Chemical Explosion Experiments to Improve Nuclear Test Monitoring [Developing a New Paradigm for Nuclear Test Monitoring with the Source Physics Experiments (SPE)]
Abstract
A series of chemical explosions, called the Source Physics Experiments (SPE), is being conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to develop a new more physics-based paradigm for nuclear test monitoring. Currently, monitoring relies on semi-empirical models to discriminate explosions from earthquakes and to estimate key parameters such as yield. While these models have been highly successful monitoring established test sites, there is concern that future tests could occur in media and at scale depths of burial outside of our empirical experience. This is highlighted by North Korean tests, which exhibit poor performance of a reliable discriminant, mb:Ms (Selby et al., 2012), possibly due to source emplacement and differences in seismic responses for nascent and established test sites. The goal of SPE is to replace these semi-empirical relationships with numerical techniques grounded in a physical basis and thus applicable to any geologic setting or depth.
- Authors:
-
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Nevada Test Site/National Security Technologies, LLC, Las Vegas, NV (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1237530
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1249311
- Report Number(s):
- LLNL-JRNL-637717; DOE/NV/25946-1726
Journal ID: ISSN 0096-3941; TRN: US1600448
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC52-07NA27344; AC52-06NA25946
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- EOS, Transactions, American Geophysical Union
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 94; Journal Issue: 27; Journal ID: ISSN 0096-3941
- Publisher:
- American Geophysical Union (AGS)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS; 58 GEOSCIENCES; 98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION; source physics experiment; seismic
Citation Formats
Snelson, Catherine M., Abbott, Robert E., Broome, Scott T., Mellors, Robert J., Patton, Howard J., Sussman, Aviva J., Townsend, Margaret J., and Walter, William R. Chemical Explosion Experiments to Improve Nuclear Test Monitoring [Developing a New Paradigm for Nuclear Test Monitoring with the Source Physics Experiments (SPE)]. United States: N. p., 2013.
Web. doi:10.1002/2013EO270002.
Snelson, Catherine M., Abbott, Robert E., Broome, Scott T., Mellors, Robert J., Patton, Howard J., Sussman, Aviva J., Townsend, Margaret J., & Walter, William R. Chemical Explosion Experiments to Improve Nuclear Test Monitoring [Developing a New Paradigm for Nuclear Test Monitoring with the Source Physics Experiments (SPE)]. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/2013EO270002
Snelson, Catherine M., Abbott, Robert E., Broome, Scott T., Mellors, Robert J., Patton, Howard J., Sussman, Aviva J., Townsend, Margaret J., and Walter, William R. Tue .
"Chemical Explosion Experiments to Improve Nuclear Test Monitoring [Developing a New Paradigm for Nuclear Test Monitoring with the Source Physics Experiments (SPE)]". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/2013EO270002. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1237530.
@article{osti_1237530,
title = {Chemical Explosion Experiments to Improve Nuclear Test Monitoring [Developing a New Paradigm for Nuclear Test Monitoring with the Source Physics Experiments (SPE)]},
author = {Snelson, Catherine M. and Abbott, Robert E. and Broome, Scott T. and Mellors, Robert J. and Patton, Howard J. and Sussman, Aviva J. and Townsend, Margaret J. and Walter, William R.},
abstractNote = {A series of chemical explosions, called the Source Physics Experiments (SPE), is being conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to develop a new more physics-based paradigm for nuclear test monitoring. Currently, monitoring relies on semi-empirical models to discriminate explosions from earthquakes and to estimate key parameters such as yield. While these models have been highly successful monitoring established test sites, there is concern that future tests could occur in media and at scale depths of burial outside of our empirical experience. This is highlighted by North Korean tests, which exhibit poor performance of a reliable discriminant, mb:Ms (Selby et al., 2012), possibly due to source emplacement and differences in seismic responses for nascent and established test sites. The goal of SPE is to replace these semi-empirical relationships with numerical techniques grounded in a physical basis and thus applicable to any geologic setting or depth.},
doi = {10.1002/2013EO270002},
journal = {EOS, Transactions, American Geophysical Union},
number = 27,
volume = 94,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jul 02 00:00:00 EDT 2013},
month = {Tue Jul 02 00:00:00 EDT 2013}
}
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