P-wave amplitude spectra of Nevada underground nuclear explosions

1971 ◽  
Vol 88 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ota Kulh�nek
Keyword(s):  
Wave Amplitude ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Underground Nuclear Explosions ◽  
Nuclear Explosions ◽  
Amplitude Spectra

Study of low-magnitude seismic events near the Novaya Zemlya nuclear test site

1997 ◽  
Vol 87 (6) ◽  
pp. 1563-1575
Author(s):  
Frode Ringdal
Keyword(s):  
Monitoring Network ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Nuclear Test ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Scaling Effects ◽  
Underground Nuclear Explosions ◽  
Nuclear Explosions ◽  
Novaya Zemlya ◽  
Source Scaling ◽  
Low Magnitude

Abstract A study of available seismic data shows that all but one of the 42 known underground nuclear explosions at Novaya Zemlya have been detected and located by stations in the global seismic network. During the past 30 years, only one seismic event in this area has been unambiguously classified as an earthquake (1 August 1986, mb = 4.3). Several other small events, most of which are thought to be either chemical explosions or aftereffects of nuclear explosions, have also been detected. Since 1990, a network of sensitive regional arrays has been installed in northern Europe in preparation for the global seismic monitoring network under a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty (CTBT). This regional network has provided a detection capability for Novaya Zemlya that is shown to be close to mb = 2.5. Three low-magnitude events have been detected and located during this period, as discussed in this article: 31 December 1992 (mb = 2.7), 13 June 1995 (mb = 3.5), and 13 January 1996 (mb = 2.4). To classify the source types of these events has proved very difficult. Thus, even for the mb = 3.5 event in 1995, we have been unable to provide a confident classification of the source as either an earthquake or explosion using the available discriminants. A study of mb magnitude in different frequency bands shows, as expected, that the calculation of mb at regional distances needs to take into account source-scaling effects at high frequencies. Thus, when comparing a 4 to 8 or 8 to 16 Hz filter band to a “teleseismic” 2 to 4 Hz band, the smaller events have, relatively speaking, significantly more high-frequency energy (up to 0.5 mb units) than the larger events. This suggests that a P-wave spectral magnitude scale might be appropriate. The problem of accurately locating small events using a sparse array network is addressed using the 13 January 1996 event, which was detected by only two arrays, as an illustrative example. Our analysis demonstrates the importance of using accurately calibrated regional travel-time curves and, at the same time, illustrates how array processing can be used to identify an interfering phase from a local disturbance, thereby avoiding location errors due to erroneous phase readings.

P-wave coupling of underground nuclear explosions

1966 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 861-876 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald L. Springer
Keyword(s):  
P Wave ◽  
Propagation Path ◽  
Seismic Signals ◽  
Underground Nuclear Explosions ◽  
Nuclear Explosions ◽  
Scaling Relationships ◽  
Amplitude Data ◽  
Detonation Energy ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

abstract P-wave amplitude data for underground nuclear explosions are correlated with detonation energy. Amplitudes are reproducible to 25 per cent when source media and propagation path differences are minimized. These data verify theoretical scaling relationships and establish relative coupling for various shot media. An empirical correlation of these amplitude data with dry porosity of the detonation medium indicates that a medium with 60 per cent dry porosity may couple explosive energy one-fourth or one-fifth as efficiently as does alluvium. The relationship of teleseismic magnitude to explosive yield for various types of low coupling shows that dry porous media give a significant reduction of seismic signals generated by underground nuclear explosions.

Seismic magnitudes of underground nuclear explosions

1973 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. W. Basham ◽  
R. B. Horner
Keyword(s):  
Computational Procedure ◽  
Test Site ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Nevada Test Site ◽  
Underground Nuclear Explosions ◽  
Nuclear Explosions ◽  
Novaya Zemlya ◽  
Yield Information ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Propagation Effects

abstract Using an Ms computational procedure that minimizes path-propagation effects, and with Ms values found to be empirically independent of test site and detonation medium among consolidated rock explosions, available yield information is employed to illustrate that the seismic scaling of explosions in realistic detonation environments produces teleseismic Rayleigh-wave displacements proportional to the 1.2-power of yield over the range from low yields to greater than three megatons. Ms values independent of network, path, and site can be employed to estimate unknown yields at uncalibrated test sites to within average errors judged to be about 20 per cent. P-wave magnitudes, in the form of a calibrated teleseismic measure of short-period P-wave displacements, show a theoretically supported dependence of displacement on the 1.1-power of yield over the range from 6 kt to 1 mt. Studied explosions separate into two categories: the Nevada Test Site granite explosions, LONG SHOT, the Sahara February 1965 explosion and (by empirical inference) Novaya Zemlya and Eastern Kazakh explosions exhibit P-wave displacements about a factor of 3 greater than explosions of the same yield in tuff, rhyolite, and shale. P-wave magnitudes of explosions are subject to such a diversity of source, propagation, and measurement phenomena that any estimation of unknown yields without a closely controlled site and network calibration can be subject to large errors.

The relative performance of mb and alternative measures of elastic energy in estimating source size and explosion yield

1984 ◽  
Vol 74 (5) ◽  
pp. 1863-1882
Author(s):  
J. T. Bullitt ◽  
V. F. Cormier
Keyword(s):  
Elastic Energy ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Reference Station ◽  
Small Data ◽  
Federal Republic Of Germany ◽  
Underground Nuclear Explosions ◽  
Nuclear Explosions ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Alternative Measures ◽  
The Stability

Abstract A comparison has been made of the relative scatter of classical mb and alternative measures of P-wave energy from underground nuclear explosions at test sites in East Kazakh, USSR. The scatter of the energy measures is observed in teleseismic arrays of short-period Global Digital Seismic Network (GDSN) stations and the local broadband array at Graefenburg, Federal Republic of Germany. Four measures of A in log(A/T), spectral magnitudes, peak velocity, rms coda, and integrated velocity-squared are compared. The measures are constructed to be in equivalent units of the flux rate of radiated elastic energy. All measures are assumed to have the same slope in a linear regression of log(yield) versus log(measure). Three independent tests were made of the stability of the yield estimators: the scatter of the measures using: (1) Graefenburg array data; (2) GDSN data normalized to a reference station; and (3) GDSN data normalized to a reference event. The differences among the standard deviations are small (≦ 0.1 mb units), making it difficult using a small data base to conclude whether the performance of one estimator is significantly better than another. The relative order in the performance of the yield estimators, however, is preserved in each of the three tests. The coda measure is the most stable, followed by the spectral and time-domain A/T measures. The relations observed at Graefenburg between (1) the amplitude of direct P versus P coda, (2) the apparent azimuth of direct P, and (3) complexity, suggest that amplitude variations across an array are a product of scattering along the entire ray path as well as scattering, focusing, and defocusing localized in the lithosphere beneath the source and receiver sites.

P-wave amplitude variation with epicentral distance and the magnitude relations

1975 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 915-926
Author(s):  
K. L. Kaila ◽  
Dipankar Sarkar
Keyword(s):  
Lower Mantle ◽  
Wave Amplitude ◽  
Epicentral Distance ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Amplitude Variation ◽  
Distance Range ◽  
Nuclear Explosions ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Shallow Earthquakes ◽  
Discontinuous Nature

Abstract Investigation of the variation of P-wave amplitudes and d2T/dΔ2 with epicentral distance reveals that the amplitudes in the distance range up to 100° can be represented by seven discontinuous curves. The discontinuous nature of the amplitude curves can be explained due to the possible existence of first- or second-order velocity discontinuities in the upper and lower mantle of the Earth. Seven magnitude relations corresponding to these amplitude curves are given, which yield consistent magnitudes for nuclear explosions as well as for shallow earthquakes.

Amplitude-yield scaling for underground nuclear explosions

1973 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 477-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. L. Springer ◽  
W. J. Hannon
Keyword(s):  
Rayleigh Wave ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Source Population ◽  
Yield Data ◽  
P Waves ◽  
Underground Nuclear Explosions ◽  
Nuclear Explosions

abstract About 60 sets of seismic amplitude-yield data were examined using standard regression techniques to determine slopes of amplitude-yield scaling relations for explosions in water-saturated tuffs and rhyolites. Both P-wave amplitudes and Rayleigh-wave amplitudes were studied at selected stations located at regional and teleseismic distances. The source population included only those underground nuclear explosions fired near or below the level of the static water table at Pahute Mesa, Nevada Test Site, and covered about three orders of magnitude in yield. Statistical tests applied to the slope parameter (b) indicate that the slopes at regional and teleseismic distances are different. An estimated mean value of b for P-wave amplitude/period (A/T) was slightly greater than 0.6 for regional distances but was almost 1.0 for teleseismic distances. The estimated mean value of b for Rayleigh-wave A/T data was about 1.1. At a given distance the slopes seem to be independent of the yield range considered for both P-waves and Rayleigh-waves.

scholarly journals Discrimination of teleseismic events in Central Asia with a local network of short period stations

1994 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Tiira ◽  
M. Tarvainen
Keyword(s):  
Spectral Ratio ◽  
Difficult Problem ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Local Network ◽  
Separation Function ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Underground Nuclear Explosions ◽  
Nuclear Explosions ◽  
Discrimination Capability ◽  
Short Period

The difficult problem of distinguishing underground nuclear explosions from earthquakes at teleseismie distances was approached using short period seismic data from 6 stations in South and Central Finland. The events were nuclear tests mostly from the Semipalatinsk and Lop Nor test sites and earthquakes from adjacent areas. The magnitude range of the events was from 4.1 to 6.6. The features of the two classes of events were examined by computing spectral ratio, third moment of frequency (TMF) and complexity from P wave signals. The spectral discrimination parameters were extracted from spectra computed in 5 different ways in order to obtain all possible information even from weak events. The standard FFT spectra were computed from. raw data, after noise adaption and data adaption, from correlograms and using combinations of adaption and correlation: methods. This was done to employ not only the spectral differences of the events but also the temporal variation of energy and lack of it as a function of frequency. The optimum frequeney windows for spectral ratio and TMF were defined using stacked spectra of about 10 events from both classes. No single discriminant could classify all the events. Their performance varied significanfly for different stations, but on average the spectral discriminants had slightly higher discrimination capability than complexity. The distributions of all discriminants were studied and a group separation function was formed using an optimum set of discriminants. Instead of discriminant values their relative positions in the corresponding distributions of nuelear tests and earthquakes were used as inputs to the function. A weight for each discriminant was derived from the amount of overlap in the distributions of earthquakes and nuelear tests. All 75 events in the data set were correctly classified with the method. The testing was performed with a jack knife method to create an independent test data base

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