Gamma burst

[Carlobrand]

You are in a ship about 20 km from a nuclear detonation. Your ship is subject to a burst of gamma at about 4000 joules per square meter, about 3 times the brightness of the sun, had the energy instead been in the visible light spectrum. Your sensors - and your hull - are briefly ionized as a result of the gamma burst, presumably briefly acting like solar collectors to deliver a sudden brief surge at or near 4 kws per square meter. What happens? Is it reasonable for sensors designed to detect the faint emanations of a ship a lightsecond away to survive the gamma flash of a bomb 20 km away? Does the surge affect the ship's electrical grid?

 

[flykiller]

Is it reasonable for sensors designed to detect the faint emanations of a ship a lightsecond away to survive the gamma flash of a bomb 20 km away?

yes. stars have lots of radiation transients emanating from them, and warships are intended to operate in such environments, thus it's reasonable to assume that high-tech warship sensor suites are designed to tolerate such transients.

Does the surge affect the ship's electrical grid?

no. there will be a static buildup, but little current flow, thus most electronics will be unaffected. any contact with anything else (landing deck, ship's boat, personnel transfer) could be quite an issue, but the ship itself will be unaffected.

 

[McPerth]

You are in a ship about 20 km from a nuclear detonation. Your ship is subject to a burst of gamma at about 4000 joules per square meter, about 3 times the brightness of the sun, had the energy instead been in the visible light spectrum. Your sensors - and your hull - are briefly ionized as a result of the gamma burst, presumably briefly acting like solar collectors to deliver a sudden brief surge at or near 4 kws per square meter. What happens? Is it reasonable for sensors designed to detect the faint emanations of a ship a lightsecond away to survive the gamma flash of a bomb 20 km away? Does the surge affect the ship's electrical grid?

What would its effect be when compared with this same nuke hitting it?

Most military ships can sustain this hit, so I guess this radiation would be harmless for them. As for other kind of ships, not so sure.

 

[kilemall]

For game purposes you might wish to rule in favor of armor making a difference.

IMTU the most heavily armored ships are the ones that go to Mercury, to help survive minor flares.

Solar 'weather' should make most nuclear missile alpha strikes appear trivial.

 

[Timerover51]

You are in a ship about 20 km from a nuclear detonation. Your ship is subject to a burst of gamma at about 4000 joules per square meter, about 3 times the brightness of the sun, had the energy instead been in the visible light spectrum. Your sensors - and your hull - are briefly ionized as a result of the gamma burst, presumably briefly acting like solar collectors to deliver a sudden brief surge at or near 4 kws per square meter. What happens? Is it reasonable for sensors designed to detect the faint emanations of a ship a lightsecond away to survive the gamma flash of a bomb 20 km away? Does the surge affect the ship's electrical grid?

How big is this nuke?