Seismic wave propagation through a low-velocity nuclear rubble zone
A 2-dimensional finite-difference code has been developed as part of the Hydroacoustic Nuclear Proliferation Monitoring Project (ST639). This code is used to model seismic and acoustic wave propagation in the Earth`s crust and oceanic water column. As a demonstration, we investigate the propagation of seismic energy through a low-velocity region corresponding to the rubble zone created by an underground nuclear explosion. The geometry of the simulated source and surface recording instruments is representative of a seismic refraction survey. The purpose of this numerical simulation is to determine perturbations in the seismic wave field due to the low velocity region (nuclear cavity) can be detected at the surface. Wave energy passing through the cavity is noticeably delayed, and is easily observed on cross-sections of the P and S wave fields. Synthetic seismograms recorded at the surface demonstrate an amplitude reduction and phase shift for those stations corresponding to ray-paths through the cavity. A significant fraction of energy is reflected off the low-velocity zone, and propagates as backward traveling waves.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 10130414
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-ID-115729; ON: DE94007764
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Oct 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
SEISMIC DETECTION
SEISMIC WAVES
WAVE PROPAGATION
FINITE DIFFERENCE METHOD
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
EARTH CRUST
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NUCLEAR EXPLOSION DETECTION
450300
661300
OTHER ASPECTS OF PHYSICAL SCIENCE