Seismic-wave attenuation and yield determination at regional distances. Final report, 1 May 1987-30 April 1989

Technical Report · Thu May 25 04:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:5355967

Mitchell, B J; Nuttli, O W; Xie, J K; Al-Shukri, H; Correig, A

Work was completed on yield determination at the Soviet test site on Novaya Zemlya. Magnitudes and yields, determined for 30 explosions using Lg amplitudes recorded in northwestern Europe, ranged between 2.5 and 4900 kt, the largest since April 1976 being about 145 kt. Studies were completed on seismic wave attenuation of surface waves at intermediate periods and of Lg waves at 1 Hz in several regions of the world. Limits were determined for the degree of frequency dependence of Q (sub beta) which can occur in the crust in stable and tectonically active regions. A stochastic convolution model was proposed for Lg coda at distances > 200 km which considers the effects of dispersion scattering and mode conversions at those distances. A back-projection tomographic method was developed to regionalize large-scale lateral variations of coda Q for Lg waves which traverse long continental paths. A seismically active region in the New Madrid seismic zone was found to be characterized by lower than normal Q values. In the western United States, Q values in the upper mantle vary laterally, becoming smaller from east to west. Crust of the Basin and Range province has a low-Q upper crust overlying a lower crust with higher Q values.

• Research Organization: Saint Louis Univ., MO (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5355967
• Report Number(s): AD-A-211548/3/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450300* -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Nuclear Explosion Detection
ASIA
ATTENUATION
CONVERSION
DETECTION
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DOCUMENT TYPES
EARTH CRUST
EARTH MANTLE
EASTERN EUROPE
EUROPE
EXPLOSIONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEAR EXPLOSION DETECTION
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
PROGRESS REPORT
SCATTERING
SEISMIC SURFACE WAVES
SEISMIC WAVES
SEISMICITY
SEISMOLOGY
STOCHASTIC PROCESSES
TECTONICS
TEST FACILITIES
TOMOGRAPHY
USA
USSR
WAVE PROPAGATION
YIELDS