Physical environment of the underground nuclear test site on Novaya Zemlya, Russia

1993 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.R. Matzko
Keyword(s):  
Physical Environment ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Nuclear Test ◽  
Novaya Zemlya

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.

scholarly journals Features of creating multi-time thematic animations of the Arctic environment pollution on the example of Novaya Zemlya

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
Andrey Medvedev ◽  
Natalia Alekseenko ◽  
Maria Arsentyeva
Keyword(s):  
Time Scales ◽  
Radioactive Contamination ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Nuclear Test ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Novaya Zemlya Archipelago ◽  
Novaya Zemlya ◽  
The Creation ◽  
The Arctic Region

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> The Arctic region is currently at the next stage of increased interest not only from the Arctic States, but also from the entire world community. The main pollutants in the region are oil and gas products, heavy metals, chemical and radioactive contamination. The Arctic region of the Russian Federation has experienced a strong anthropogenic impact of radionuclides due to the use of nuclear energy. The main source of pollution is nuclear testing. About 132 tests were conducted on Novaya Zemlya, including 87 atmospheric, 3 underwater and 42 underground tests. Another source of radioactive contamination is the operation of the naval and civil nuclear fleet, as well as nuclear power plants (on the Kola Peninsula and in Bilibino). Until 1963, most of the tests were carried out in the atmosphere and under water, but after the signing of the Moscow Treaty on August 5, 1963, which prohibits the testing of nuclear weapons in three environments (under water, in the atmosphere and outer space), all tests were carried out underground, in tunnels and wells.</p><p>The object of research and mapping is the territory of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago and the nuclear test site located on it. On the territory of the nuclear test site constantly there was an assessment of the radioecological situation. The scientific community is interested in the processes taking place on the New Earth. The territory of the archipelago is constantly involved in various Arctic programs aimed at monitoring the level of environmental pollution and reducing the number of sources of pollution.</p><p>The aim of this work is to create multi-time animations of nuclear tests and the results of radionuclide pollution. These animated cartographic images differ not only in their time scales, but also a large set of qualitative and quantitative characteristics that characterize the results of anthropogenic influence.</p><p>As sources for creation of cartographic animations were: field data, remote sensing data (RS), Open sources, marine navigation maps, DEM’s (AsterDem, ArcticDem, GEBCO), meteorological data, thematic maps (including atlases), topographic maps, literary sources. The main part of the information about Novaya Zemlya archipelago was taken from the works of the Arctic marine complex expedition, which are devoted to the nature, history, archeology and culture of the archipelago. To obtain complete information about the explosions and their energy release ranges, additional open sources were used, from which it is possible to learn about the type of explosion, its power and location (geographical coordinates).</p><p>Dynamic geo-imagery was developed and established by the following method: study of object mapping and the collection of primary spatial data – creation script dynamic geo-imagery – the creation of a geodatabase of research – the creation of the thematic maps and layout of geo-imagery in the graphic editor – create animations with different time scales.</p><p>During the creation of cartographic animations based on the collected data, a multi-time multi-scale cartographic animation was developed, which allowed using the original graphical solution to visualize three interconnected time scales, which allowed to visualize the processes of infiltration and propagation of radioactive inert gases.</p>

Glycophorin A Somatic Cell Mutations in a Population Living in the Proximity of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site

2004 ◽  
Vol 162 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carita Lindholm ◽  
Brian P. Murphy ◽  
William L. Bigbee ◽  
Rakhmetkaji I. Bersimbaev ◽  
Maj A. Hultén ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Nuclear Test ◽  
Glycophorin A ◽  
Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site

Radiological Implications of Inhaled 239Pu and 241Am in Dusts at the Former Nuclear Test Site in Maralinga

1992 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 641-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. N. Stradling ◽  
J. W. Stather ◽  
S. A. Gray ◽  
J. C. Moody ◽  
M. Ellender ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Test Site ◽  
Nuclear Test

P008 AML1/RUNX1 point mutations are frequent in MDS/AML among the residents of Semipalatinsk near former USSR nuclear test site

2007 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. S44
Author(s):  
A. Kimura ◽  
N. Chaizhunussova ◽  
Z. Dinara ◽  
H. Harada ◽  
Y. Harada
Keyword(s):  
Point Mutations ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Nuclear Test ◽  
Former Ussr

100 Years of Paper Seismograms from Denmark and Greenland, 1907–2008

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trine Dahl-Jensen ◽  
Lif Lund Jacobsen ◽  
Ann-Sophie Graulund Sølund ◽  
Tine B. Larsen ◽  
Peter H. Voss
Keyword(s):  
World Wide ◽  
Nuclear Explosion ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Nuclear Test ◽  
Novaya Zemlya ◽  
National Archives ◽  
Local Earthquake ◽  
Seismographic Network ◽  
Case Stories

Abstract The paper seismograms from 100 years of observations in Denmark and Greenland has since October 2021 been made available through the Danish National Archives. Five case stories illustrate the quality and variation of the seismograms, and the historical context of operation of the stations. (1) The earliest recorded earthquake in the archive is recorded at GDH station in Greenland, where the 1907 Mw 7.2 earthquake in Tajikistan is recorded on smoked paper. (2) The first Danish earthquake is a local event close to Copenhagen in 1930. (3) We have illustrated the 50 megaton nuclear explosion in Novaya Zemlya in 1961—the largest nuclear test explosion ever. (4) The M 9.2 earthquake in Alaska in 1964 recorded on several instruments at COP. (5) A local earthquake in northeast Greenland recorded both on paper on World-Wide Standard Seismographic Network instruments and digitally on a modern broadband instrument.

scholarly journals Radioecological Monitoring of Adjacent Territories to the Former Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site, East Kazakhstan

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4.36) ◽  
pp. 323
Author(s):  
Sergazy Duyssembaev ◽  
Ainur Serikova ◽  
Shyngys Suleimenov ◽  
Nurgul Ikimbayeva ◽  
Assel Zhexenayeva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Specific Activity ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Nuclear Test ◽  
Plant Water ◽  
Beta Particles ◽  
Radiometric Measurements ◽  
Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site ◽  
Radioecological Monitoring ◽  
East Kazakhstan ◽  
Permissible Levels

This paper presents the results of complex radioecological monitoring of the territories, which are situated near the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site, East Kazakhstan region.  The radiometric measurements showed that the concentration of radon and beta particles are below the permissible levels. EROA values of a radon in rooms fluctuates from 44 Bq/m3 to 195 Bq/ m3. The measured values of fluency of betta-particles in all the studied points are less than 10 freq/ min*cm2. A specific activity of radionuclides, such as Am-241, Cs-137 and  Pu – 239/240  in soils, plant, water, meat and milk were evaluated.   

scholarly journals A Multi-Technology Analysis of the 2017 North Korean Nuclear Test

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Gaebler ◽  
Lars Ceranna ◽  
Nima Nooshiri ◽  
Andreas Barth ◽  
Simone Cesca ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Monitoring System ◽  
Body Wave ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Nuclear Test ◽  
International Monitoring System ◽  
Seismic Stations ◽  
Technology Analysis ◽  
Tnt Equivalent ◽  
International Monitoring ◽  
Strong Surface

Abstract. On September 3rd 2017 official channels of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea announced the successful test of a thermonuclear device. Only seconds to minutes after the alleged nuclear explosion at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site in the mountainous region in the country's northeast at 03:30:02 (UTC) hundreds of seismic stations distributed all around the globe picked up strong and distinct signals associated with an explosion. Different seismological agencies reported body wave magnitudes of well above 6.0, consequently estimating the explosive yield of the device in the order of hundreds of kilotons TNT equivalent. The 2017 event can therefore be assessed being multiple times larger in energy than the two preceding events in January and September 2016. This study provides a multi-technology analysis of the 2017 North Korean event and its aftermath using a wide array of geophysical methods. Seismological investigations locate the event within the test site at a depth of approximately 0.8 km below surface. The radiation and generation of P- and S-wave energy in the source region is significantly influenced by the topography of the Mt. Mantap massif. Inversions for the full moment tensor of the main event reveal a dominant isotropic component accompanied by significant amounts of double couple and compensated linear vector dipole terms, confirming the explosive character of the event. Analysis of the source mechanism of an aftershock that occurred around eight minutes after the test in the direct vicinity suggest a cavity collapse. Measurements at seismic stations of the International Monitoring System result in a body wave magnitude of 6.2, which translates to an yield estimate of around 400 kilotons TNT equivalent. The explosive yield is possibly overestimated, since topography and depth phases both tend to ehance the peak amplitudes of teleseismic P-waves. Interferometric Synthetic-Aperture-Radar analysis using data from the ALOS-2 satellite reveal strong surface deformations in the epicenter region. Additional multispectral optical data from the Pleiades satellite show clear landslide activity at the test site. The strong surface deformations generated large acoustic pressure peaks, which were observed as infrasound signals with distinctive waveforms even in distances of 400 km. In the aftermath of the 2017 event atmospheric traces of the fission product 133Xe have been detected at various locations in the wider region. While for 133Xe measurements in September 2017 the Punggye-ri test site is disfavored as source by means of atmospheric transport modeling, detections in October 2017 at the International Monitoring System station RN58 in Russia indicate a potential delayed leakage of 133Xe at the test site from the 2017 North Korean nuclear test.

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