OT: EMP and Equipment

[Paul Koning]

>>>>> "Allison" == Allison  <ajp166 at bellatlantic.net> writes:

 Allison> The term EMP is ElectroMagnetic Pulse refers to any large
 Allison> magnetic pulse.  It is not exclusive to a nuke going off
 Allison> though that can generate a whale of a big one.  Though
 Allison> dumping a sufficiently large (say 100KW/S) stored charge
 Allison> into a coil can really mess up local equipment.

That's not how PolyPhaser (a major player in the professional
lightning/EMP protection business) uses the terminology.  Lightning
and (nuclear) EMP have rather different waveforms (EMP has faster
risetime).  So protectors designed to protect from lightning aren't
necessarily helpful for EMP.  (However, EMP protectors also do fine
for lightning.)

Calling a lightning strike "EMP" is certainly a confusing use of the
term.

	paul