1963--nuclear weapon alarm system

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#620536

From: hanc...
Date: Fri, 09 Feb 2018 00:45

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In 1963, Western Union, under contract with the US Air Force, installed 
a nationwide nuclear weapon detonation detection system.  If there
was an attack, the airforce would be immediately notified.

The system worked by having special sensors that would only be
triggered by the intense light of a nuclear weapon.  Other light
(sunlight, lightning, etc) would not affect it.  Upon receipt of
the blast light, the sensor would send a off signal before the blast
shock wave (travels slower) and destroyed the sensor and wires.
Areas would have multiple sensors in case one was destroyed.

The sensors and warning system is described in the WUTR:
http://massis.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives/technical/western-union-tech-review/17-1/p032.htm

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