Regional seismic observations of the Non-Proliferation Experiment at the Livermore NTS Network

Conference · Fri Dec 30 23:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:96002

Walter, W R; Mayeda, K; Patton, H J ^[1]

---

1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States); and others

The Non-Proliferation Experiment (NPE), a 1-kiloton chemical explosion in N-tunnel at Rainier Mesa on the Nevada Test Site (NTS), was recorded by the four station, regional seismic Livermore NTS Network, (LNN). In this study we compare the NPE`s seismic yield, frequency content, and discrimination performance with other NTS events recorded at LNN. Preliminary findings include: The NPE LNN average magnitudes are 4.16 for m{sub b}(P{sub n}) and 4.59 for m{sub b}(L{sub g}). Using published magnitude-yield relations gives nuclear equivalent yields of 2.3 and 2.2 kilotons respectively, implying enhanced coupling of chemical relative to nuclear explosions. A comparison of the NPE seismograms with those with similar magnitude N-tunnel nuclear explosions shows remarkable similarity over the frequency band 0.5 to 5.0 Hz. Outside this band the explosions show more variability, with the NPE having the least relative energy below 0.5 Hz and the most energy above 5 Hz when scaled by magnitude. Considering the variability within the N-tunnel nuclear explosions, these low- and high-frequency NPE-nuclear differences may not reflect chemical-nuclear source differences. The NPE was compared to a large number of NTS nuclear explosions and earthquakes as part of an ongoing short-period discrimination study of P{sub N}/L{sub g},P{sub g}/L{sub g}, and spectral ratios in the P{sub n}, P{sub g},L{sub g}, and coda phases. For these discriminants, the NPE looks very similar to N-tunnel nuclear explosions and other NTS nuclear explosions, implying seismic identification of contained, non-ripple-fired, chemical explosions as non-nuclear may not be possible. However, such blasts might serve as surrogate nuclear explosions when calibrating seismic discriminants in regions where nuclear testing has not occurred.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 96002
• Report Number(s): CONF-9404100--; ON: DE95011413
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

35 ARMS CONTROL
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
AMMONIUM NITRATES
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIONS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DETONATIONS
EARTHQUAKES
FUEL OILS
GROUND MOTION
NEVADA TEST SITE
NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY
NUCLEAR EXPLOSION DETECTION
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
SEISMIC DETECTORS
SEISMIC SURFACE WAVES
SEISMOGRAPHS
SPECTRA
UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS
VELOCITY
VERIFICATION
WAVE FORMS
WAVE PROPAGATION