Analysis of regional travel time data from the November 1999 dead sea explosions observed in Saudi Arabia

Technical Report · Wed Apr 19 04:00:00 EDT 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/15005704· OSTI ID:15005704

Rodgers, A; Abdullah, M S; Ar-Rajehi, A; Al-Khalifah, T; Al-Amri, M S; Al-Haddad, M S; Al-Arifi, N

Two large chemical explosions were detonated in the Dead Sea in order to calibrate seismic travel times and improve location accuracy for the International Monitoring System (IMS) to monitor a Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). These explosions provided calibration data for regional seismic networks in the Middle East. In this paper we report analysis of seismic data from these shots as recorded by two seismic networks run by King Saud University (KSU) and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in Saudi Arabia. The shots were well observed in the distance range 180-480 km mostly to the south of the Dead Sea in the Gulf of Aqaba region of northwestern Saudi Arabia. An average one-dimensional velocity model for the paths was inferred from the travel times of the regional phases Pn, Pg and Sg. Short-period Sn phases were not observed. The velocity model features a thin crust (crustal thickness 26-30 km) and low velocities (average P-wave velocity 5.8-6.0 km/s), consistent with the extensional tectonics of the region and previous studies.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 15005704
• Report Number(s): UCRL-ID-138770
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ACCURACY
CALIBRATION
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIONS
CTBT
DEAD SEA
EXPLOSIONS
MIDDLE EAST
MONITORING
MONITORS
SAUDI ARABIA
TECTONICS
THICKNESS
VELOCITY