Sorry if this is a bit off topic. I'm of the understanding that the vast majority of our "earth based" RF into space would pretty much dissolve into background noise, due to the weakness of the signal.

My questions - largely based around the very powerful EMP "pulses" of the hundreds of nuclear weapons tests, some high altitude, many above ground over a 30-40 year period - of which I haven't found much information (specific to the EMP pulses).
Also not in any specific order...

What type of EM "signature" would a nuclear explosion generate? (is there a comparable space-research-based phenomenon, i.e., nova, pulsar, x-ray, neutron, gamma, dust on the dish, etc.?)
How far thru space would nuclear explosion EMP/RF signals from these tests travel before dissolving into background noise
Would these series of "pulses" throughout 30-40 years pique your curiosity if you were a SETI-type researcher out there looking for "us"?
Could these EMP (or other related) "pulses" inadvertently been our fastest and farthest reaching "communications"?

(I really hope that no question is too dumb to ask - lots of variables and assumptions are in here - thx and hello too!)

since a "nuke" is sevearl magnitudes of destruction less than a nova I'd think it would still resemble a nova but much weaker. I would assume that the explosion would register in space much like our television signals and disipate in much the same way radio/television signals would. I'd also bet that the information that we get about a nova such as the elements present would be detectable to an advanced society. And that this society would recognize the distinctive signature that only a nuclear explosion makes.

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In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face.
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Thx skildude - I appreciate the info and perspective.

I finally found (never thought to check military, duh) - they have had long had an satellite array capable, but pointed at earth, tho I would question the full accuracy of wikipedia for such a sensitive topic.

Anyhow, the info and pointers for such detection on wiki starts here - the space based research starts near the bottom: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_MASINT

XRays were apparently the golden standard until a recent upfitting that gets rather nebulous and quirky in description quickly - would be interesting if they could just turn that entire array around to study the stars for a few minutes (they've got mojo budget, yanno!)

Then again, I suppose it's possible they already are.

Leads me to another slew of interesting possibilities with regards to research along SETI lines, tracking for various signatures in space that appear to navigate (be they fragments of something naturally formed deflected by an unknown phenomenon (transition shock zones? to ETI craft)

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