Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America; February 1992; v. 82; no. 1; p. 406-421
© 1992 Seismological Society of America
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by REAMER, S. K.
Right arrow Articles by STUMP, B. W.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
GeoRef
Right arrow GeoRef Citation

Source parameter estimation for large, bermed, surface chemical explosions

SHARON K. REAMER and BRIAN W. STUMP

DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY, DALLAS, TEXAS 75275

Abstract

Near-source accelerograms (0.2 to 2.0 km range) were acquired from a series of bermed surface charges (0.075 to 1.65 kilotons) detonated in alluvium at a test site near Yuma, Arizona. The areal extent of the explosion test beds (radii from 18 to 54 m) affords the unique opportunity to study wave propagation from and source parameters of large surface explosions at near-source ranges. P and SV-Rayleigh phases are identified using particle motions. Rayleigh waves at an intermediate range transition to a combination of higher mode and fundamental mode Rayleigh waves at the farthest range. The power law decay rates for body waves (radial at r–1.8 and vertical at r–1.4) and surface waves (radial at r–1.0 and vertical at r–0.8) are further indication of complex propagation effects in the shallow alluvial geology. As a result of this complexity and the two-orders-of-magnitude range of explosive yields available, seismic source parameters are obtained with full-waveform spectral ratios. Source corner frequency is proportional to the radius of the explosion test beds and long-period-level (relative moment) scales linearly with yield. Spectral ratio yield estimates using smaller explosions as standard or calibration events gave absolute yield estimates within 6 to 35% of the true yield with a linear scaling law. The precision of individual yield estimates is reflected by multiplicative errors of 1.11 to 1.17. Full-waveform spectral ratio corner frequency estimates compare favorably with reglonal P-wave corner frequencies and validate the use of the spectral ratio technique for near-source seismic data.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Bulletin of the Seismological Society of AmericaHome page
R.-M. Zhou and B. W. Stump
Frequency-Domain Scaling of Single-Fired Mining Explosions with Different Confinements and Explosive Weights Detonated in Porphyry Granite
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, December 1, 2007; 97(6): 1862 - 1879.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Bulletin of the Seismological Society of AmericaHome page
B. W. Stump, D. C. Pearson, and R. E. Reinke
Source comparisons between nuclear and chemical explosions detonated at Rainier Mesa, Nevada Test Site
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, April 1, 1999; 89(2): 409 - 422.
[Abstract] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1992 by the Seismological Society of America.