Statistical analysis of yield calibration curves at NTS

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6155380· OSTI ID:6155380

Garbin, H. D.

Data from the Sandia Seismic Net is used to analyze the precision of yield calibration curves from the point of view of a Threshold Test Ban Treaty. These curves are determined using the same methodology that is applied in our present techniques at NTS. Initially, no constraints are placed on the data set in order simulate the lack of knowledge of a foreign test site. Restrictions are then placed on events with respect to the water table, areal extent and yield range with improvements in the standard deviation in almost all cases. For NTS, the results indicate that large events (> 80 kt) can be measured reasonably well (RMS deviation 1.21) with no additional restriction on the data set. As the yields are lowered, the precision gets progressively worse with the depth of burial moving above the water table. At this point, reduction of the areal extent becomes more important. The one sigma level of events with yield < 20 kt is 1.66 for NTS. Smaller areas (70 km/sup 2/) are better (1.40), but still high. 2 refs., 4 figs., 6 tabs.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6155380
• Report Number(s): SAND-88-3327; ON: DE89010520
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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