EARTH VIBRATIONS FROM A NUCLEAR EXPLOSION IN A SALT DOME

Shear waves from a nuclear explosion in a salt cavity

Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America ◽

10.1785/bssa0580062043 ◽

1968 ◽

Vol 58 (6) ◽

pp. 2043-2051

Author(s):

William R. Perret

Keyword(s):

Particle Velocity ◽

Nuclear Explosion ◽

Shear Waves ◽

Vertical Motion ◽

Salt Dome ◽

Explosive Source ◽

Level Plane ◽

Stable Cavity

ABSTRACT Shear waves have been resolved in records of acceleration and particle velocity resulting from the Sterling event which was a nuclear explosion (380 tons) within the stable cavity left by the Salmon detonation in the Tatum salt dome. These shear waves were strongest in records of vertical motion at stations in the shot-level plane, but were detectable in records from both vertical and horizontal radial gages above and below that elevation. No appreciable shear waves could be identified in records from shot-level gages oriented horizontally. All instruments involved in this study were situated within the salt dome at ranges between 166 and 660 meters from the explosive source. Shear waves carried over 95 per cent of the energy in vertical shot-level records, but they represented less than 11 per cent of the energy in horizontal radial shot-level records. Cause of the vertically polarized shear waves is considered to be vertical asymmetry at the source.

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Deep reflections from a nuclear explosion in a salt dome

Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres ◽

10.1029/jz072i024p06327 ◽

1967 ◽

Vol 72 (24) ◽

pp. 6327-6333 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

William R. Perret

Keyword(s):

Nuclear Explosion ◽

Salt Dome

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Strain Hardening in Salt—Results of the SALMON Experiment

Journal of Energy Resources Technology ◽

10.1115/1.2905722 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 112 (2) ◽

pp. 145-148 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

L. A. Glenn

Keyword(s):

Yield Strength ◽

Strain Hardening ◽

Nuclear Explosion ◽

Fluid Pressure ◽

Salt Dome ◽

Pore Fluid ◽

Laboratory Scale ◽

Experimental Results ◽

Pore Fluid Pressure

SALMON was a nuclear explosion in the Tatum salt dome, near Hattiesburg, Mississippi, that took place on October 22, 1964. Computational attempts to simulate the experimental results had been largely unsuccessful. Recent calculations suggest that the reason is that the salt yield strength is extremely sensitive to strain hardening. The hardening effect had not been observed in laboratory-scale measurements, which were not made at small enough strain levels and may not have been representative of in-situ pore-fluid pressure.

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