P-wave amplitude spectra of Nevada underground nuclear explosions

TLDR: In this paper, short-period vertical-component P-wave spectra have been determined for twelve Nevada underground nuclear explosions recorded by the Swedish seismic station network, covering the magnitude range frommb=5.9 tomb=7.0 and the shot-depth range from 460 m to 1400 m. All explosion spectra show pronounced minima near 1 sec period.

Abstract: Short-period vertical-componentP-wave spectra have been determined for twelve Nevada underground nuclear explosions recorded by the Swedish seismic station network. Selected events cover the magnitude range frommb=5.9 tomb=7.0 and the shot-depth range from 460 m to 1400 m. All explosion spectra show pronounced minima near 1 sec period. Within individual test areas the period at which the minimum occurs increases systematically with increasing shot-depth. This dependence makes it possible to interpret the observed minima in terms of interference betweenP- andpP-waves. One atmospheric explosion from Novaya Zemlya is analyzed to verify the inferred minima intrpretation.