Significant release of shear energy of the North Korean nuclear test on February 12, 2013

On February 12, 2013 the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) carried out an announced nuclear test, which was the third after tests conducted in 2006 and 2009. An important task in discriminating a man-made explosion and a natural tectonic earthquake is the analysis of seismic waveforms. To determine the isotropic and non-isotropic characteristics of the detonation source, I invert long-period seismic data for the full seismic moment tensor to match the observed seismic signals by synthetic waveforms based on a 3D Earth model. Here, I show that the inversion of long-period seismic data of the 2013 test reveals a clear explosive (isotropic) component combined with a significant release of shear energy by the double-couple part of the moment tensor. While the isotropic part of the nuclear test in 2009 was similar to that in 2013, the double-couple part was lower by a factor of 0.55 compared to the explosion in 2013. Moreover, the ratio of the isotropic seismic moments of the 2013 and 2009 nuclear tests is 1.4?±?0.1 and lower than published estimations of the yield ratio, which indicates the importance of considering the release of shear energy. The determined orientation of the double-couple fault plane is parallel to the dominating geologic fault structures NNE-SSW to NE-SW, but the calculated normal faulting mechanism does not correspond to the general tectonic strike-slip regime. Thus, explanations for the enhanced release of shear energy might be induced dip-slip motion pre-stressed by the previous test or near source damaging effects due to a changed containment of the nuclear explosion.     

Decomposition of seismic moment tensors for underground nuclear explosions

Generally the decomposition of a seismic moment tensor is not unique. However, to favorably view the characteristics of a certain seismic source, one must decompose a seismic moment tensor into parts according to assumptions about the properties of the seismic source. Different from natural earthquakes in which the shear dislocation component plays a predominant role in the source process, and the seismic moment tensor can be separated into an isotropic component, a double couple, and a compensated linear vector dipole (CLVD), underground nuclear explosions have three major components in their source process, i.e., the explosion, the tensional spalling, and the tectonic strain release associated with the explosion. In such a situation the conventional moment tensor decomposition for earthquakes is not convenient to estimate the yield of the explosion and to characterize the tectonic strain release. In this paper, an alternative decomposition scheme is proposed to deal with the moment tensor of underground nuclear explosions, which might benefit the approach to study the tectonic strain release induced by underground nuclear detonations.     

Seismic monitoring of explosions: a method to extract information on the isotropic component of the seismic source

The design of a monitoring system for detecting explosions is a very topical problem, both for routine data processing at seismological observatories as well as for the monitoring of a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. In this framework it is desirable to have the possibility to quantify the presence of the isotropic component in the seismic source. For this purpose a method is presented, which is based on waveform inversion for the full moment tensor retrieval. The method inverts either full waveforms or separate seismic phases and returns the mechanism and time history of a point source. Moreover, it allows to redefine the hypocentral depth of the event and, in a simplistic way, to optimize the structural model as well. In order to model strong laterally heterogeneous structures, different pairs of structural models can be used for each source-receiver path. The source is decomposed into a volumetric part (V), representing an explosive or implosive component, and into a deviatoric part, containing both the double couple (DC) and the compensated linear vector dipole (CLVD) components. The method is applied to an area in central Switzerland and to the network of the Swiss Seismological Service. The events of interest include both earthquakes and explosions. Despite some modelling inadequacies of the source-time function, the explosions can be well identified with the inverted isotropic component in the source, as long as the number of stations used for the inversion is larger than three. The results of the inversion are better for large epicenter-station distances of the order of 40–90 km.     

地形起伏对基于地震波形的浅源地震深度反演影响——以2017年9月3日朝鲜M6.3事件为例

震源深度是核试验以及塌陷等浅源地震研究中的关键参数,可以为事件成因分析提供关键信息.然而朝鲜核试验区域地形起伏较大,地形效应可能对震源深度反演的结果造成影响.本文基于理论地震图进行测试,研究了地形起伏对震源深度反演的影响.发现震源深度小于2km时,不考虑地形影响,反演得到的震源深度会系统偏浅0.2km左右.然后利用MDJ2速度结构模型,我们反演了2017年9月3日朝鲜M6.3事件的震源参数,结果显示震源深度约为0.8km.进一步基于带地形的格林函数重新反演了该事件的震源深度,发现在1km处波形拟合结果较好.不同速度模型测试结果显示该事件的震源深度反演误差约为1km.案例研究表明,基于层状均匀速度模型,利用区域地震波形资料反演的震源深度可以为浅源事件成因分析提供关键约束.     

Moment Tensor Solutions and Triggering Environment for Earthquakes in Koyna-Warna Water Reservoirs Region,India

We consider nine earthquakes in the Koyna-Warna reservoir region on the western side of the Peninsular India. The deviatoric moment tensors of these earthquakes have been evaluated by minimizing the least-squares misfit between observed and synthetic seismograms. We use broadband seismograms of observatories at KARD and PUNE which are at distances of nearly 50 and 150 km, respectively, from the epicenters. Both surface wave inversion and the difference between the arrival times of SH and SV show the presence of an anisotropic crust. However, we have obtained an equivalent isotropic structure by improving the published crustal structures of this area through inversion of surface wave group velocity data. The deviatoric moment tensors of the earthquakes are decomposed into two components: double-couple and compensated linear vector dipoles (CLVD). The double-couple components of all the nine earthquakes show normal faulting with minor strike slip; the T axis is consistently subhorizontal with an average azimuth of 260.6° and the P axis is nearly vertical. The fault planes of six events give average strike direction and dip, respectively as 194.0° and 51.8° and are associated with the main fault of the area. The other three events lie in the southern part of this area and have strike direction between SSE and SE which is parallel to the tectonic features in this part. The CLVD component is generally within 20 percent of the total moment tensor. Recent studies show that anisotropy can produce source mechanism with CLVD up to 30 percent and can also cause high pore fluid pressure leading to fault instability more rapidly compared to conventional mechanism in an isotropic medium. It appears that the anisotropic crust, noted in the present work, is generating the CLVD component and also gives the proper environment to trigger earthquakes by reservoirs through pore fluid pressure.     

朝鲜地下核试验的地震学观测

自2006年至2017年,朝鲜民主主义人民共和国在中朝边界地区的试验场进行了6次地下核试验.本文综合报道根据东北亚地区的宽频带数字地震资料利用地震学方法对这六次地下核爆炸的研究.结果表明,朝鲜地下核试验在区域台网产生的地震记录具有典型浅源爆炸的特征.针对上述资料发展了处理核爆数据的方法并据此得出各次朝鲜核爆的地震学参数,包括事件识别、当量测定、以及震中相对定位等.对6次核爆和4次天然地震P/S类型谱振幅比的统计分析表明,2 Hz以上台网平均谱振幅比可以正确地将朝鲜核爆从天然地震中识别出来,从而有效监测在朝鲜半岛进行的当量大于0.5 kt的地下核试验.同时也发现,建立在体波-面波震级比之上的识别方法不适用于朝鲜核试验场.通过建立中朝边界地区基于Lg波的体波震级系统,计算了各次朝鲜核试验的体波震级m_b（Lg）,并由此估计了它们的地震学当量,其值介于0.5 kt至60 kt之间.由于缺少爆炸埋藏深度的数据,上述当量有可能被低估,因而有必要对深度影响做进一步研究.以第一次爆炸的位置为参考震中,利用Pn波相对走时数据和高精度相对定位方法获得了各次核爆在试验场中的精确定位.     

Discriminating Between Large Mine Collapses and Explosions Using Teleseismic P Waves

—?Some of the most suspicious seismic disturbances under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) are likely to be those associated with mining, as they are shallow, and at least some have an explosion-like m _b :M _s signature. Previous research highlighted the potential of broadband teleseismic P waves as a way of identifying large mine tremors. Broadband teleseismic P from two suspected large mine collapses, one in Germany (1302 UT, 13 March 1989, 5.4?m _b ) and another in Wyoming (1526 UT, 3 February 1995, 5.3?m _b ), show differences in character despite the similarity of the reported ground failure and mine types. We apply a full moment-tensor analysis to the teleseismic P waves and show that the data are inconsistent with either a shallow explosion or an earthquake (double-couple) at depth, but this method is unable to distinguish between a shallow dip-slip source and a closing-crack moment tensor. However, three-component surface-wave seismograms recorded at regional distances fit the shallow closing-crack model, but are inconsistent with a shallow earthquake source, because strong Love waves, expected from a double-couple source, are not observed at a number of stations well distributed in azimuth. Here, we restate the equivalence for shallow sources of the closing-crack model and a gravitational collapse model. We use the latter to model the broadband P waves from these mine tremors and show that, while non-unique, the differences in the observed broadband P waves from the two tremors can be attributed to the area, amount of collapse, depth, and rate of collapse. The collapse model predicts negative first-motion for all P waves in contrast to the positive polarity expected from explosions. Thus, the broadband teleseismic P waves have the potential to discriminate between large collapses and explosions.     

Seismic Source Characteristics of Soviet Peaceful Nuclear Explosions

—?During the period 1965 to 1988, the former Soviet Union (FSU) conducted over 120 peaceful nuclear explosions (PNE) at locations widely dispersed throughout the territories of the FSU. These explosions sample a much wider range of source conditions than do the historical explosions at the known nuclear test sites and, therefore, seismic data recorded from these PNE tests provide a unique resource for use in deriving improved quantitative bounds on the ranges of seismic signal characteristics which may require consideration in global monitoring of the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). In this paper we summarize the results of a detailed statistical analysis of broadband seismic data recorded at the Borovoye Geophysical Observatory from 21 of these PNE tests at regional distances extending from about 7 to 19 degrees, as well as the results of theoretical waveform simulation analyses of near-regional (Δ?相似文献   

Mantle Attenuation Estimated from Regional and Teleseismic P-waves of Deep Earthquakes and Surface Explosions

We estimated the network-averaged mantle attenuation t*(total) of 0.5 s beneath the North Korea test site (NKTS) by use of P-wave spectra and normalized spectral stacks from the 25 May 2009 declared nuclear test (mb 4.5; IDC). This value was checked using P-waves from seven deep (580–600 km) earthquakes (4.8 < M _w < 5.5) in the Jilin-Heilongjiang, China region that borders with Russia and North Korea. These earthquakes are 200–300 km from the NKTS, within 200 km of the Global Seismic Network seismic station in Mudanjiang, China (MDJ) and the International Monitoring System primary arrays at Ussuriysk, Russia (USRK) and Wonju, Republic of Korea (KSRS). With the deep earthquakes, we split the t*(total) ray path into two segments: a t*(u), that represents the attenuation of the up-going ray from the deep hypocenters to the local-regional receivers, and t*(d), that represents the attenuation along the down-going ray to teleseismic receivers. The sum of t*(u) and t*(d) should be equal to t*(total), because they both share coincident ray paths. We estimated the upper-mantle attenuation t*(u) of 0.1 s at stations MDJ, USRK, and KSRS from individual and stacks of normalized P-wave spectra. We then estimated the average lower-mantle attenuation t*(d) of 0.4 s using stacked teleseismic P-wave spectra. We finally estimated a network average t*(total) of 0.5 s from the stacked teleseismic P-wave spectra from the 2009 nuclear test, which confirms the equality with the sum of t*(u) and t*(d). We included constraints on seismic moment, depth, and radiation pattern by using results from a moment tensor analysis and corner frequencies from modeling of P-wave spectra recorded at local distances. We also avoided finite-faulting effects by excluding earthquakes with complex source time functions. We assumed ω² source models for earthquakes and explosions. The mantle attenuation beneath the NKTS is clearly different when compared with the network-averaged t* of 0.75 s for the western US and is similar to values of approximately 0.5 s for the Semipalatinsk test site within the 0.5–2 Hz range.     

On the possibility of detecting complex sources of earthquakes from data of the centroid moment tensor catalog

In their analysis of the crustal stress-strain state and the study of strong earthquake sources, a number of authors use the parameter ? measuring the deviation of the focal mechanism from the double-couple model. Can one obtain reliable estimates of ? from regular determinations of the seismic moment tensor components made at world seismological centers and use these estimates to gain constraints on the rupture at the source? Comparing centroid moment tensor solutions of Harvard University with determinations made at the National Earthquake Information Center (United States) and analyzing some strong earthquakes, we arrive at a negative answer to this question. The values of ? and the consideration of determination uncertainties in seismic moment tensor components cannot provide a reliable idea of the source complexity, so that independent geological and geophysical information should be invoked.     

Analysis of Russian Hydroacoustic Data for CTBT Monitoring

—?As part of a collaborative research program for the purpose of monitoring the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), we are in the process of examining and analyzing hydroacoustic data from underwater explosions conducted in the former Soviet Union. We are using these data as constraints on modeling the hydroacoustic source as a function of depth below the water surface. This is of interest to the CTBT because although even small explosions at depth generate signals easily observable at large distances, the hydroacoustic source amplitude decreases as the source approaches the surface. Consequently, explosions in the ocean will be more difficult to identify if they are on or near the ocean surface. We are particularly interested in records featuring various combinations of depths of explosion, and distances and depths of recording.¶Unique historical Russian data sets have now become available from test explosions of 100-kg TNT cast spherical charges in a shallow reservoir (87?m length, 25?m to 55?m width, and 3?m depth) with a low-velocity air-saturated layer of sand on the bottom. A number of tests were conducted with varying water level and charge depths. Pressure measurements were taken at varying depths and horizontal distances in the water. The available data include measurements of peak pressures from all explosions and digitized pressure-time histories from some of them. A reduction of peak pressure by about 60–70% is observed in these measurements for half-immersed charges as compared with deeper explosions. In addition, several peak-pressure measurements are also available from a 1957 underwater nuclear explosion (yield <10?kt and depth 30?m) in the Bay of Chernaya (Novaya Zemlya).¶The 100-kg TNT data were compared with model predictions. Shockwave modeling is based on spherical wave propagation and finite element calculations, constrained by empirical data from US underwater chemical and nuclear tests. Modeling was performed for digitized pressure-time histories from two fully-immersed explosions and one explosion of a half-immersed charge, as well as for the peak-pressure measurements from all explosions carried out in the reservoir with water level at its maximum (3?m). We found that the model predictions match the Russian data well.¶Peak-pressure measurements and pressure-time histories were simulated at 10?km distance from hypothetical 1-kt and 10-kt nuclear explosions conducted at various depths in the ocean. The ocean water was characterized by a realistic sound velocity profile featuring a velocity minimum at 700?m depth. Simulated measurements at that same depth predict at least a tenfold increase in peak pressures from explosions in the SOFAR channel as compared with very shallow explosions (e.g., ～3?m depth).¶ The observations and the modeling results were also compared with predictions calculated at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory using a different modeling approach. All results suggest that although the coupling is reduced for very shallow explosions, a shallow 1-kt explosion should be detectable by the IMS hydroacoustic network.     

朝鲜核爆的Rayleigh波震级测量

利用1995年至2009年中国东北及邻近地区11个宽频带台站记录到的77个地震事件、3个化学爆炸和2次朝鲜核爆的区域地震资料,标定该区域台网的Rayleigh波震级.通过对8~25 s 周期的垂直分量Rayleigh波形进行分析,获取基于最大振幅的面波震级.计算82个区域事件不同周期的台基响应,经过台基校正后取最大振幅的面波震级为事件震级.2006年和2009年两次朝鲜核爆的面波震级分别为2.93±0.19和3.62±0.21.将地震和核爆事件的面波震级M_s与体波震级m_b(Lg)进行比较,发现根据该区域台网的数据利用M_s-m_b识别方法无法鉴别朝鲜地区的核爆与地震.朝鲜核爆的面波震级相对较大,使M_s-m_b识别方法失效,其原因可能是源区介质的不均匀性、由核爆炸冲击引发的深部的拉伸破坏被抑制,或者是近爆源区存在张性的构造预应力.假定核爆可能的埋藏深度范围是0.01~1.0 km,用Rayleigh波震级估计朝鲜核爆的当量,对2006年和2009年核爆当量的估值范围分别为0.42~3.17 kt和2.06~15.53 kt.     

地震与核爆识别的小波包分量比方法

频谱分析法在核爆与地震识别中具有广泛的应用．但是频谱分析方法是稳态方法,即使采用Gabor变换,也因时-频窗口形状不变而分辨串较低．为提高时-频分辨率,本文将小波变换理论用于乌鲁木齐台记录的地震与核爆事件的分析,并提出了识别核爆和天然地震的小波包分量比判据．通过对加拿大黄刀地震台记录的印度地下核爆的分析,进一步验证了小波包分量比判据对核爆和地震的识别具有较高的识别效率．结果表明：对于地震信号,其小波包分量比U03/U1一般都大于1.0,而对于核爆信号,比值U03／U13一般都小于1.0.     

Short-period Rayleigh waves from near-surface events

Short-period fundamental-mode Rayleigh waves (Rg) are generally well recorded by short-period seismographs within about 600 km of seismic events, such as explosions, rockbursts and earthquakes, which occur in the upper 3 km of the crust. Studies of these waves from records at the Swedish seismograph network revealed their usefulness to elucidate both path and source properties. They exhibit normal dispersion which requires a superficial low-velocity layer of about 1 km thickness, in part probably weathered and fractured granite. This layer has considerably higher attenuation than underlying more competent rock. The existence of Rg in regional short-period records is a reliable indication of shallow focal depth, and, provided adequate calibration is available, quite accurate depth estimation would be possible from the amplitude ratio of Rg to Sg1.     

Slip Distribution of the 1963 Great Kurile Earthquake Estimated from Tsunami Waveforms

The 1963 great Kurile earthquake was an underthrust earthquake occurred in the Kurile?CKamchatka subduction zone. The slip distribution of the 1963 earthquake was estimated using 21 tsunami waveforms recorded at tide gauges along the Pacific and Okhotsk Sea coasts. The extended rupture area was divided into 24 subfaults, and the slip on each subfault was determined by the tsunami waveform inversion. The result shows that the largest slip amount of 2.8?m was found at the shallow part and intermediate depth of the rupture area. Large slip amounts were found at the shallow part of the rupture area. The total seismic moment was estimated to be 3.9?×?10²¹?Nm (M_w 8.3). The 2006 Kurile earthquake occurred right next to the location of the 1963 earthquake, and no seismic gap exists between the source areas of the 1963 and 2006 earthquakes.     

On the observability of isotropic seismic sources: The July 31, 1970 Colombian earthquake

Theoretical calculations are made to study the observability of isotropic components of seismic sources. In particular we consider the 1970 deep Colombian earthquake, for which a precursory isotropic component was previously reported by Gilbert and Dziewonski.We compare an ultra-long period vertical record at Pasadena of the 1970 event to synthetic seismograms calculated both for Gilbert and Dziewonski's source model and for the pure double-couple source of Furumoto and Fukao, and obtain better overall agreement for the latter. The amplitude of the long-period synthetic for the isotropic source is about 5–15 times smaller than the synthetic for the deviatoric source, suggesting that the data may be relatively insensitive to the presence of a small isotropic source. When this possibility was tested, the overall agreement was found to be almost completely insensitive to the presence of even a reasonably large isotropic component.However, the isotropic source was derived from multi-station moment tensor inversion, rather than from single-station studies. A numerical experiment on the effect of lateral heterogeneity of eigenfrequencies and of Q on the inversion for the moment tensor shows that even relatively small amounts of heterogeneity can produce spurious isotropic sources from moment tensor inversion.     

Seismic moment tensor inversion using 3D velocity model and its application to the 2013 Lushan earthquake sequence

Source inversion of small-magnitude events such as aftershocks or mine collapses requires use of relatively high frequency seismic waveforms which are strongly affected by small-scale heterogeneities in the crust. In this study, we developed a new inversion method called gCAP3D for determining general moment tensor of a seismic source using Green's functions of 3D models. It inherits the advantageous features of the “Cut-and-Paste” (CAP) method to break a full seismogram into the Pnl and surface-wave segments and to allow time shift between observed and predicted waveforms. It uses grid search for 5 source parameters (relative strengths of the isotropic and compensated-linear-vector-dipole components and the strike, dip, and rake of the double-couple component) that minimize the waveform misfit. The scalar moment is estimated using the ratio of L₂ norms of the data and synthetics. Focal depth can also be determined by repeating the inversion at different depths. We applied gCAP3D to the 2013 M_s 7.0 Lushan earthquake and its aftershocks using a 3D crustal-upper mantle velocity model derived from ambient noise tomography in the region. We first relocated the events using the double-difference method. We then used the finite-differences method and reciprocity principle to calculate Green's functions of the 3D model for 20 permanent broadband seismic stations within 200 km from the source region. We obtained moment tensors of the mainshock and 74 aftershocks ranging from M_w 5.2 to 3.4. The results show that the Lushan earthquake is a reverse faulting at a depth of 13–15 km on a plane dipping 40–47° to N46° W. Most of the aftershocks occurred off the main rupture plane and have similar focal mechanisms to the mainshock's, except in the proximity of the mainshock where the aftershocks' focal mechanisms display some variations.     

Source processes of large (M≥6.5) earthquakes of the Southeastern Caribbean (1926–1960)

We have conducted body waveform modeling studies of 13 historic earthquakes to provide a better understanding of the long-term spatial and temporal pattern of seismicity and deformation within a region extending from Barbuda, Lesser Antilles, to Cumana, Venezuela. Our results suggest that shallow earthquakes (<50 km deep) along the South American-Caribbean plate margin reflect right-lateral and extensional deformation. Intermediate depth events (100 km) show left-lateral strike-slip motion beneath the Paria peninsula of Venezuela. In the Lesser Antilles the 1960 Barbuda and 1946 Martinique earthquakes appear to be interplate thrust events, however the greatest moment release in the region has occurred at intermediate depths as a mixture of normal and strike-slip faulting, generally along trends oblique to the arc. The deformation rate estimated from the seismic moment release between 1926 and 1960 is only 1 to 10% of the estimated plate convergence rate for the region.     

朝鲜2009年和2013年两次核爆的地震学特征对比研究

利用布设在长白山地区临时地震台站接收到的朝鲜核爆的波形资料,对2009年5月25日和2013年2月12日两次朝鲜核试验的地震学特征进行比较.震中距范围从145km到420km.采用P/S型谱比值方法识别朝鲜核爆,通过与2009年3月20日长春地震和2013年1月23日沈阳地震事件的比较,表明在频率大于3 Hz时P/S型谱比值能够有效识别发生在中朝边境地区的地下核试验.选定参考台站,利用区域震相Pg波的振幅谱比值计算朝鲜核爆至各台站路径上的相对衰减.结合介质速度模型,在一定程度上反映了长白山地区衰减情况,为进一步研究长白山地区衰减层析成像提供初始模型.     

Source Mechanisms of Induced Earthquakes at The Geysers Geothermal Reservoir

At The Geysers geothermal reservoir in northern California, evidence strongly suggests that activities associated with production of electric power cause an increase in the number of small earthquakes. First-degree dynamic moment tensors are used to investigate the relationship between induced earthquakes and injection of water into a well as part of a controlled experiment in the northwest Geysers. The estimation of dynamic moment tensors in the complex shallow crust at The Geysers is challenging, so the method is described in detail with particular attention given to the uncertainty in the results. For seismic events in the moment magnitude range of 0.9–2.8, spectral moduli of dynamic moment tensors are reliably recovered in the frequency range of 1–100 Hz, but uncertainty in the associated spectral phases limits their use to a few simple results. A number of different static moment tensors are investigated, with the preferred one obtained from parameters of a model fitted to the spectral modulus of the dynamic moment tensor. Moment tensors estimated for a group of 20 earthquakes exhibit a range of source mechanisms, with over half having significant isotropic parts of either positive or negative sign. Corner frequencies of the isotropic part of the moment tensor are about 40 % larger than the average of the deviatoric moment tensor. Some spatial patterns are present in source mechanisms, with earthquakes closely related in space tending to have similar mechanisms, but at the same time, some nearby earthquakes have very different mechanisms. Tensional axes of displacement in the source regions are primarily horizontal, while the pressure axes range from near horizontal to vertical. Injection of water into the well in the center of the study area clearly causes an increase in the number of earthquakes per day, but an effect upon source mechanisms is not evident.