Broadband seismology and the detection and verification of underground nuclear explosions. Final report, 1 September 1993-31 August 1996

Technical Report · Fri Jan 31 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:562817

Tinker, M A

The detection and identification of low yield explosions requires seismic stations at regional distances. However, because the regional wavefield propagates within the extremely heterogeneous crustal waveguide, it is necessary to have a solid understanding of how the phases used in regional discriminants develop within different tectonic regimes. Thus, the development of the seismic phases Pn and Lg, which compose the seismic discriminant Pn/Lg are evaluated. The most fundamental discriminant is event location since 90% of all seismic sources occur too deep within the earth to be unnatural. Using teleseismic data from 6 French tests, a joint hypocenter determination algorithm was used to determine the hypocenters of the explosions. One of the most stressing problems in monitoring a CTBT is the detection and location of small seismic events. Although seismic arrays have become the major tool for event location, sparse regional networks of 3-component broadband stations must also be used and surface wavetrain information will improve location of small events.

• Research Organization: Arizona Univ., Tucson, AZ (United States). Dept. of Geosciences
• OSTI ID: 562817
• Report Number(s): AD-A--331006/7/XAB; SASO--83; CNN: Contract F49620-93-1-0498
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
NUCLEAR EXPLOSION DETECTION
PROGRESS REPORT
SEISMOLOGY
UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS
VERIFICATION