Electromagnetic Pulse Research Articles

High Peak Current Lightning and the Production of Elves

AbstractElves are observed as expanding rings of light in the UV and visible optical bands. They are produced when electromagnetic pulses from lightning discharges interact with the lower parts of the ionosphere. Elves are well known to be associated with high peak current lightning discharges. Here, we use data from the Modular Multi‐spectral Imaging Array (MMIA) of the Atmosphere‐Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM), and search for observations of Elves when high peak current lightning discharges are detected by Vaisala's Global Lightning Detection network GLD360. We present two groups of events; high peak current detections associated with Elves and high peak current detections not associated with Elves. To understand why some current pulses with high peak currents do not produce observable Elves, we investigate and compare the lightning activity occurring before these two types of events, in terms of both the number of lightning discharges detected by GLD360 and the peak currents of the preceding discharges. Our results, using data from GLD360, suggest that current pulses with peak currents above |120| kA tend to produce Elves nearly always, regardless of the preceding lightning activity. For current pulses with peak currents between |70| and |120| kA, the number of observed Elves might be affected by the preceding lightning activity, or is the result of the characteristics of the storm cells that produce the Elve.

Stability and debris-mitigation of a solid tape target delivery system for intense laser-matter interactions towards high-repetition-rate

The VEGA-3 laser system at the Centro de Láseres Pulsados delivers laser pulses up to 1 PW at 1 Hz repetition rate, focused to intensities up to 2.5×1020 W cm−2. A versatile and compact solid target suitable for up to 0.05 Hz is presented which can operate in the challenging petawatt laser environment close to the laser-plasma interaction. Strips are spooled in a tape target system to deliver a solid density target to the laser focus for every shot. Results are presented for different tape materials and thicknesses, and a shot-to-shot standard deviation of the cut-off energy of 1.5% was obtained for Kapton reinforced aluminium tapes of 9 µm thickness. Experimental ion spectra are recorded by a Thomson Parabola Ion Spectrometer coupled with a scintillator screen; and an antenna array is used for the characterization of electromagnetic pulses. The results of both diagnostics show a good shot-to-shot stability of the system.

Detection of the Compromising Audio Signal by Analyzing Its AM Demodulated Spectrum

The information technology and communication (IT&C) market consists of computing and telecommunication technology systems, which also include a variety of audio devices. Preserving the confidentiality of transmitted information through these devices stands as a critical concern across various domains and businesses. Notably, spurious electromagnetic emanations emitted by audio devices can be captured and processed, potentially leading to eavesdropping incidents. The evaluation of electronic devices for potential security vulnerabilities often involves employing Transient Electromagnetic Pulse Emanation Standard (TEMPEST) technology. This paper introduces a novel approach to TEMPEST testing specifically tailored for audio devices. The outcomes of the proposed approach offer valuable insights into TEMPEST equipment testing, aiming to mitigate the potential risks posed by threats exploitable by eavesdroppers in everyday scenarios. The present work delves into the examination of two ubiquitous global electronic devices: a notebook and a pair of in-ear headphones. The symmetrical framework of this study arises from the intrinsic similarity that, despite belonging to distinct categories, both devices possess the capability to emit electromagnetic emissions that contain compromised audio signals. This assertion is substantiated by the measurement results presented herein. The proposed methodology involves the analysis of the audio amplitude modulation (AM) demodulated signal in the frequency domain. This innovative approach not only mitigates operator fatigue but also significantly reduces the testing time required for these devices and instrument running hours and leads to the development of new applications.

Effect of DH-shaped coil symmetry coefficient on EMPW process

ABSTRACT The coil is used for electrical connection and energy conversion in the electromagnetic pulse welding (EMPW) process, so its structure affects the welding effect. In this work, for the dual H-shaped (DH) coil, the influence of the symmetry coefficient on the Cu-Al sheets EMPW was studied through the simulation and experiment. When the voltage was 7 kV and the symmetry coefficient g was 0.75, 1, and 1.33, the V c-β trajectory curve contained by the simulation combined with the welding window curve (WWC) to analyze the dynamic process and welding effect. The relative impact speed was the fastest and the corresponding weld seam length was the longest when g was 1.33. The welding experiment results were consisted with the simulation results, it was beneficial to weld the Cu-Al sheets when g was 133. The symmetry coefficient could change the impact speed and angle to affect the welding effect. This work is of great significance for DH coil design.

Spatial and temporal evolution of electromagnetic pulses from solid target irradiated with multi-hundred-terawatt laser pulse inside target chamber

Giant electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) induced by high-power laser irradiating solid targets interfere with various experimental diagnoses and even damage equipment, so unveiling the evolution of EMPs inside the laser chamber is crucial for designing effective EMP shielding. In this work, the transmission characteristics of EMPs as a function of distances from the target chamber center (TCC) are studied using B-dot probes. The mean EMP amplitude generated by picosecond laser-target interaction reaches 561 kV m−1, 357 kV m−1, 395 kV m−1, and 341 kV m−1 at 0.32 m, 0.53 m, 0.76 m, and 1 m from TCC, which decreases dramatically from 0.32 m to 0.53 m. However, it shows a fluctuation from 0.53 m to 1 m. The temporal features of EMPs indicate that time-domain EMP signals near the target chamber wall have a wider full width at half maximum compared to that close to TCC, mainly due to the echo oscillation of electromagnetic waves inside the target chamber based on simulation and experimentation. The conclusions of this study will provide a new approach to mitigate strong electromagnetic pulses by decreasing the echo oscillation of electromagnetic waves inside the target chamber during laser coupling with targets.

“Middle way” in the description of ultrashort electromagnetic interactions: between Fermi’s golden rule and the numerical solution of the Schrödinger equation

A simple efficient approach describing the interaction of various quantum targets with short electromagnetic (EM) pulses firstly proposed in [1] is reviewed. This approach is based on the expression for the photoprocess probability in terms of the cross section and the Fourier transform of the EM pulse. Our method makes it possible to take into account the internal dynamics of the target and the influence of the pulse parameters in a simple way. The proposed approach is used both for the probability for the entire pulse duration, and for its dependence on the current time. In addition, the developed method is applied to generalize the simulation of the population kinetics of a quantum system to take into account the dependence of the photoprocess rate on time. It is also shown that our expression for the probability of excitation of a micro-target corresponds to the formula describing the energy loss of a non-monochromatic field in a dispersive medium and can be generalized on other EM processes.

Microstructure characterisation of electromagnetic pulse welded high-strength aluminium alloys

Electromagnetic pulse welding is a high-velocity impact joining process employed with the intention of forming fast and effective solid-state bonds. Electron microscopy techniques, including SEM and TEM, revealed that bonding was not fully accomplished in the solid state; instead, local melting can occur. These locally melted areas likely occur around the point of first contact during the welding process and are associated with a debonded region that runs alongside or through the centre of melted zones. Microstructural characterisation showed dispersoid-free regions, columnar grains, epitaxial growth, and localised increases in O, Fe, Si, and Mn content in locally melted areas. This region contrasts with the solid-state bonded region, in which the interface exhibited sub-micron grains.

Analysis on the low-frequency electromagnetic pulse coupling to horizontal electrically short lines

In this study, we investigated the coupling features of the nuclear electromagnetic pulse (NEMP) on overhead cables in the middle-and-far regions, different from the transmission line model commonly used for field-line coupling in high-frequency cases, using a simpler lumped approximation to solve the electrically small size model in low-frequency cases. To verify its effectiveness, a simulation model with the same conditions was set up using the software of Computer Simulation Technology (CST), and cable coupling experiments were performed in a laboratory environment using a bounded-wave electromagnetic pulse simulator. The calculated results of the lumped approximation circuit were compared with the CST simulation and measured results, and the agreement was good. The results also shows that the load exhibits a differential response in the case of the low impedance and it is consistent with the excitation signal in the case of the high impedance. Finally, some more experiments were constructed to analyzed the effect of different cable parameters on the cable load response through experiments, and the experimental results are also in general agreement with the theoretical analysis, in which the induced signal of the low-impedance load is mainly determined by the magnetic field in the direction normal to the cable and the ground loop and the induced signal of the high-impedance load is mainly determined by the electric field in the direction of the height of the cable erection.

Electron acceleration in a warm, motional, magnetized plasma‐filled waveguide by twisted electromagnetic wave pulses

AbstractThis paper studies the acceleration of an electron in a magnetized plasma waveguide caused by the interaction between the twisted electromagnetic wave and the plasma wave in a motional plasma. The spatial dependence of the amplitude and phase of the twisted TM mode has been derived by solving the wave equation. With appropriately assigned initial values, total electron energy gain can be calculated using numerical calculations. Numerical results show that plasma motion, as long as the twisted electromagnetic wave pulse, significantly affects electron acceleration during an electron's passage through the waveguide.

Construction Technology of Lightning Protection Devices in Building Electrical Installation Engineering

To better improve the electrical safety of buildings and fulfill the role of lightning protection and grounding, this article combines cases and discusses seven aspects of lightning protection devices’ construction technology. These aspects include the lightning protection classification of buildings, air terminals, down conductors, grounding devices, division of lightning protection zones, and lightning electromagnetic pulse shielding. Through the introduction of this article, readers can gain a comprehensive understanding of the application and value of lightning protection grounding construction technology in building electrical installation projects.

Polarization of electromagnetic pulses

We show the impossibility, for localized and exact solutions of the Maxwell equations, of perfect circular polarization in a fixed plane, or perfect linear polarization along a fixed direction. A measure of polarization of electromagnetic pulses is obtained by analogy with that useful in monochromatic radiation, and its limitations discussed. Using oscillatory solutions of the free-space Maxwell equations, for which all components of the electric and magnetic fields satisfy the wave equation, we construct explicit examples of TE pulses which are linearly polarized with an azimuthal electric field, TE+iTM pulses approximately linearly polarized along the propagation direction, and also approximately circularly polarized pulses. The latter have perfect circular polarization on the propagation axis.

The photonic content of a transmission-line pulse

We develop a photonic description of short, one-dimensional electromagnetic pulses, specifically in the language of electrical transmission lines. Current practice in quantum technology, using arbitrary waveform generators, can readily produce very short, few-cycle pulses in a very-low-noise, low-temperature setting. We argue that these systems attain the limit of producing pure coherent quantum states, in which the vacuum has been displaced for a short time, and therefore over a short spatial extent. When the pulse is bipolar, that is, the integrated voltage of the pulse is zero, then the state can be described by the finite displacement of a single mode. Therefore there is a definite mean number of photons, but which have neither a well-defined frequency nor position. Due to the Paley-Wiener theorem, the two-component photon "wavefunction" of this mode, while somewhat localized, is not strictly bounded in space even if the vacuum displacement that defines it is bounded. When the pulse is unipolar, no photonic description is possible-the photon number can be considered to be divergent. We consider properties that photon counters and quantum non-demolition detectors must have to optimally convert and detect the photons in several example pulses. We develop a conceptual test system for implementing short-pulse quantum key distribution, building on the design of a recently achieved Bell's theorem test in a cryogenic microwave setup.

Radiation-hard performance research of front-end electronics for fusion diagnostic by Gamma Irradiation Experiment

In the environment of a fusion reactor, electronic systems are subjected to various influences including vibration, electromagnetic pulses, as well as irradiation from neutrons and gamma rays. Diagnostics systems on fusion reactors can accumulate radiation doses to a level where issues such as signal attenuation and system interruption can occur. Additionally, maintenance of electronic systems during fusion reactor experiments is often not feasible. Therefore, assessing the radiation tolerance of electronic systems used in fusion reactors is of paramount importance. To validate the radiation resistance of front-end electronics and cable in various diagnostic systems, a test circuit board was designed. This board integrates a variety of commonly used amplification chips and power supply chips to assess their performance in the environment of a fusion reactor. The experiment selected three different types of cables commonly used in fusion reactors for separate testing, to assess their parameter changes before and after irradiation experiments. Gamma Irradiation Experiments were conducted using a cobalt-60 (Co-60) radiation source at the Irradiation Center of Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The test circuit board was exposed to continuous gamma irradiation at two test points, with dose rates of 6 Gy/min and 1 Gy/min, respectively, for a total of 6.5 h, Data from the irradiation experiments were collected and analyzed. The results show that under continuous gamma irradiation, CJ7805 and AMS1117–5 chips stopped working at 586 Gy and 776 Gy, respectively. The output of the LT1175I5 chip dropped from -5 V to -1 V at 447 Gy. Apart from the radiation-resistant power supply chips, the output of other power supply chips slightly decreased. The signal reference of the charge amplifier dropped at 741 Gy but then slowly rose again, and the signal amplitude decreased at 900 Gy. The signal reference of the current amplification circuit remained unchanged, with a slight decrease in amplitude. The signal reference of the voltage amplifier exhibited jitter, with no change in amplitude. The experiment provides valuable data support for the radiation-resistant design of electronic systems in the environment of a nuclear fusion reactor.

Transformation of the Shape and Spectrum of an Ultrawideband Electromagnetic Pulse in a “Gigantic” Coaxial Line Filled with Magnetized Plasma

A propagation of ultrawideband electromagnetic pulses (UWB EMPs) through magnetized plasma has been experimentally studied using a “gigantic” coaxial line, which has been developed at IAP RAS for laboratory modeling of ionospheric effects. This coaxial line is 1.4 m in diameter and 10 m in length and is installed inside the chamber of the large-scale Krot plasma device. The line can be filled with rf inductively coupled plasma, magnetized or not. It allows one to explore the propagation of UWB EMPs in plasma along a long path without refraction and divergence and obtain a physical picture of EMP transformation. Under conditions where the duration of the UWB EMP is comparable to the period of electron plasma oscillations (fp−1), the period of cyclotron rotation of electrons (fc−1), or even significantly shorter, a complex of effects of transformation of the waveform and frequency spectrum of the pulse occurs. Without ambient magnetic field, a UWB EMP is distorted due to the effects of the cutoff and frequency dispersion. In dense magnetized plasma, i.e., when fp >> fc, the UWB EMP breaks into two wave packets, the high-frequency one (f > fp) and low-frequency one (f < fc). In rare magnetized plasma (fp << fc), the cyclotron absorption produces a long train of damped oscillations at a frequency close to the cyclotron frequency fc following the UWB EMP.

Gigahertz electromagnetic pulse emission from femtosecond relativistic laser-irradiated solid targets.

The interactions between high-intensity laser and matter produce particle flux and electromagnetic radiation over a wide energy range. The generation of extremely intense transient fields in the radio frequency-microwave regime has been observed in femtosecond-to-nanosecond laser pulses with 1011-1020-W/cm2 intensity on both conductive and dielectric targets. These fields typically cause saturation and damage to electronic equipment inside and near an experimental chamber; nevertheless, they can also be effectively used as diagnostic tools. Accordingly, the characterization of electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) is extremely important and currently a popular topic for present and future laser facilities intended for laser-matter interaction. The picosecond and sub-picosecond laser pulses are considerably shorter than the characteristic electron discharge time (∼0.1 ns) and can be efficient in generating GHz EMPs. The EMP characterization study of femtosecond laser-driven solid targets is currently mainly in the order of 100 mJ laser energy, in this study, the EMP generated by intense (Joule class) femtosecond laser irradiation of solid targets has been measured as a function of laser energy, laser pulse duration, focal spot size, and target materials. And a maximum electric field of the EMP reaching up to 105 V/m was measured. Analyses of experimental results confirm a direct correlation between measured EMP energy and laser parameters in the ultrashort pulse duration regime. The EMP signals generated by femtosecond laser irradiation of solid targets mainly originate from the return current inside the target after hot electron excitation. Numerical simulations of EMP are performed according to the target charging model, which agree well with the experimental results.

Phase transformation mechanisms of NiTi shape memory alloy during electromagnetic pulse welding of Al/NiTi dissimilar joints

The phase transformation mechanisms of NiTi shape memory alloy (SMA) during electromagnetic pulse welding (EMPW) of Al/NiTi dissimilar alloy joints were studied. Two types of amorphization behaviors were observed in the NiTi SMA of the Al/NiTi dissimilar joint. These are: i) fast cooling-induced amorphization of the joint interfacial reaction layer; and ii) severe deformation-induced amorphization. Additionally, the martensitic transformation was observed in the NiTi SMA during the high strain rate plastic deformation imposed by the EMPW process. The study shows that the formation of B19' martensite during high strain rate plastic deformation of NiTi SMA is influenced by both the strain rate and the peak pressure of the deformation during welding.

Electromagnetic pulses produced by a picosecond laser interacting with solid targets

A high-power laser ablating solid targets induces giant electromagnetic pulses (EMPs), which are intimately pertinent to laser parameters, such as energy and pulse width. In this study, we reveal the features of EMPs generated from a picosecond (ps) laser irradiating solid targets at the SG-II picosecond petawatt (PSPW) laser facility. The laser energy and pulse, as well as target material and thickness, show determinative effects on the EMPs’ amplitude. More intense EMPs are detected behind targets compared to those at the other three positions, and the EMP amplitude decreases from 90.09 kV/m to 17.8 kV/m with the gold target thickness increasing from 10 μm to 20 μm, which is suppressed when the laser pulse width is enlarged. The results are expected to provide more insight into EMPs produced by ps lasers coupling with targets and lay the foundation for an effective EMP shielding design in high-power laser infrastructures.

Mitigation of electromagnetic pulses interfering with Thomson parabola ion spectrometers at XG-III laser facility.

The Thomson parabola ion spectrometer is vulnerable to intense electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) generated by a high-power laser interacting with solid targets. A metal shielding cage with a circular aperture of 1mm diameter is designed to mitigate EMPs induced by a picosecond laser irradiating a copper target in an experiment where additionally an 8-ns delayed nanosecond laser is incident into an aluminum target at the XG-III laser facility. The implementation of the shielding cage reduces the maximum EMP amplitude inside the cage to 5.2 kV/m, and the simulation results indicate that the cage effectively shields electromagnetic waves. However, the laser-accelerated relativistic electrons which escaped the target potential accumulate charge on the surface of the cage, which is responsible for the detected EMPs within the cage. To further alleviate EMPs, a lead wall and an absorbing material (ECCOSORB AN-94) were added before the cage, significantly blocking the propagation of electrons. These findings provide valuable insights into EMP generation in large-scale laser infrastructures and serve as a foundation for electromagnetic shielding design.

Direction‐of‐Arrival Estimation of Electromagnetic Pulse Based on Energy Distribution

This paper investigates the direction‐of‐arrival (DOA) estimation of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) sources in modern radar system and proposes a novel EMP DOA estimation method. The method is based on energy distribution and improves the low accuracy and high computational complexity of the conventional estimation method. According to the characteristics of the EMP signal, the frequency point where 90% of the signal energy is concentrated is considered as the critical frequency point. Before this point, differently sized frequency sub‐blocks are determined depending on the energy. After the critical frequency point, identically sized frequency sub‐blocks are chosen at equal frequency intervals for processing. The proposed method is compared with the representative EMP DOA estimation methods. Simulation experiments are carried out to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results illustrate that the computational complexity is significantly reduced while the accuracy is improved compared to the conventional method.

Response Characteristics of a ZnO Arrester Under Nanosecond Electromagnetic Pulse

Zinc oxide arresters, a major type of overvoltage protection equipment in power systems, can suppress transient lightning overvoltage, operation overvoltage, and other types of power surges. However, the response characteristics and protection effects under nanosecond pulses, such as those in a high-altitude electromagnetic pulse conduction region, remain unclear. Therefore, the surge protection performance of arresters should be properly understood, and high-performance arresters should be developed. In this study, critical parameters, including overshoot peak voltage, residual voltage, response time, and voltammetry characteristics of a representative 10 kV ZnO arrester under nanosecond pulses, were obtained using a double exponential pulse current injection source. The overshoot peak voltage of this arrester under a nanosecond pulse is 2.19 times of lightning impulse residual voltage, and the residual voltage ratio under a nanosecond pulse is 4.31. The average response time is approximately 45 ns, and the response time is independent of the nanosecond pulse amplitude. Furthermore, an electromagnetic transient model of this type of lightning arrester is established based on the CIGRE guidelines, as well as a method to determine the key parameters. The model can simultaneously account for the response characteristics of the small current region and the conduction region of the arrester, which properly agrees with the experimental results.