Decay rate of P-wave amplitudes from nuclear explosions and the magnitude relations in the epicentral distance range 1° to 98°

1970 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 447-460
Author(s):  
K. L. Kaila
Keyword(s):  
Decay Rate ◽  
Travel Time ◽  
Epicentral Distance ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Amplitude Curve ◽  
Distance Range ◽  
Nuclear Explosions ◽  
The Earth

abstract Study of the decay rate with epicentral distance of P-wave amplitudes from nuclear explosions in the distance range 1° to 98° has revealed that instead of the continuous amplitude curve of Gutenberg, the amplitudes are most appropriately represented by six discontinuous curves. Corresponding to these six amplitude decay curves, magnitude relations were worked out. The new magnitude relations yield consistent magnitudes for nuclear explosions as well as earthquakes independent of epicentral distance over the entire distance range of 1° to 98°. The magnitude values are however slightly shifted towards the higher side by 0.22 magnitude unit (at M = 4.5) as compared to those predicted by the Gutenberg-Richter method. Magnitudes are evaluated for Logan, Blanca and Salmon explosions using the new magnitude relations and they agree fairly well with the published magnitudes for these events determined by other workers using the Gutenberg-Richter method. These amplitude decay curves when compared with the travel-time curves of Carder (1964) do show a reasonable correspondence between the starting points of amplitude curves and the distances where the deeply refracted phases from plausible velocity discontinuities in the mantle start appearing as first arrivals on the surface of the Earth.

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.

Duration of nuclear explosion ground motion

1978 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 1133-1145
Author(s):  
Walter W. Hays ◽  
Kenneth W. King ◽  
Robert B. Park
Keyword(s):  
Epicentral Distance ◽  
Ground Motions ◽  
Broad Band ◽  
Time History ◽  
Ground Acceleration ◽  
Ground Shaking ◽  
Distance Range ◽  
Nuclear Explosions ◽  
Dependent Site ◽  
Strong Ground

abstract This paper evaluates the duration of strong ground shaking that results from nuclear explosions and identifies some of the problems associated with its determination. Knowledge of the duration of horizontal ground shaking is important out to epicentral distances of about 44 km and 135 km, the approximate distances at which the ground shaking level falls to 0.01 g for nuclear explosions having yields of about 100 kt and 1,000 kt, respectively. Evaluation of the strong ground motions recorded from the event STRAIT (ML = 5.6) on a linear array of five, broad-band velocity seismographs deployed in the distance range 3.2 to 19.5 km provides information about the characteristics of the duration of ground shaking. The STRAIT data show that: (1) the definition that is used for defining duration is very important; (2) the duration of ground acceleration, as defined in terms of 90 per cent of the integral of the squared time history (Trifunac and Brady, 1975), increased from about 4 to 26 sec over the approximately 20-km distance range; and (3) the duration of ground velocity and displacement were slightly greater because of the effect of the alluvium layer on the propagating surface waves. Data from other events (e.g., MILROW, CANNIKIN, HANDLEY, PURSE) augment the STRAIT data and show that: (1) duration of shaking is increased by frequency-dependent site effects and (2) duration of shaking, as defined by the integral of the squared time history, does not increase as rapidly with increase in yield as is indicated by other definitions of duration that are stated in terms of an amplitude threshold (e.g., bracketed duration, response envelopes). The available data suggest that the duration of ground acceleration, based on the integral definition, varies from about 4 to 40 sec for a 100-kt range explosion and from about 4 to 105 sec for a megaton range explosion in the epicentral distance range of 0 to 44 km and 0 to 135 km, respectively.

Observations of PKKPab Diffraction Waves Well Beyond Cutoff Distance

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yulin Chen ◽  
Sidao Ni ◽  
Baolong Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Epicentral Distance ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Source Depth ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Core Mantle Boundary ◽  
Velocity Models ◽  
Wave Velocities ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Cutoff Distance ◽  
Lowermost Mantle

Abstract The core mantle boundary (CMB) features the most dramatic contrast in the physical properties within the Earth and plays a fundamental role in the understanding of the dynamic evolution of the Earth’s interior. Seismic core phases such as PKKP sample large area of the lowermost mantle and the uppermost core, thus providing valuable information of the velocity structures on both sides of the CMB. Diffraction Waves Well Beyond Cutoff Distance (PKKPab) is one branch of the triplicated PKKP that can be observed beyond its ray theoretical cutoff distance as a result of diffraction along the CMB. The travel time and slowness of the diffracted PKKPab (denoted as PKKPabdiff) can be used to constrain the P-wave velocities at the lowermost mantle, thus have been investigated in numerous studies. Previous results (Rost and Garnero, 2006) suggest that most of the observations of the PKKPabdiff waves are in the epicentral distance range of 95°–105° (minor arc convention) (PKKPabdiff diffraction length less than 10°). However, high-frequency (∼1 Hz) synthetic seismograms show that the PKKPabdiff waveforms could be observable at distance down to 65°, which indicates that the PKKPabdiff signals could be detected at distances less than 95° in observations. To explore the distance ranges in which PKKPabdiff is observable, we collected global three-component broadband waveforms from 246 events with source depth deeper than 100 km and magnitude above M 6 from 2007 to 2017 available at the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology Data Management Center. We analyzed the slowness, polarization, and amplitude of the candidate PKKPabdiff signals, and found 95 events with clear PKKPabdiffsignals, with nearly 60% of the events show PKKPabdiff diffraction lengths greater than 10°, and the longest diffraction distance is beyond 20°. These newly identified PKKPabdiff waves would substantially augment the dataset of core phases for improvements of the CMB velocity models.

Temporal and spatial variations of travel-time residuals in central California for Novaya Zemlya events

1976 ◽  
Vol 66 (5) ◽  
pp. 1733-1747 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell Robinson ◽  
H. M. Iyer
Keyword(s):  
Travel Time ◽  
Seismic Velocity ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Central California ◽  
Nuclear Explosions ◽  
Novaya Zemlya ◽  
San Andreas ◽  
Temporal And Spatial

abstract Eight large nuclear explosions in Novaya Zemlya, from October 1969, through November 1974, were used to monitor long-term variations in crustal seismic velocity near the San Andreas fault in central California. Relative P-wave travel-time residuals appear to be accurate to approximately ±0.1 sec. Of the over 100 stations used, none show clearly significant temporal variations in residual greater than this amount, corresponding to about a 4 per cent change in velocity in the upper crust. Average relative residuals at individual stations show a large spatial variation of about 1.5 sec. These variations reflect both a complex crustal geology and changes in crustal thickness and provide a potentially powerful tool for studying crustal structure.

Focal depth determination from the signal character of long-period P waves

1976 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 1221-1232
Author(s):  
Robert B. Herrmann
Keyword(s):  
Epicentral Distance ◽  
Focal Depth ◽  
Time Function ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Source Time Function ◽  
P Waves ◽  
Long Period ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Resolution Capability ◽  
Earth Structures

abstract The shape of long-period teleseismic P-wave signals is a function of many factors, among which are focal depth, focal mechanism, the source time function, and the earth structures at both the source and receiver. The effect of focal depth is quite pronounced, so much so, that focal depths should be able to be determined to within 10 km on the basis of the long-period P-wave character. This resolution capability is demonstrated for events occurring in continental and oceanic crust as observed by seismographs in the 30° to 80° epicentral distance range.

The Alaskan earthquake of July 22, 1937*

1940 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 353-376
Author(s):  
John N. Adkins
Keyword(s):  
Travel Time ◽  
Epicentral Distance ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Time Curve ◽  
Arrival Times ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Geographical Latitude ◽  
The World ◽  
First Motion ◽  
First Arrival

Summary The study of the Alaskan earthquake of July 22, 1937, is based on the examination of original seismograms and photographic copies from seismological observatories throughout the world. The arrival times of P at 71 stations were used in locating the epicenter. By Geiger's method and the use of Jeffreys' travel times, the position of the epicenter was found to be: geographical latitude, 64.67±.04° N, longitude, 146.58±.12° W, and the time of occurrence to be 17h 9m 30.0±.25s, U.T. The epicenter lies in the Yukon-Tanana upland in central Alaska, which is not a region of frequent major earthquakes. The disagreement caused by the apparently early arrivals at College and Sitka was reduced by replacing the standard travel-time curve of P by a linear travel-time curve in the interval of epicentral distance 0° to 16° and by interpreting the first arrival at College as P. It was possible to determine the direction of the first motion of P for 51 stations. The observed distribution of first motion and the geological trends in the region of the epicenter are consistent with the earthquake's having been caused by movement along a fault with strike between N 30° E and N 37° E, and dip between 64° and 71° to the southeast, in which the southeast side of the fault was displaced relatively northeastward with the line of movement pitching between 12° and 16° northeast. A wave designated F (for “false S”) was found to precede S on the records by 20 to 55 seconds, depending on the epicentral distance. The wave is longitudinal in type and the arrival times define a linear travel-time curve. It is suggested that this wave may be a longitudinal surface wave, of the type proposed by Nakano, produced at the surface of the earth by the arrival of a transverse wave which has been reflected at a surface of discontinuity within the earth. The records show two impulses near the time when S is expected. The average time interval between the two impulses is 11.3 sec. The first, called S1, has a plane of vibration intermediate in direction between the plane of propagation and the normal thereto. The second impulse, called S2, is nearly pure SH movement. The writer wishes to express his indebtedness to Professor Perry Byerly for invaluable suggestions and criticism during the course of the investigation.

Neubestimmung der natürlichen irdischen Tritiumzerfallsrate und die Frage der Herkunft des „natürlichen“ Tritium

1959 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 334-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Begemann
Keyword(s):  
Phase Shift ◽  
Decay Rate ◽  
Production Rate ◽  
Residence Time ◽  
Cosmic Radiation ◽  
Sunspot Cycle ◽  
Energy Component ◽  
Tritium Content ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Snow Samples

The terrestrial decay rate of “natural” tritium has been re-determined from measurements of the tritium content of old snow samples from Greenland. The finding by CRAIG and BEGEMANN and LIBBY has been confirmed that the tritium decay rate is about 10 times higher than was anticipated previously.Two mechanisms to explain the discrepancy are discussed,a) production by the low energy component of the cosmic radiation andb) the accretion of solar tritium by the earth, as suggested by FELD and ARNOLD.It is shown that in case all the tritium is produced by cosmic radiation the tropospheric production rate may be expected to vary in antiphase with the sunspot cycle, whereas in case of accretion of solar tritium by the earth the variation should be in phase with the sunspot cycle. In both cases a phase shift between the stratospheric production rate and the amount of tropospheric tritium is to be expected because of the residence time of tritium in the stratosphere. A measurement of the phase shift should allow to determine this residence time.The data obtained on the Greenland samples appear to show such a variation of the production rate. The results can be explained best by assuming that all the tritium is produced by cosmic radiation. This result, however, is only preliminary. More systematic measurements are required to decide between the two possibilities.

scholarly journals Teleseismic P-wave travel time and amplitude anomalies observed in Hokkaido region, Japan.

1990 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ichiro Nakanishi ◽  
Yoshinobu Motoya
Keyword(s):  
Travel Time ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Wave Travel
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