Yields of Soviet underground nuclear explosions from seismic surface waves: compliance with the Threshold Test Ban Treaty

Journal Article · Thu Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.81.6.1922· OSTI ID:6531669

Sykes, L R; Cifuentes, I L

Magnitudes of the larger Soviet underground nuclear weapons tests from the start of the Threshold Test Ban Treaty in 1976 through 1982 are determined for short- and long-period seismic waves. Yields are calculated from the surface wave magnitude for those explosions at the eastern Kazakh test site that triggered a small-to-negligible component of tectonic stress and are used to calibrate body wave magnitude-yield relationship that can be used to determined the sizes of other explosions at that test site. The results confirm that a large bias, related to differential attenuation of P waves, exists between Nevada and Central Asia. The yields of the seven largest Soviet explosions are nearly identical and are close to 150 kilotons, the limit set by the Threshold Treaty. 16 references, 5 figures, 2 tables.

• Research Organization: Columbia Univ., Palisades, NY
• OSTI ID: 6531669
• Journal Information: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States), Journal Name: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States) Vol. 81; ISSN PNASA
• 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
COMPLIANCE
DATA
EASTERN EUROPE
EUROPE
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
EXPLOSIONS
INFORMATION
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEVADA TEST SITE
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
NUCLEAR REACTION YIELD
NUMERICAL DATA
SEISMIC P WAVES
SEISMIC WAVES
TECTONICS
TREATIES
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
USSR
YIELDS