The 16 August 1997 Novaya Zemlya seismic event as viewed from GSN stations KEV and KBS

• Main Author: Hartse, H.E.
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: 35 ARMS CONTROL ;45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY; WEAPONRY; AND NATIONAL DEFENSE; SEISMIC DETECTION; NUCLEAR EXPLOSION DETECTION; SEISMIC EVENTS; TREATIES; SEISMIC P WAVES; SEISMIC S WAVES; SEISMIC ARRAYS; Kara Sea; Novaya Zemlya
• Online Access: http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/650322; https://www.osti.gov/biblio/650322; https://doi.org/10.2172/650322

Using current and historic seismic records from Global Seismic Network stations KEV and KBS, the authors find that S minus P arrival time comparisons between nuclear explosions and the 16 August 1997 seismic event (m{sub b} {approx} 3.6) from near Novaya Zemlya clearly indicate that (relative to KEV) the 16 August event occurred at least 80 km east of the Russian test site. Including S minus P arrival times from KBS constrains the location to beneath the Kara Sea and in good agreement with previously reported locations, over 100 km southeast of the test site. From an analysis of P{sub n}/S{sub n} waveform ratios at frequencies above 4 Hz, they find that the 16 August event falls within the population of regional earthquakes and is distinctly separated from Novaya Zemlya and other northern Eurasian nuclear explosion populations. Thus, given its location and waveform characteristics, they conclude the 16 August event was an earthquake. The 16 August event was not detected at teleseismic distances, and thus, this event provides a good example of the regional detection, location, and identification efforts that will be required to monitor the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty below m{sub b} {approx} 4.