Just a hypothetical question here.....if there was a massive CME, the 'kill shot' of sorts, we'd have a couple days heads up right? What sort of efforts could be made to decrease the damage? I have a very, very basic understanding of the way an EMP works, and a CME that's large enough would basically be an EMP that lasts a lot longer than a nuke. What are some theoretical moves that governments could make to minimize damage? Is it possible to mechanically open circuits of distribution lines so any currect generated by the CME would have nowhere to go, no transformers to blow? I mean that's the damage that we're worried about right? Massive runs of conducting wire above the ground will have a current induced by the EMP, and the longer the run of wire, the higher the current generated, and it overloads transformers and damages or destroys them. So I guess the question then becomes, how much of the wrong current can a transformer, or other electrical distribution equipment handle before it breaks, and how many feet, or miles, of conducting cable is required to achieve that level.
I really wish there was a expert on this site that could really lay out the facts. I just don't have any time to really go look for any really good info to be well informed on this subject.
Branden
www.atlasobscura.com
