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8 Modern Weapons: Possibilities and Limitations
The primary official target of all these systems consisted in ionosphere studies; most
of them are also able to stimulate small localized ionosphere areas. HAARP also has
such possibilities. However, the difference of HAARP from these complexes lies in
the unique combination of user instruments, which helps to ensure control over the
coverage, wide-range coverage, etc.
Radiation power:
– HAARP (Alaska)—up to 3600 kW;
– EISCAT (Norway, Tromso)—1200 kW;
– SPEAR (Norway, Longyearbyen)—288 kW.
Unlike broadcasting stations, many of which have 1000 kW transmitters but weakly
directional antennas, HAARP systems use highly directional transmitting antennas
such as phased antenna array that can focus all the radiated energy on a small portion
of space.
The outer limit of the magnetosphere and the upper limit of the ionosphere (the
atmospheric region in which the air is ionized under the effect of radiation) coincide.
Moreover, the ozone layer is a part of the ionosphere. By affecting ionosphere and
magnetosphere, it is possible to cause damages to humans, disrupt radio communication, destroy enemy equipment, change the wind pattern, and cause catastrophic
weather events.
One of the first known projects in this direction—the Argus Project (1958) was
performed in order to study the effect of high-altitude nuclear explosions on transmissions of radio signals and the geomagnetic field. Between August and September
1958, the US Air Force performed three explosions of atomic bombs 480 km above
the southern Atlantic Ocean, in the region of the lower Van Allen belt. Later, two
more hydrogen bombs were exploded 160 km above the Johnston island in the Pacific
Ocean.
The result of explosions turned out to be completely unexpected for scientists and
military officers—a new (internal) radiation belt appeared, which covered almost
the entire Earth. Within framework of the Argus Project, it was planned to create a
telecommunication shield to eliminate the effect of magnetic storms on telecommunications. This shield was supposed to be created in the ionosphere at the altitude
of 3 thousand kilometers and consist of 350,000 millions of copper needles with a
length of 2–4 cm each (with a total weight of 16 km), which form a belt 10 km thick
and 40 km wide; the needles were supposed to be located 100 m away from each
other. This plan was harshly criticized by the International Astronomical Union and
ultimately remained unfulfilled.
Another US project known as the Starfish Project (1962) changed the shape
and intensity of the Van Allen belt. As part of this project, two explosions were
performed—a one-kiloton at the altitude of 60 km and a one-megaton at the altitude
of several hundred kilometers. The first explosion took place on July 9, 1962; on July
19, NASA announced formation of a new altitude belt stretching from the altitude
of 400–1600 km; this belt is a continuation (extension) of the lower Van Allen belt.
This belt is much wider than the one created by the Argus project.
8 Modern Weapons: Possibilities and Limitations
The primary official target of all these systems consisted in ionosphere studies; most
of them are also able to stimulate small localized ionosphere areas. HAARP also has
such possibilities. However, the difference of HAARP from these complexes lies in
the unique combination of user instruments, which helps to ensure control over the
coverage, wide-range coverage, etc.
Radiation power:
– HAARP (Alaska)—up to 3600 kW;
– EISCAT (Norway, Tromso)—1200 kW;
– SPEAR (Norway, Longyearbyen)—288 kW.
Unlike broadcasting stations, many of which have 1000 kW transmitters but weakly
directional antennas, HAARP systems use highly directional transmitting antennas
such as phased antenna array that can focus all the radiated energy on a small portion
of space.
The outer limit of the magnetosphere and the upper limit of the ionosphere (the
atmospheric region in which the air is ionized under the effect of radiation) coincide.
Moreover, the ozone layer is a part of the ionosphere. By affecting ionosphere and
magnetosphere, it is possible to cause damages to humans, disrupt radio communication, destroy enemy equipment, change the wind pattern, and cause catastrophic
weather events.
One of the first known projects in this direction—the Argus Project (1958) was
performed in order to study the effect of high-altitude nuclear explosions on transmissions of radio signals and the geomagnetic field. Between August and September
1958, the US Air Force performed three explosions of atomic bombs 480 km above
the southern Atlantic Ocean, in the region of the lower Van Allen belt. Later, two
more hydrogen bombs were exploded 160 km above the Johnston island in the Pacific
Ocean.
The result of explosions turned out to be completely unexpected for scientists and
military officers—a new (internal) radiation belt appeared, which covered almost
the entire Earth. Within framework of the Argus Project, it was planned to create a
telecommunication shield to eliminate the effect of magnetic storms on telecommunications. This shield was supposed to be created in the ionosphere at the altitude
of 3 thousand kilometers and consist of 350,000 millions of copper needles with a
length of 2–4 cm each (with a total weight of 16 km), which form a belt 10 km thick
and 40 km wide; the needles were supposed to be located 100 m away from each
other. This plan was harshly criticized by the International Astronomical Union and
ultimately remained unfulfilled.
Another US project known as the Starfish Project (1962) changed the shape
and intensity of the Van Allen belt. As part of this project, two explosions were
performed—a one-kiloton at the altitude of 60 km and a one-megaton at the altitude
of several hundred kilometers. The first explosion took place on July 9, 1962; on July
19, NASA announced formation of a new altitude belt stretching from the altitude
of 400–1600 km; this belt is a continuation (extension) of the lower Van Allen belt.
This belt is much wider than the one created by the Argus project.