Peter inhaled deeply, leaned against the wall of the shed, and laid the AR-15 across his lap. He closed his eyes and ran all the scenarios through his head. He tried to recall everything he’d ever learned about EMPs.
After all the calculations and possibilities were run through his mind, he came to the conclusion that the effect of the ground detonation in Washington had been limited to a certain radius. He became convinced that the power grid had been taken down due to the cascading failure similar to what had happened in India years ago.
Most likely, he decided, appliances and electronics like computers could function the farther he traveled away from DC. And, as he’d witnessed, vehicles were moving, although not in large numbers.
This meant his options for getting home just widened. As Peter drifted off to sleep, his entire focus changed. He needed to find a ride, one with at least four wheels.
PART III
Day sixteen, Saturday, November 2
CHAPTER TWENTY
Saturday, November 2
Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center
Northern Virginia
President Helton was about to learn not all EMPs were alike. The electromagnetic pulse generated by the nuclear warheads had a differing effect on the U.S. depending upon whether it was an impact explosion or if the warhead detonated above the Earth’s surface.
Homeland Security and its experts were called in to brief the president on the impact the EMPs had on critical infrastructure and anything dependent on the use of electricity. While trying to help those in need, he was constantly looking forward to the rebuilding effort.
“Mr. President,” began the DHS director, “since the nineties, an argument raged in Washington as to whether the EMP threat was overhyped or a grievously overlooked existential threat to the nation. Generally, the debate centered around the funding of the various means to insulate our critical infrastructure from the effects of an electromagnetic pulse.
“These EMPs, whether naturally created by the sun in the form of a coronal mass ejection of solar matter or manmade as delivered by a high-yield nuclear warhead, impact us in similar ways. When a nuclear device explodes at high altitude, say between twenty-five and two hundred fifty miles above the Earth, it produces powerful gamma rays that radiate outward.
“As the gamma rays collide with molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere, they are directed toward the planet surface in the form of a powerful electromagnetic energy field. The EMP does not directly cause human injuries, but it does destroy most electrical equipment and computerized devices as a surge of high-voltage current seeks out wiring or cables that act like antennas.”
The president raised his hand slightly to stop the director’s presentation. “Before you continue with what has been affected, let’s talk about the range these detonations had. They’re all different, correct?”
“Yes, Mr. President. For one, we’re dealing with several different types of detonations. This may seem illogical, but the higher the altitude of the burst, the farther the pulse of energy travels. The gamma rays spread outward from the detonation site. At twenty-five miles above the surface, they enter the atmosphere where ionization occurs and produce an electromagnetic wave. This wave travels unimpeded, and it radiates everything below it.
“The only example of this type of high-altitude EMP detonation occurred near Denver at an altitude of around twenty miles. Our analysis leads us to believe that this warhead was destined for Cheyenne Mountain, but our ballistic missile interceptors took it down near Boulder. The gamma rays radiated outward in a radius several hundred miles across the U.S.
“Now, contrast this with the ground burst in Washington, which radiated out a much shorter distance. The line of sight from ground zero was much shorter than the Colorado air detonation.”
“Okay, I understand,” said the president. “Now, is it possible for you to identify, either by your modeling or actual in-the-field research, what parts of the country were directly affected by the EMP effect?”
“We’ve begun that process through modeling, Mr. President. Next, with your permission, we’d like to utilize the military to assess the range of each nuclear detonation. Those parts of the nation that are outside the reach of the gamma rays will be able to achieve some sort of normalcy first. Assuming, of course, that the power grid can be restored.”
“Normalcy?” asked the president.
“Sir, I suppose that was a poor choice of words. Nothing will be normal for years to come, as Secretary Bergmann indicated in yesterday’s briefing. By normal, I mean vehicles and computers could still operate. Audio-visual equipment, for example, would work, enabling Americans to both receive and transmit information to satellites for further dissemination.”
“Hospitals, too, I presume.”
“Yes, sir. Most hospitals outside the EMP blast radius would have operating medical devices once electricity is restored. For a while, as we’ve discussed, they can operate using their generators, many of which are hardened against electromagnetic pulse energy already. However, they need fuel to function. Without the power grid, they have to rely upon propane, natural gas, or gasoline. All of which require their own power sources to be extracted and then delivered.”
The president sighed. The nation’s ability to function wasn’t totally destroyed. It simply meant he’d have to marshal the unaffected assets wisely. However, he thought to himself, without a functioning power grid, the task of recovery was near impossible.
“Our managed blackouts didn’t work to prevent the complete collapse of the grid, did they?”
The director grimaced and shook his head. “Sir, it was the only option we had, but you’re correct, the rolling blackouts simply prolonged the agony. It didn’t give us time to prevent the cascading failure.”
“What steps do we need to take to restore the grid? At least in the areas where the EMP blast didn’t have an effect.”
“Sir, prior studies have pointed to as many as fourteen bulk-power transformers that are especially vulnerable to the thermal damage resulting from an EMP event. These massive transformers, all made in China, I might add, convert high-voltage electricity from one transmission location to another, enabling it to move from the source of generation to the end user.
“Their proximity to the EMP blast determines whether it is ruined or simply rendered inoperable. Further analysis is needed to understand the extent of damage using site-specific data, including the overall condition of the transformer. That said, the cascading failure will necessarily result in the removal and replacement of the computer systems for each transformer. These are unique to the transformer and must be rebuilt to those exact specifications.”
“How long would it take to replace a transformer and its computer system?” asked the president.
The director shook his head side to side as he contemplated his answer. “Years, under normal circumstances. Because Japan was hit by the DPRK’s nukes, China is our only source for replacement components. We’re totally reliant upon them at this point.”
The president slumped in his chair, allowing the director’s final words to hang in the air.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE