Satellite SGEMP Simulation Fidelity Criteria

In order to simulate the effects of an exoatmospheric nuclear environment in a laboratory, a number of compromises must be made. The extent to which these compromises modify the numerical values of the important parameters to be simulated reflects upon the simulation quality of the experiment. The concept of simulation fidelity is necessary for interpreting test results and useful in designing simulators. An SGEMP simulator, for example, may not have the same X-ray spectrum, time history or electromagnetic boundaries as does the real threat circumstances. The purpose of this paper is to present a methodology for quantifying the concept of simulation fidelity, explain the reasoning underlying the methodology and apply the methodology to one specific problem, vacuum tank wall perturbations in the SXTF SGEMP simulator.