DOI: 10.1785/bssa0630010105. Seismic magnitudes of underground nuclear explosions

Seismic magnitudes of underground nuclear explosions

10.1785/bssa0630010105

Crossref journal-article

Seismological Society of America (SSA)

Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (790)

Abstract

abstract Using an Ms computational procedure that minimizes path-propagation effects, and with Ms values found to be empirically independent of test site and detonation medium among consolidated rock explosions, available yield information is employed to illustrate that the seismic scaling of explosions in realistic detonation environments produces teleseismic Rayleigh-wave displacements proportional to the 1.2-power of yield over the range from low yields to greater than three megatons. Ms values independent of network, path, and site can be employed to estimate unknown yields at uncalibrated test sites to within average errors judged to be about 20 per cent. P-wave magnitudes, in the form of a calibrated teleseismic measure of short-period P-wave displacements, show a theoretically supported dependence of displacement on the 1.1-power of yield over the range from 6 kt to 1 mt. Studied explosions separate into two categories: the Nevada Test Site granite explosions, LONG SHOT, the Sahara February 1965 explosion and (by empirical inference) Novaya Zemlya and Eastern Kazakh explosions exhibit P-wave displacements about a factor of 3 greater than explosions of the same yield in tuff, rhyolite, and shale. P-wave magnitudes of explosions are subject to such a diversity of source, propagation, and measurement phenomena that any estimation of unknown yields without a closely controlled site and network calibration can be subject to large errors.

Bibliography

Basham, P. W., & Horner, R. B. (1973). Seismic magnitudes of underground nuclear explosions. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 63(1), 105â131.

Authors 2

P. W. Basham (first)
R. B. Horner (additional)

References 29 Referenced 22

10.1111/j.1365-246X.1969.tb06375.x / Geophys. J. / Canadian magnitudes of earthquakes and nuclear explosions in southwestern North America by Basham ((1969))
10.1139/e69-147 / Can. J. Earth Sci. / Canadian detection and discrimination thresholds for earthquakes and underground explosions in Asia by Basham ((1969))
{'key': '2021092015301836200_BIB3', 'first-page': '1', 'article-title': 'Station corrections for Canadian magnitudes of earthquakes and underground explosions in North America and Asia', 'volume': '3', 'author': 'Basham', 'year': '(1969)', 'journal-title': 'Seism. Ser., Dominion Obs., Ottawa'} / Seism. Ser., Dominion Obs., Ottawa / Station corrections for Canadian magnitudes of earthquakes and underground explosions in North America and Asia by Basham ((1969))
10.1139/e70-046 / Can. J. Earth Sci. / Seismic magnitudes of high-yield underground explosions by Basham ((1970))
{'key': '2021092015301836200_BIB5', 'first-page': '1', 'article-title': 'Discrimination between earthquakes and underground explosions employing an improved Ms scale: supplementary magnitude data on Eurasian events', 'author': 'Basham', 'year': '(1972)', 'journal-title': 'Seism. Ser. Earth Phys. Br. No. 63'} / Seism. Ser. Earth Phys. Br. No. 63 / Discrimination between earthquakes and underground explosions employing an improved Ms scale: supplementary magnitude data on Eurasian events by Basham ((1972))
{'key': '2021092015301836200_BIB6', 'article-title': 'Teleseismic methods for the detection, identification and location of underground explosions', 'author': 'Carpenter', 'year': '(1964)', 'journal-title': 'VESIAC 4410-67-X'} / VESIAC 4410-67-X / Teleseismic methods for the detection, identification and location of underground explosions by Carpenter ((1964))
10.1038/physci233050a0 / Nature Phys. Sci. / Absorption and complexity of P signals by Douglas ((1971))
10.1038/237026a0 / Nature / Estimating the firing depth of underground explosions by Douglas ((1972))
Ericsson U. (1971). Seismometric estimates of underground nuclear explosion yields, FOA Rept. C 4464-26, Research Institute of National Defence, Stockholm, Sweden.
10.1785/BSSA0570040591 / Bull. Seism. Soc. Am. / Magnitude determination at regional and near-regional distances in the United States by Evernden ((1967))
10.1029/JB075i005p01028 / J. Geophys. Res. / Magnitude versus yield of explosions by Evernden ((1970))
10.1785/BSSA0600020393 / Bull. Seism. Soc. Am. / Study of regional seismicity and associated problems by Evernden ((1970))
10.1029/JB076i014p03303 / J. Geophys. Res. / Regional dependence of surface-wave versus body-wave magnitudes by Evernden ((1971))
{'key': '2021092015301836200_BIB14', 'first-page': '1', 'article-title': 'Magnitude and energy of earthquakes', 'volume': '9', 'author': 'Gutenberg', 'year': '(1956)', 'journal-title': 'Ann. Geophys.'} / Ann. Geophys. / Magnitude and energy of earthquakes by Gutenberg ((1956))
{'key': '2021092015301836200_BIB15', 'volume-title': 'Seism. Bull., Jan.-Dec., 1970, Seism. Ser., Earth Physics Br. No. 61', 'author': 'Halliday', 'year': '(1971)'} / Seism. Bull., Jan.-Dec., 1970, Seism. Ser., Earth Physics Br. No. 61 by Halliday ((1971))
10.1029/JB077i017p03081 / J. Geophys. Res. / Analysis of amplitude spectra of P waves from earthquakes and underground explosions by Hasegawa ((1972))
10.1029/JZ072i010p02583 / J. Geophys. Res. / Analytic approximation for the elastic radiation from a contained underground explosion by Haskell ((1967))
10.1029/JZ071i018p04333 / J. Geophys. Res. / Excitation of surface waves by the underground nuclear explosion Long Shot by Liebermann ((1966))
10.1126/science.156.3778.1098 / Science / Excitation of surface waves by events in southern Algeria by Liebermann ((1967))
10.1111/j.1365-246X.1970.tb06083.x / Geophys. J. / Aspects of the spectral differences between earthquakes and underground explosions by Marshall ((1970))
10.1038/234008a0 / Nature / Surface waves from underground explosions by Marshall ((1971))
10.1111/j.1365-246X.1972.tb06141.x / Geophys. J. / Discrimination between earthquakes and underground explosions employing an improved Ms scale by Marshall ((1972))
{'key': '2021092015301836200_BIB23', 'volume-title': 'Elementary Seismology', 'author': 'Richter', 'year': '(1958)'} / Elementary Seismology by Richter ((1958))
{'key': '2021092015301836200_BIB24', 'volume-title': 'Nuclear-Explosion Seismology', 'author': 'Rodean', 'year': '(1971)'} / Nuclear-Explosion Seismology by Rodean ((1971))
{'key': '2021092015301836200_BIB25', 'volume-title': 'Seismic Methods for Monitoring Underground Explosions', 'author': 'SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute)', 'year': '(1968)'} / Seismic Methods for Monitoring Underground Explosions by SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) ((1968))
10.1785/BSSA0560040861 / Bull. Seism. Soc. Am. / P-wave coupling of underground nuclear explosions by Spinger ((1966))
10.1785/BSSA0610041073 / Bull. Seism. Soc. Am. / Seismic source summary for U.S. underground nuclear explosions, 1961-1970 by Springer ((1971))
10.1029/JZ067i004p01587 / J. Geophys. Res. / Amplitudes of seismic arrivals from the M discontinuity by Werth ((1962))
10.1029/JZ068i005p01463 / J. Geophys. Res. / Comparison of amplitudes of seismic waves from nuclear explosions in four mediums by Werth ((1963))

Dates

Type	When
Created	3 years, 11 months ago (Sept. 20, 2021, 11:34 a.m.)
Deposited	3 years, 11 months ago (Sept. 20, 2021, 11:34 a.m.)
Indexed	5 months, 1 week ago (March 22, 2025, 7:40 a.m.)
Issued	52 years, 7 months ago (Feb. 1, 1973)
Published	52 years, 7 months ago (Feb. 1, 1973)
Published Online	52 years, 7 months ago (Feb. 1, 1973)
Published Print	52 years, 7 months ago (Feb. 1, 1973)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Basham_1973, title={Seismic magnitudes of underground nuclear explosions}, volume={63}, ISSN={0037-1106}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1785/bssa0630010105}, DOI={10.1785/bssa0630010105}, number={1}, journal={Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America}, publisher={Seismological Society of America (SSA)}, author={Basham, P. W. and Horner, R. B.}, year={1973}, month=feb, pages={105–131} }

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