for its property of inductance. ... The metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET, MOS-FET, or MOS FET), is by far the most common field-effect transistor in both digital and analog circuits. ... Entrance to a Faraday room A Faraday cage or Faraday shield is an enclosure formed by conducting material, or by a mesh of such material. ... General Name, Symbol, Number aluminium, Al, 13 Chemical series poor metals Group, Period, Block 13, 3, p Appearance silvery Atomic mass 26. ...

Electromagnetic weapons are still mostly classified and research surrounding them is highly secret. Military speculators and experts generally think that E-bombs use explosively pumped flux compression generator technology as their power source. A typical classified document. ... A cutaway view of a flux compression generator. ...

According to some reports, the U.S. Navy used experimental E-bombs during the 1991 Gulf War. These bombs utilized warheads that converted the energy of conventional explosives into a pulse of radio energy. [1] CBS News also reported that the U.S. dropped an E-bomb on Iraqi TV during the 2003 invasion, but this has not been confirmed. [2] The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... Combatants UN Coalition Republic of Iraq Commanders Norman Schwarzkopf Saddam Hussein Strength 883,863 360,000 Casualties 378 dead, 1,000 wounded 25,000 dead, 75,000 wounded The Gulf War (2 August 1990 – 28 February 1991) was a conflict between Iraq and a coalition force of approximately 30 nations... CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. Its current president is Sean McManus who is also head of CBS Sports. ... Combatants Coalition Forces: United States United Kingdom South Korea Australia Poland Romania others. ...

The Soviet Union conducted significant research into producing nuclear weapons specially designed for upper atmospheric detonations, a decision that was later followed by the United States and the United Kingdom. Only the Soviets ultimately produced any significant quantity of such warheads, most of which were disarmed following the Reagan-era arms talks.^{[citation needed]} EMP-specialized nuclear weapons belong to the third generation of nuclear weapons. Famous people with the family name Reagan include: Ronald Reagan, 40th President of The United States Nancy Reagan, the wife of Ronald Reagan and influential First Lady Ron Reagan, President Reagans son and liberal journalist Michael Reagan, President Reagans son and conservative talk show host John Henninger Reagan... The first nuclear weapons, though large, cumbersome and inefficient, provided the basic design building blocks of all future weapons. ...

See also

• Electromagnetic pulse
• Explosively pumped flux compression generator
• Electronic warfare
• GoldenEye (fictional satellite weapon)
• 24 (season 4)

Example of an electromagnetic pulse, in this case caused by the electrical discharge required to fire the Z machine. ... A cutaway view of a flux compression generator. ... Electronic warfare (EW) has three main components: Electronic Attack (EA) This is the active use of the electromagnetic spectrum to deny its use by an adversary. ... This is an article about a fictional weapon in the James Bond universe. ... 24 Season Four Kiefer Sutherland and Kim Raver Season Four, also known as Day 4 of the television series 24 premiered on January 9, 2005 and aired its season finale on May 23, 2005. ...

External links

• Popular Mechanics "E-Bombs And Terrorists: September 2001 Cover Story
• Electronic protection from the e-bomb
• Electromagnetic Pulse Risks & Terrorism
• The Electromagnetic Bomb
• E-Bombs and its effects