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Title: Moment Tensor Source-Type Analysis for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea-Declared Nuclear Explosions (2006-2017) and 3 September 2017 Collapse Event

Journal Article · · Seismological Research Letters
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1785/0220180130 · OSTI ID:1481054
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  1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
  2. Berkeley Seismological Lab., Berkeley, CA (United States)

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) conducted its sixth announced nuclear test on 3 September 2017 03:30 UTC (mb 6.1). There was an aftershock 8.5 min later (mb 4.1). Such aftershocks were noteworthy and often associated with post–nuclear explosion collapses. We performed moment tensor (MT) and network sensitivity solution (NSS) analysis using regional long-period surface-wave and first-motion (FM) polarities. We also extended this analysis to the previous five DPRK nuclear tests. The NSS results, which include MT solution uncertainties, show large isotropic components for the events and are within the population of other U.S. nuclear and collapse events on the fundamental lune. The FM data improved the NNS source-type resolution. The agreement between MT seismic moments and independent coda-envelope amplitudes indicated no biases with the Earth model error or poorly constrained seismic moment for shallow seismic sources. The MT for the collapse is not a pure implosion and consistent with an equivalent tensional closing crack mechanism and two-sided vertical point force.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-07NA27344
OSTI ID:
1481054
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL-750307; 935452
Journal Information:
Seismological Research Letters, Vol. 89, Issue 6; ISSN 0895-0695
Publisher:
Seismological Society of AmericaCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 24 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

Cited By (1)

Focal mechanisms of the 2017 North Korean nuclear test and its early collapse event journal October 2019

Figures / Tables (24)