can yoou include this in the thread topic, i feel like half the people in this thread are totally clueless and should at least read basic theory about this.
https://www.fas.org/man/crs/RL32544.pdfthis is the important bit that the electrical engineer in you is curious to know:
A high altitude nuclear explosion (tha
t creates HEMP) produces three major
energy components that arrive in seque
nce, and which have measurably different
effects that can be cumulatively damaging to electronic equipment. The first energy
component is the initial energy shockwav
e which lasts about one microsecond, and
is similar to extremely intense static electricity that can overload circuitry for every
electronic device that is within line of
sight of the burst. A secondary energy
component then arrives, which has char
acteristics that are similar to a lightning
strike. By itself, this second energy
component might not be an issue for some
critical infrastructure equipment, if anti-lightning protective measures are already in
place. However, the rise
time of the first com
ponent is so rapid and intense that it
can destroy many protective measures, a
llowing the s
econd com
ponent to further
disrupt the electronic equipm
ent. The third energy co
mponent is a longer-lasting
magnetic signal, from about one microsec
ond to one full second in duration. This
geomagnetic signal causes an effect that is damaging primarily to long-lines
electronic equipment. A localized magne
tic effect builds up throughout the length
of the transmission lines and then quickly collapses, producing a
magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) “heave,” or “late-time,” power surge that overloads
equipment connected to the power and telecommunications infrastructure. This late-
time effect adds to the initial HEMP eff
ect, and systems connected to long-lines
power and communications systems may be
further disrupted by the combined
effects. Smaller isolated systems do not collect so much of this third energy
component, and are usually disrupted only by
the first energy component of HEMP.
i BELIEVE that if yoou are near a large metal structure during a HEMP it is possible to get zapped (like being a construction worker on a scaffolding).