Upper mantle structure of the Northern Eurasia from peaceful nuclear explosion data

Several long-range seismic profiles were carried out in Russia with Peaceful Nuclear Explosions (PNE). The data from 25 PNEs recorded along these profiles were used to compile a 3-D upper mantle velocity model for the central part of the Northern Eurasia. 2-D crust and upper mantle models were also constructed for all profiles using a common methodology for wavefield interpretation. Five basic boundaries were traced over the study area: N1 boundary (velocity level, V = 8.35 km/s; depth interval, D = 60–130 km), N2 (V = 8.4 km/s; D = 100–140 km), L (V = 8.5 km/s; D = 180–240 km) and H (V = 8.6 km/s; D = 300–330 km) and structural maps were compiled for each boundary. Together these boundaries describe a 3-D upper mantle model for northern Eurasia. A map characterised the velocity distribution in the uppermost mantle down to a depth of 60 km is also presented. Mostly horizontal inhomogeneity is observed in the uppermost mantle, and the velocities range from the average 8.0–8.1 km/s to 8.3–8.4 km/s in some blocks of the Siberian Craton. At a depth of 100–200 km, the local high velocity blocks disappear and only three large anomalies are observed: lower velocities in West Siberia and higher velocities in the East-European platform and in the central part of the Siberian Craton. In contrast, the depths to the H boundary are greater beneath the craton and lower beneath in the West Siberian Platform. A correlation between tectonics, geophysical fields and crustal structure is observed. In general, the old and cold cratons have higher velocities in the mantle than the young platforms with higher heat flows.Structural peculiarities of the upper mantle are difficult to describe in form of classical lithosphere–asthenosphere system. The asthenosphere cannot be traced from the seismic data; in contrary the lithosphere is suggested to be rheologically stratified. All the lithospheric boundaries are not simple discontinuities, they are heterogeneous (thin layering) zones which generate multiphase reflections. Many of them may be a result of fluids concentrated at some critical P–T conditions which produce rheologically weak zones. The most visible rheological variations are observed at depths of around 100 and 250 km.     

Ground truth seismic events and location capability at Degelen mountain, Kazakhstan

We utilized nuclear explosions from the Degelen Mountain sub-region of the Semipalatinsk Test Site (STS), Kazakhstan, to assess seismic location capability directly. Excellent ground truth information for these events was either known or was estimated from maps of the Degelen Mountain adit complex. Origin times were refined for events for which absolute origin time information was unknown using catalog arrival times, our ground truth location estimates, and a time baseline provided by fixing known origin times during a joint hypocenter determination (JHD). Precise arrival time picks were determined using a waveform cross-correlation process applied to the available digital data. These data were used in a JHD analysis. We found that very accurate locations were possible when high precision, waveform cross-correlation arrival times were combined with JHD. Relocation with our full digital data set resulted in a mean mislocation of 2 km and a mean 95% confidence ellipse (CE) area of 6.6 km² (90% CE: 5.1 km²), however, only 5 of the 18 computed error ellipses actually covered the associated ground truth location estimate. To test a more realistic nuclear test monitoring scenario, we applied our JHD analysis to a set of seven events (one fixed) using data only from seismic stations within 40° epicentral distance. Relocation with these data resulted in a mean mislocation of 7.4 km, with four of the 95% error ellipses covering less than 570 km² (90% CE: 438 km²), and the other two covering 1730 and 8869 km² (90% CE: 1331 and 6822 km²). Location uncertainties calculated using JHD often underestimated the true error, but a circular region with a radius equal to the mislocation covered less than 1000 km² for all events having more than three observations.     

Explosion seismic reflections from the Earth’s core

Recent seismological studies have presented evidence for the existence of a layer with ultra-low seismic velocities at the core-mantle boundary at ca. 2900 km depth. We report high-amplitude, high-frequency, and laterally coherent seismic arrivals from three nuclear explosions in Siberia. With recording station intervals of 15 km, the seismic phases are readily correlated and show the presence of a thin, ultra-low velocity zone in a region where it was not previously reported. The duration and complexity of the arrivals are inconsistent with a simple core-mantle boundary and require a hitherto unidentified, kilometre-scale, fine structure in the ultra-low velocity zone. The observations may be explained by a ca. 7 km thick, two-layer, ultra-low velocity zone with exceptional low velocities, which indicate the presence of high percentages of melt (>15%), in particular in the lower part of the zone. Waveform variation implies lateral change in the thickness and physical properties of the ultra-low velocity zone with a wavelength of less than 100 km.     

The mechanisms of shallow earthquakes and the monitoring of a comprehensive test ban

The ability of seismological criteria to identify earthquakes from underground explosions depends partly on the orientation of the earthquake source. Well-determined double-couple moment tensor solutions for a large number of earthquakes have been published in the Harvard centroid moment tensor (CMT) and United Slates Geological Survey (USGS) catalogues. Statistical analyses of these catalogues indicate that the distribution of the orientation of earthquake mechanisms is not random. The distribution of the T axes shows significant clustering around the downward vertical, indicating that a larger number of earthquake mechanisms radiate compressional P -wave energy to teleseismic distances from near the maximum of the radiation pattern than is predicted if earthquake sources are randomly oriented double couples. The clustered T axes correspond to compressional dip-slip mechanisms, and it is this type of mechanism which is believed to cause both the m _b: M _s (the ratio of body-wave to surface-wave magnitude) and first-motion criteria to misidentify an earthquake as an explosion.     

Porewater pressure increases in soil and rock from underground chemical and nuclear explosions

A review and analysis of chemical and nuclear explosive-induced porewater pressure increases and induced rise in groundwater table elevations (groundwater mounding) is presented. Our analysis indicates that residual pore pressure increases and groundwater mounding can be induced by underground chemical and nuclear explosions to scaled distances of 879 m/(kt)^1/3. This relationship is linear over seven orders of magnitude of explosive energy ranging from a 0.01 kg chemical explosion to a 100 kt nuclear explosion and is valid for a wide variety of saturated geological profiles. Underground chemical explosions, and probably underground nuclear explosions have the potential to induce liquefaction of water-saturated soils to scaled distances of about 260 m/(kt)^1/3.     

腾冲热海火山地热区近期水热爆炸的阶段性演化特征

水热爆炸是活动性地热田的典型显示。腾冲热海火山地热区历史上曾发生过强烈的水热爆炸活动，但前期一度沉寂。1993年以来水热爆炸活动再度活跃。在过去十年间，研究区内发生过较大的爆炸喷发事件20余次，且规模越来越大。本文根据对爆炸形成泉点的选出气体化学和氦同位素组成的测试结果，研究了区内近期水热爆炸活动的演化特征。逸出气体化学和氦同位素组成特征指示，区内近期引发水热爆炸活动的气体源区有从浅层、中层向深层发展的趋势；作者认为，区内未来可能发生更大规模的爆炸活动，其危险性应引起高度关注。     

根据构造环境剪应力值水平区分地震和核爆炸

根据地震破裂的断裂力学模式，导出了震源参数与地震发生处的构造环境剪应力值t0之间的函数关系．据此，可以大量计算震源处的构造环境剪应力值或背景应力值．若把核爆炸当作地震来计算，发现核爆炸的t0值平均在20MPa左右，明显地高于同震级地震的t0值．其结果可以作为区分地震与核爆炸的依据．      

Discrimination between nuclear explosions and earthquakes based on consideration of tectonic ambient shear stress values

IntroductionFor the need of a nuclear test ban treaty, international society must make great efforts to find effective methods for discrimination between earthquake and nuclear explosion. Thereupon, many methods of discrimination of nuclear explosion appeared. But, at present, there is some uncertainty to discriminate middle or small nuclear explosion (Peppin, McEvilly, 1974; Richards, Zarales, 1990). When we study tectonic ambient shear stress field of Southern California, we find that str…     

初动在核爆监测中的应用及分析

核爆炸与地震相比,围绕爆炸源的初动具有更多的向上记录和更高的振幅周期比,初动可以作为核爆与地震的一个识别标志。某些核爆炸的向下记录。或许是由于低信噪比的原因,记录到的是初至波的第二个半周;其余的也许是由于近P波走时曲线的反射波造成。