Mathematical Evaluation of Radio Frequency Hazards to Resistive Devices

Electroexplosive devices (EED) can be inadvertently initiated or dudded by radio frequency (RF) energy. Inadvertent initiation presents a hazard to personnel and equipment; dudding decreases missile and component reliability. The ultraconservative approach in analyzing such a problem is to assume the terminals of the electroexplosive to be a resonant dipole. Under such an assumption, in almost every condition of importance, the electroexplosives would initiate. It was obvious that a more exact study was needed. This report presents a method of mathematically evaluating effects of RF energy on EED, taking into consideration the maximum response of the EED circuits as limited by geometry, dimensions, and materials of the missile assemblies and components. When these limits are considered, it is seen that in most cases far less energy is picked up than if an ideal anntenna is assumed. The method can be used for loads other than electroexplosive devices.