Transmission and Reflection of Fundamental‐ModeRgSignals from Atmospheric and Underground Explosions

Abstract

Research Article| September 18, 2018 Transmission and Reflection of Fundamental‐Mode Rg Signals from Atmospheric and Underground Explosions Vanessa J. Napoli; Vanessa J. Napoli aWeston Geophysical Corp., 181 Bedford St. Suite 1, Lexington, Massachusetts 02420, vnapoli@westongeo.comdhrussell@westongeo.com Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David R. Russell David R. Russell aWeston Geophysical Corp., 181 Bedford St. Suite 1, Lexington, Massachusetts 02420, vnapoli@westongeo.comdhrussell@westongeo.combAlso at 275 Wilson Avenue, Satellite Beach, Florida 32937. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Vanessa J. Napoli aWeston Geophysical Corp., 181 Bedford St. Suite 1, Lexington, Massachusetts 02420, vnapoli@westongeo.comdhrussell@westongeo.com David R. Russell aWeston Geophysical Corp., 181 Bedford St. Suite 1, Lexington, Massachusetts 02420, vnapoli@westongeo.comdhrussell@westongeo.combAlso at 275 Wilson Avenue, Satellite Beach, Florida 32937. Publisher: Seismological Society of America First Online: 18 Sep 2018 Online Issn: 1943-3573 Print Issn: 0037-1106 © Seismological Society of America Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (2018) 108 (6): 3590–3597. https://doi.org/10.1785/0120180084 Article history First Online: 18 Sep 2018 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Vanessa J. Napoli, David R. Russell; Transmission and Reflection of Fundamental‐Mode Rg Signals from Atmospheric and Underground Explosions. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 2018;; 108 (6): 3590–3597. doi: https://doi.org/10.1785/0120180084 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyBulletin of the Seismological Society of America Search Advanced Search Abstract Rg signals measured between 1 and 5 Hz at local and near‐regional distances provide a viable method for estimating the yields of atmospheric and underground explosions. However, tested methods have been restricted to single or slowly changing source and receiver geologies, because propagation across abruptly changing geological boundaries can cause large reflections of the propagating Rg signals resulting in unacceptably large errors in yield estimates. In this article, we demonstrate how to correct for transmission and reflection across boundaries if estimates of the layered velocity, density, and attenuation structure in the different geological media are known. The methodology developed is tested using the alluvium and limestone structures analyzed in detail for the Humble Redwood (HR) III (2012) explosions conducted near Albuquerque, New Mexico. We validate the technique against the HRI (2007) and HRII (2009) atmospheric and underground explosions conducted in the same geologies as HRIII, with propagation paths crossing both alluvium and limestone. We compare synthetic estimates of yields of the HRI and HRII explosions based on earth structure to the known yield of 540 kg for these events. With no alluvium–limestone transmission correction, the estimated yield for the atmospheric explosion is 31 kg, and underground is 53 kg, which are both grossly inaccurate. The estimated yield after applying the transmission correction for the atmospheric explosion is 590 kg, and for the underground explosion is 617 kg, giving respective yield errors of 9% and 14%. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.