PNNL

Abstract

Teleseismic events (earthquakes or explosions) generate strong seismic energy waves that propagate largely in the mantle. For example, the Threshold Test Ban Treaty restricted nuclear tests to be less that 150 kilotons in size, and explosions of this size generate seismic energy waves that are observed teleseismically. Teleseismic monitoring for explosions answers three questions: Where is the seismic event located? Is the event an explosion or natural (event identification)? If an explosion, how large was it? Resolving whether an explosion is chemical or nuclear can require additional analysis (e.g., analysis of atmospherically observed chemical and nuclear spectra). Because of the political ramifications of event identification errors, risk analysis in the context of nuclear explosion monitoring is unique.