Electromagnetic Pulse: Modern Trends, Applied Scenario and Protection Measures/Guidelines

Abstract

The electromagnetic pulse (EMP) is considered an element of electronic warfare (EW). EMP is an energy pulse that is not harmful to humans, but they do cause severe and irreversible damage to electrical devices. All types of EMPs are considered as the high-impact lowprobability (HILP) weapon of mass destruction (WMD) and weapon of mass effect (WME) events [1]. These events are a severe threat to critical infrastructure, including the power grid, communications, and transportation. Since such intense incidents cause electronics to meltdown, that results in extended and significant power outages. In the current scenario, civil and military infrastructure are equally vulnerable to the EMP attack. Firstly, the research focuses on a comprehensive study on EMP and its impact on modern society. Then simulation of E1 HEMP coupling to shielded coaxial cable and conductive enclosure is performed to visualize the impact. The coupling analysis is done on cables using FEKO, while the analysis on the conductive enclosure is done using EMA3D. Eventually, the research provides the protection strategies to harden vulnerable systems against EMP attacks.