Two high-altitude nuclear explosions detonated near Johnston Island in August 1958 produced distinct geomagnetic effects at Honolulu, Palmyra Island, Fanning Island, Jarvis Island, and Apia. No other operating magnetic observatories reported discernible effects. The effects at the first four observatories are attributed to overhead currents caused by increased ionization of the atmosphere by γ rays and their secondaries from the detonations. The effects at Apia are attributed to charged particles from the detonations and Compton electrons released from the air around the detonation.
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A. G. McNish (1959) studied this question.
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