From: Michael S. Lorrey (retroman@turbont.net)
Date: Fri Jul 28 2000 - 09:34:35 MDT
John Clark wrote:
>
> Michael S. Lorrey <retroman@turbont.net> Wrote:
>
> > Would not the MIRV's electronics get fried by induction currents or induction
> > heating as it passes through, making the control electronics useless?
>
> The warhead is moving about 5 miles a second so if the bomb that makes
> the cloud goes off just 40 seconds before then the warhead is 200 miles away
> from the source of the EMP. And the electronics don't need to be very complex,
> not like those in a ABM system with complex computers and huge antennas
> connected to temperamental RADAR electronics, the warhead would just need a
> simple timing circuit to know to go off X seconds after it hits the atmosphere as
> determined by a mechanical accelerometer like those found in air bags.
Its a bit more complex than that. An EMP, and the residual plasma cloud, would
cause excessive induction that would prematurely set off the klystron switchs
that control the detonators of the various segments of TNT around the plutonium.
Since not all would go off at the same time, the weapon would not, in fact, go
off and no supercritical chain reaction would result, since initiating such is
highly dependent upon the timing of the switches.
>
> > Additionally, putting that plasma in the path of the warhead would cause
> > additional friction,
>
> I don't see why, if anything the plasma cloud would be slightly less dense than
> normal atmospheric conditions because it's slightly warmer.
Assuming its still in the atmosphere. It would more likely be high in the
ionosphere or in space, if it is in fact 200 miles downrange at that point. Even
if it were in the atmosphere, then the atmospheric displacement would create a
wall of turbulence at the boundary of the cloud, which would cause damage to the
warhead, as well as send it off course. THe unsequenced tripping of the klystron
switches would complete the destruction of the warhead without significant
problems..
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 15:30:12 MST