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High-frequency P wave spectra from explosions and earthquakes

Conference · · Geophysical Monograph Series
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/gm065p0219· OSTI ID:5196127
 [1];  [1]
  1. Univ. of Nevada, Reno, NV (United States)
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Two explosion P wave spectral models and two earthquake P wave spectral models are reviewed to assess their implications for high frequency (>1 Hz) seismic discrimination between earthquakes and explosions. The importance of the corner frequency scaling, particularly for models with the same high frequency spectral decay rate, is demonstrated by calculating source spectral ratios (a potentially important regional discriminant) for these models. We compare North American events and a limited data set of Central Asian events with these spectral models. We find North American earthquakes are consistent with a constant stress drop modified Brune model between 10 and 30 Hz. Shallow (<700 m depth) Pahute Mesa explosions at the Nevada Test Site have a high frequency spectral decay between 10 and 30 Hz greater than the ω-2 predicted by the explosion models. Near regional recordings of the Soviet Joint Verification Experiment (JVE) explosion show a higher corner frequency and lower 1 to 4 Hz spectral ratios than predicted by either explosion model. The higher corner frequency of the Soviet JVE appears not to be due to attenuation, or receiver effects, and may represent a need for different corner frequency scaling, or result from source complications such as spall and tectonic release. A regional recording of the Soviet JVE (NEIC mb = 6.1) is shown to have a lower 1 to 4 Hz spectral ratio than a smaller earthquake (NEIC mb = 4.6) recorded on a nearly reciprocal path.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; Air Force Geophysical Laboratory; National Science Foundation (NSF)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
OSTI ID:
5196127
Report Number(s):
UCRL-JC--108141; CONF-890398--2; ON: DE91018723
Journal Information:
Geophysical Monograph Series, Journal Name: Geophysical Monograph Series Vol. 65; ISSN 0065-8448
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (31)

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Related Subjects

350300 -- Arms Control-- Verification-- (1987-)
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450300* -- Military Technology
Weaponry
&amp; National Defense-- Nuclear Explosion Detection
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
AMPLITUDES
ASIA
ATTENUATION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DATA ANALYSIS
DETECTION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
EARTHQUAKES
EUROPE
EVALUATION
EXPLOSIONS
FREQUENCY MEASUREMENT
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MONITORING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEVADA TEST SITE
NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEAR EXPLOSION DETECTION
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
SEISMIC DETECTION
SEISMIC EVENTS
SEISMIC P WAVES
SEISMIC SOURCES
SEISMIC WAVES
SPECTRA
SPECTRAL RESPONSE
TREATIES
UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
USSR
VERIFICATION
WAVE PROPAGATION