From:      skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu
To:        skunk-works-digest@mail.orst.edu
Subject:   Skunk Works Digest V5 #595
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Skunk Works Digest        Tuesday, 9 January 1996      Volume 05 : Number 595

In this issue:

	EMP
	RE: Extra Static Dec. 2-3

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----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: seb@tadpole.co.uk (Steven Barber)
Date: Mon, 8 Jan 1996 09:24:34 GMT
Subject: EMP

Dear all,

Re EMP:  radiation hardening doesn't (to my knowledge) add much in the way
of weight, but does add cost.  If you go for real rad hardening, you move
to silicon-on saphire (SOS) integrated circuits.  These are more expensive
because:

a)   there's less call for them, so fewer are made
b)   more expensive materials
c)   dimensions of transistors, etc, are larger

SOS technology used to be used in satellites (10 years back, I'm out of
touch with current practises).  I don't think that much use was made of it
in aircraft, designers tended to use Mil Spec TTL and CMOS parts (the
primary difference between these and commercial spec is that the Mil parts
can cope with higher temperatures.  Shame same couldn't be said for the
operators).

A nice feature of EMP, by the way - I think it's the X-rays that tend to be
produced - it turns optical fibres black.  Only on a temporary basis, the
fibres do recover.  But probably not before your nice high-tech
fly-by-fibre fighter has fallen out of the sky...

Steve B
Speaking for himself, so any errors are mine.



------------------------------

From: "Paul Heinrich" <plheinrich@ucdavis.edu>
Date: Mon, 8 Jan 1996 09:22:40 +0000
Subject: RE: Extra Static Dec. 2-3

Has anyone thought to check on weather reports for that period?  
Perhaps it was caused by a period of very low humidity.  Back home in 
Pennsylvania we often have "high-static events" during the winter, 
when the air is cold and humidity is low.  It vanishes during the 
summer (when humidity is high almost all the time).  It seems to me 
that looking for natural causes would be most profitable, at least, 
until you rule them out.

                                                         Paul 

------------------------------

End of Skunk Works Digest V5 #595
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