A Calculational Model for High Altitude EMP

Abstract

An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) model is developed which allows a quick computation of the time development of the electric fields generated by a high altitude nuclear burst. The model is based on the Karzas-Latter high frequency approximation for high altitude EMP, which describes fields generated by Compton electrons interacting with the earth's magnetic field. The proper choice of a gamma time output function, which can be integrated in closed form, and a small angle approximation, made in the expressions for the Compton currents and air conductivity, eliminate the time consuming numerical integrations usually necessary in EMP models to compute the Compton currents and air conductivity. This results in a considerable savings in computation time. The model is presented in a manner which is simple to use but still allows the variation of the major theoretical parameters in the problem.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1975
Accession Number
ADA009208

Entities

People

  • Louis W. Seiler Jr.

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Altitude
  • Collisions
  • Electric Fields
  • Electromagnetic Fields
  • Electromagnetic Pulses
  • Electron Energy
  • Electrons
  • Equations
  • Frequency
  • Frequency Bands
  • Gamma Rays
  • Geometry
  • High Altitude
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Numerical Integration
  • Sea Level

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Optical Fiber Sensing and Electromagnetic Propagation.
  • Solar Physics

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics