ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE (EMP) .1. EFFECTS ON FIELD MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

The electromagnetic pulse (EMP) from a high-altitude nuclear detonatio n has the potential to cover an area as large as the continental Unite d States with damaging levels of EMP radiation. In this study, two of seven items of medical equipment were damaged by an EMP simulator. Com puter circuit analysis of 17 different items showed that 11 of the 17 items would be damaged by current surges on the power cords, while two would be damaged by current surges on external leads. This research s howed that a field commander can expect approximately 65% of his elect ronic medical equipment to be damaged by a single nuclear detonation a s far as 2,200 km away.