Re: Floppy Disks

["Zack Clayton" <zack.clayton@epa.state.oh.us>]

RE:

   4)  Does the radar equipment, communications equipment, and
other avionics aboard a commercial airliner generate magnetic
fields?  If so, then I have 3 additional questions: First, what are
the strengths of these fields in the cargo bay where the floppies
are shipped?  Secondly, does magnetic damage to floppy disks follow
a linear-no-threshold model?  That is, if a floppy is exposed to a
low level magnetic field for 6 hours (New York to Los Angeles)
without damage, will this hold true for an exposure to that same
field for 16 hours (New York to Tokyo)?  Finally, do airlines boost
power of their radar over international waters?

My brother in law is an airtraffic controller and he indicated the radar is in the nose of the plane and directed forward with very little back scatter.  He did indicate that the cargo area is a sea of EMF and there are a lot of sevo motors in proximitry to this.  There is not any increase in strength over international or water routes, but there would be longer exposure.  

Zack Clayton
Ohio EPA - DERR
email:  zack.clayton@epa.state.oh.us
voice:  614-644-3066
fax:        614-460-8249

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