Source Characterization of Underground Explosions from Combined Regional Moment Tensor and First-Motion Analysis
Abstract
Here in this study, we investigate the 14 September 1988 U.S.–Soviet Joint Verification Experiment nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk test site in eastern Kazakhstan and two nuclear explosions conducted less than 10 years later at the Chinese Lop Nor test site. These events were very sparsely recorded by stations located within 1600 km, and in each case only three or four stations were available in the regional distance range. We have utilized a regional distance seismic waveform method fitting long-period, complete, three-component waveforms jointly with first-motion observations from regional stations and teleseismic arrays. The combination of long-period waveforms and first-motion observations provides a unique discrimination of these sparsely recorded events in the context of the Hudson et al. (1989) source-type diagram. We demonstrate through a series of jackknife tests and sensitivity analyses that the source type of the explosions is well constrained. One event, a 1996 Lop Nor shaft explosion, displays large Love waves and possibly reversed Rayleigh waves at one station, indicative of a large F-factor. We show the combination of long-period waveforms and P-wave first motions are able to discriminate this event as explosion-like and distinct from earthquakes and collapses. We further demonstrate the behavior of network sensitivitymore »
- Authors:
-
- Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Berkeley Seismological Lab.
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1378497
- Report Number(s):
- LLNL-JRNL-642592
Journal ID: ISSN 0037-1106
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC52-07NA27344; FA9453-10-C-0263
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 104; Journal Issue: 4; Journal ID: ISSN 0037-1106
- Publisher:
- Seismological Society of America
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 58 GEOSCIENCES
Citation Formats
Chiang, Andrea, Dreger, Douglas S., Ford, Sean R., and Walter, William R. Source Characterization of Underground Explosions from Combined Regional Moment Tensor and First-Motion Analysis. United States: N. p., 2014.
Web. doi:10.1785/0120130228.
Chiang, Andrea, Dreger, Douglas S., Ford, Sean R., & Walter, William R. Source Characterization of Underground Explosions from Combined Regional Moment Tensor and First-Motion Analysis. United States. https://doi.org/10.1785/0120130228
Chiang, Andrea, Dreger, Douglas S., Ford, Sean R., and Walter, William R. Tue .
"Source Characterization of Underground Explosions from Combined Regional Moment Tensor and First-Motion Analysis". United States. https://doi.org/10.1785/0120130228. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1378497.
@article{osti_1378497,
title = {Source Characterization of Underground Explosions from Combined Regional Moment Tensor and First-Motion Analysis},
author = {Chiang, Andrea and Dreger, Douglas S. and Ford, Sean R. and Walter, William R.},
abstractNote = {Here in this study, we investigate the 14 September 1988 U.S.–Soviet Joint Verification Experiment nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk test site in eastern Kazakhstan and two nuclear explosions conducted less than 10 years later at the Chinese Lop Nor test site. These events were very sparsely recorded by stations located within 1600 km, and in each case only three or four stations were available in the regional distance range. We have utilized a regional distance seismic waveform method fitting long-period, complete, three-component waveforms jointly with first-motion observations from regional stations and teleseismic arrays. The combination of long-period waveforms and first-motion observations provides a unique discrimination of these sparsely recorded events in the context of the Hudson et al. (1989) source-type diagram. We demonstrate through a series of jackknife tests and sensitivity analyses that the source type of the explosions is well constrained. One event, a 1996 Lop Nor shaft explosion, displays large Love waves and possibly reversed Rayleigh waves at one station, indicative of a large F-factor. We show the combination of long-period waveforms and P-wave first motions are able to discriminate this event as explosion-like and distinct from earthquakes and collapses. We further demonstrate the behavior of network sensitivity solutions for models of tectonic release and spall-based tensile damage over a range of F-factors and K-factors.},
doi = {10.1785/0120130228},
journal = {Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America},
number = 4,
volume = 104,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jul 08 00:00:00 EDT 2014},
month = {Tue Jul 08 00:00:00 EDT 2014}
}
Web of Science
Works referencing / citing this record:
Focal mechanisms of the 2017 North Korean nuclear test and its early collapse event
journal, October 2019
- Xu, Henglei; Ni, Sidao; Liu, Wenxue
- Geophysical Journal International, Vol. 220, Issue 2