Effects of UGTs on the ionosphere

Conference · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:7121226

Argo, P E; Fitzgerald, T J

In this paper we describe the processes that propagate local effects of underground nuclear tests from the ground into the upper atmosphere, and produce a detectable signal in the ionosphere. Initially, the blast wave from a UGT radially expands, until it reaches the surface of the earth. The wave is both reflected and transmitted at this sharp discontinuity in propagation media. ne reflected wave combines with the incident wave to form an Airy surface,'' at which very strong ripping forces tear the earth apart. This broken region is called the spat zone,'' and is launched into ballistic motion. The resultant ground motion launches an acoustical wave into the atmosphere. This acoustic wave, with overpressures of a few tenths of one percent, propagates upwards at the speed of sound. Assuming purely linear propagation, the path of the acoustic energy can be tracked using raytracing models. Most of the wave energy, which is radiated nearly vertically, tends to propagate into the upper atmosphere, while wave energy radiated at angles greater than about 30 degrees to the vertical will be reflected back to earth and is probably what is seen by most infrasonde measurements.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 7121226
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-92-2909; CONF-9202138-1; ON: DE93000793
• Resource Relation: Conference: RAS/VERTIC symposium on verification of nuclear testing treaties, London (United Kingdom), 14 Feb 1992
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
SEISMIC WAVES
WAVE PROPAGATION
GROUND MOTION
IONOSPHERE
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EXPLOSIONS
MOTION
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
540110*
450200 - Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense- Nuclear Explosions & Explosives