How to Prepare for EMP Hardening
An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) is a high-intensity electromagnetic shockwave delivered in short bursts. EMPs produce an electromagnetic field of thousands of volts that causes irreversible damage to nearby electrical and electronic equipment. Commercial computer equipment built from magnetic oxide semiconductors is vulnerable to EMP damage. Tens of volts are enough to disable a computer. Equipment's ability to withstand damage is called electromagnetic hardness. Enhancing the electromagnetic hardness of devices critical to society and military defense is crucial.
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Instructions
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Contain the equipment room in a Faraday cage, an enclosure that intercepts electromagnetic charge. Install electromagnetically sealed doors on either side of an airlock. Cover ventilation openings with a mesh shield and electromagnetic seals. Route the data feed through optical fiber cables.
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Install electromagnetic arresting devices where electrically conductive pathways -- such as a power supply -- enters the Faraday cage. Determine which device will protect the equipment from nuclear EMP "bombs" and those from conventional microwave electromagnetic designs.
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Determine if older equipment can be hardened. Replace equipment that can't be hardened. Equipment designed to be hardened is easier to use and more cost-effective.
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Use spread-spectrum techniques to avoid the interception of radio transmissions that target your location for an EMP attack. Spread-spectrum signals transmit over multiple frequencies and are collected at the receiver on their original frequencies.
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Design communication networks with redundant technologies. If a portion of the network is damaged, the remainder takes over for the damaged equipment.
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References
- Photo Credit antennas of transmission image by JoLin from Fotolia.com
