International Monitoring System Network Research Articles

International Data Centre Bulletin Events Triggered by Controlled Underwater Explosions of World War 2 Ordnances

This paper focuses on events linked to controlled underwater explosions of World War 2 (WW2) ordnances which were included in the Reviewed Event Bulletin (REB). Data used for the study were provided by seismic stations of the International Monitoring System (IMS) in 2020. Examined events were triggered by devices of different charge size and took place in several locations in Europe. There were also other, previously detected WW2 ordnance underwater explosions which could be compared to events in 2020. It is shown that these relatively small underwater explosions listed in the REB, with good coupling to the ground, are located by the IMS network within 20 km from the ground truth. Charge size of explosive material was related to event magnitude. Results were compared to magnitudes published for underwater explosions of larger sizes. The conclusion is that an in-water explosion will result in seismic waves with amplitudes equivalent to the amplitudes of seismic waves from an in-ground explosion with 17.2 times the yield in kT.

The Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai Eruption of 15 January 2022: Observations on the International Monitoring System (IMS) Hydroacoustic Stations and Synergy with Seismic and Infrasound Sensors

AbstractExamination of the International Monitoring System (IMS) hydroacoustic data recorded during the 15 January 2022 eruption of the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai (HTHH) volcano shows that the in-water hydroacoustic sensors recorded a long-duration (40 min) activity starting before and ending after the paroxysmal HTHH eruption at about 4:15 UTC. The main eruption at 4:15 UTC simultaneously generated low-frequency [0.001–0.05] Hz seismic body waves and large infrasound waves in the atmosphere, as well as a tsunami. The peak-to-peak pressure observed at the closest IMS station, IS22, 1850 km away from the source, was 340 Pa, dwarfing the largest previously observed record for the signal from the Chelyabinsk meteor. The infrasound waves included a Lamb wave containing periods at least up to 2000 s. The Lamb wave and tsunami are well recorded on infrasound and near-shore seismometers. The air wave generated a precursor tsunami ahead of the main tsunami, but we do not observe it on the hydroacoustic IMS network. The dispersive tail of the main tsunami is observed on four in-water hydroacoustic hydrophone stations, one of them as far as 16,120 km away in the Atlantic Ocean.

Application of silver-exchanged zeolite for radioxenon mitigation at fission-based medical isotope production facilities

Atmospheric radioxenon releases from fission-based medical isotope production facilities are the main contributors to the radioxenon background being observed in the International Monitoring System (IMS) for the verification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. This background is impacting the detection capability of the IMS network for potential nuclear explosions. Reducing the radioxenon emissions from these facilities requires the optimization of the corresponding filtration process. The investigation of more efficient Xe adsorption materials than Activated Carbon (AC), which is currently used for this application, can play an important role for such an optimization. In this work, the Xe adsorption capacity of silver-exchanged zeolites (AgZs) is compared to the one of ACs in relevant conditions for fission-based medical isotope production facilities. The most promising AgZ candidate, a silver-exchanged titanosilicate (Ag-ETS-10), is investigated in more detail for its application to further reduce radioxenon releases. As operational conditions depend on the production and off-gas treatment processes, the effect of Xe concentration, flow rate, temperature and moisture on the Xe adsorption in Ag-ETS-10 is reported. Furthermore, since AgZs are far more expensive than ACs, it is crucial to be able to regenerate the material, whilst maintaining its full Xe adsorption properties for successive reuse. Accordingly, the durability of Ag-ETS-10 is investigated with regard to desorption and adsorption cycles but also with regard to gamma irradiation.

Local, Regional, and Remote Seismo‐acoustic Observations of the April 2015 VEI 4 Eruption of Calbuco Volcano, Chile

AbstractThe two major explosive phases of the 22–23 April 2015 eruption of Calbuco volcano, Chile, produced powerful seismicity and infrasound. The eruption was recorded on seismo‐acoustic stations out to 1,540 km and on five stations (IS02, IS08, IS09, IS27, and IS49) of the International Monitoring System (IMS) infrasound network at distances from 1,525 to 5,122 km. The remote IMS infrasound stations provide an accurate explosion chronology consistent with the regional and local seismo‐acoustic data and with previous studies of lightning and plume observations. We use the IMS network to detect and locate the eruption signals using a brute‐force, grid‐search, cross‐bearings approach. After incorporating azimuth deviation corrections from stratospheric crosswinds using 3‐D ray tracing, the estimated source location is 172 km from true. This case study highlights the significant capability of the IMS infrasound network to provide automated detection, characterization, and timing estimates of global explosive volcanic activity. Augmenting the IMS with regional seismo‐acoustic networks will dramatically enhance volcanic signal detection, reduce latency, and improve discrimination capability.

Seasonal Variability of Xe‐133 Global Atmospheric Background: Characterization and Implications for the International Monitoring System of the Comprehensive Nuclear‐Test‐Ban Treaty

AbstractGlobal simulations of the atmospheric dispersion of worldwide industrial Xe‐133 releases have revealed a large spatial and day‐to‐day variability of the resulting so‐called Xe‐133 atmospheric background. Most stations of the International Monitoring System (IMS) of the Comprehensive nuclear‐Test‐Ban Treaty Organization actually detect Xe‐133 regularly. Measured levels are explained by a varying combination of local and distant industrial sources and can interfere with discrimination of nuclear test signatures. Therefore, a better understanding of the Xe‐133 atmospheric background is needed. In this study, a validated 2 year simulation data set and a 4 year measurement data set of Xe‐133 activity concentrations have been analyzed in order to characterize possible seasonal variations of the Xe‐133 atmospheric background due to atmospheric circulation, with a focus on (i) global distributions, (ii) occurrences of detections by the IMS network, and (iii) time series of monthly averages at IMS stations. Results show a larger spatial extent of the atmospheric background during winter months, which translates into a larger number of detections on the IMS network during winter months for both hemispheres. Some IMS stations present a significant seasonal variability in terms of levels, or both in terms of levels and origins. However, not all IMS stations are subject to seasonal variations, given their location with respect to sources and large‐scale atmospheric circulation. In addition, a first set of predicted information about expected levels of atmospheric background at IMS stations not yet operational is provided, given the current knowledge of sources.

Study of seismicity in the NW Himalaya and adjoining regions using IMS network

The Reviewed Event Bulletin (REB) of the International Data Center (IDC) has been used in order to investigate the seismicity of the Northwest Himalaya and its neighboring region for the time period June 1999 to March 2015 within the geographical coordinates 25–40° N latitude and 65–85° E longitude. We have used a very precisely located earthquake dataset recorded by the International Monitoring System (IMS) Network containing 7,583 events with body wave magnitudes from 2.5 to 6.3. The study area has been subdivided into six regions based on the Flinn-Engdahl (F-E) seismic and geographical regionalization scheme, which was used as the region classifications of the International Data Center catalog. The examined region includes NW India, Pakistan, Nepal, Xizang, Kashmir, and Hindukush. For each region, Magnitudes of completeness (Mc) and Gutenberg-Richter (GR) recurrence parameters (a and b values) have been estimated. The Gutenberg-Richter analysis is preceded by an overview of the seismotectonics of the study area. The obtained Mc values vary from 3.5 to 3.9. The lower value of Mc was found mainly in Xizang region whereas the higher Mc threshold is evident in Pakistan region. However, the b values vary from 1.19 to 1.48. The lowest b value is recorded in Xizang region, which is mostly related to the Main Karakoram Thrust (MKT) fault, whereas the highest b values are recorded in NW India and Kashmir regions, which are mostly related to the Main Frontal Thrust (MFT) fault. The REB for the selected period has been compared to the most renowned bulletin of global seismicity, namely that issued by the National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) of the United States Geological Survey (USGS). A study of 4,821 events recorded by USGS in the study region indicates that about 36 % of seismic events were missed and the catalog is considered as complete for events with magnitudes ≥4.0. However, both a and b values are obviously higher than those of IMS catalog. The a and b parameters in the Gutenberg-Richter magnitude–frequency relationship have been utilized to forecast the probability of future earthquakes of different magnitudes and returned periods (recurrence intervals).

Calibration of low-level beta-gamma coincidence detector systems for xenon isotope detection

The beta-gamma coincidence detector systems used for the measurement of the CTBT-relevant xenon isotopes (Xe-131m, Xe-133m, Xe-133 and Xe-135) in the International Monitoring System network and in the On-Site Inspection are reviewed. These detectors typically consist of a well-type or bore-through NaI crystal into which a measurement cell, serving also as a sample container, is inserted. This work describes the current calibration procedure for energy, resolution and efficiency, implementation challenges, availability and uncertainties of the specific nuclear decay data and the path forward to full calibration validation using GEANT4.

The 2013 Russian fireball largest ever detected by CTBTO infrasound sensors

AbstractOn 15 February 2013, a large Earth‐impacting fireball disintegrated over the Ural Mountains. This extraordinary event is, together with the 1908 Tunguska fireball, among the most energetic events ever instrumentally recorded. It generated infrasound returns, after circling the globe, at distances up to ~85,000 km, and was detected at 20 infrasonic stations of the global International Monitoring System (IMS). For the first time since the establishment of the IMS infrasound network, multiple arrivals involving waves that traveled twice round the globe have been clearly identified. A preliminary estimate of the explosive energy using empirical period‐yield scaling relations gives a value of 460 kt of TNT equivalent. In the context of the future verification of the Comprehensive Nuclear‐Test‐Ban Treaty, this event provides a prominent milestone for studying in detail infrasound propagation around the globe for almost 3 days as well as for calibrating the performance of the IMS network.

Overview of the 2009 and 2011 Sayarim Infrasound Calibration Experiments

AbstractThree large‐scale infrasound calibration experiments were conducted in 2009 and 2011 to test the International Monitoring System (IMS) infrasound network and provide ground truth data for infrasound propagation studies. Here we provide an overview of the deployment, detonation, atmospheric specifications, infrasound array observations, and propagation modeling for the experiments. The experiments at the Sayarim Military Range, Israel, had equivalent TNT yields of 96.0, 7.4, and 76.8 t of explosives on 26 August 2009, 24 January 2011, and 26 January 2011, respectively. Successful international collaboration resulted in the deployment of numerous portable infrasound arrays in the region to supplement the IMS network and increase station density. Infrasound from the detonations is detected out to ~3500 km to the northwest in 2009 and ~6300 km to the northeast in 2011, reflecting the highly anisotropic nature of long‐range infrasound propagation. For 2009, the moderately strong stratospheric wind jet results in a well‐predicted set of arrivals at numerous arrays to the west‐northwest. A second set of arrivals is also apparent, with low celerities and high frequencies. These arrivals are not predicted by the propagation modeling and result from unresolved atmospheric features. Strong eastward tropospheric winds (up to ~70 m/s) in 2011 produce high‐amplitude tropospheric arrivals recorded out to >1000 km to the east. Significant eastward stratospheric winds (up to ~80 m/s) in 2011 generate numerous stratospheric arrivals and permit the long‐range detection (i.e., >1000 km). No detections are made in directions opposite the tropospheric and stratospheric wind jets for any of the explosions. Comparison of predicted transmission loss and observed infrasound arrivals gives qualitative agreement. Propagation modeling for the 2011 experiments predicts lower transmission loss in the direction of the downwind propagation compared to the 2009 experiment, consistent with the greater detection distance. Observations also suggest a more northerly component to the stratospheric winds for the 2009 experiment and less upper atmosphere attenuation. The Sayarim infrasound calibration experiments clearly demonstrate the complexity and variability of the atmosphere, and underscore the utility of large‐scale calibration experiments with dense networks for better understanding infrasound propagation and detection. Additionally, they provide a rich data set for future scientific research.

Remote Infrasound Monitoring of Mount Etna: Observed and Predicted Network Detection Capability

Volcanic eruptions are valuable calibrating sources of infrasonic waves worldwide detected by the International Monitoring System (IMS) of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban-Treaty Organization (CTBTO) and other experimental stations. In this study, we assess the detection capability of the European infrasound network to remotely detect the eruptive activity of Mount Etna. This well-instrumented volcano offers a unique opportunity to validate attenuation models using multi-year near-and far-field recordings. The seasonal trend in the number of detections of Etna at the IS48 IMS station (Tunisia) is correlated to fine temporal fluctuations of the stratospheric waveguide structure. This observed trend correlates well with the variation of the effective sound speed ratio which is a proxy for the combined effects of refraction due to sound speed gradients and advection due to along-path wind on infrasound propagation. Modeling results are consistent with the observed detection capability of the existing regional network. In summer, during the downwind season, a minimum detectable amplitude of ~10 Pa at a reference distance of 1 km from the source is predicted. In winter, when upwind propagation prevails, detection thresholds increase up to ~100 Pa. However, when adding four experimental arrays to the IMS network, the corresponding thresholds decrease down to ~20 Pa in winter. The simulation results provide here a realistic description of long- to mid-range infrasound propagation and allow predicting fine temporal fluctuations in the European infrasound network performance with potential application for civil aviation safety.

The Unique Contribution of the International Data Centre Reviewed Event Bulletin to Global Seismicity Catalogs

To monitor compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear‐Test‐Ban Treaty (CTBT), the Preparatory Commission of the Comprehensive Nuclear‐Test‐Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) is setting up a network of 321 stations in the four verification technologies of seismology, hydroacoustics, infrasound, and radionuclides. Within this International Monitoring System (IMS) network are 170 seismic stations. The IMS seismic network is teleseismic in nature and designed to achieve approximately uniform coverage of the Earth for moderate sized events. A significant number of the IMS seismic stations consist of arrays of seismometers, adding to the network sensitivity and accuracy of the phase readings. At the end of the time period considered in this paper about 75% of the planned total of 170 seismic stations were certified and operational (www.ctbto.org/map). The data collected at the IMS network are transmitted through the Global Communications Infrastructure (GCI) in near real‐time or on request to the International Data Centre (IDC) in Vienna, Austria. Besides being archived and made accessible to Member States, these data are processed at the IDC and automatic and interactively reviewed bulletins are built. The moderate‐sized events detected by the IMS network are compiled in the IDC Reviewed Event Bulletin (REB), the final product of data analysis and interpretation. This bulletin is routinely produced and released to Member States since February 2000 on a daily basis with the exception of some 30 days (Koch, 2012) and contains nearly 30,000 events in the most recent years considered here. The International Seismological Centre (ISC) based at Thatcham, United Kingdom, prepares a global seismicity catalog that is a comprehensive summary of hypocenters and phase readings for all sufficiently large earthquakes. In this context the ISC aims to include all earthquakes in its bulletins that were recorded by one or more independently operated networks, to consistently re‐determine earthquake locations and magnitudes of events …

GT0 Explosion Sources for IMS Infrasound Calibration: Charge Design and Yield Estimation from Near-source Observations

Three large-scale on-surface explosions were conducted by the Geophysical Institute of Israel (GII) at the Sayarim Military Range, Negev desert, Israel: about 82 tons of strong high explosives in August 2009, and two explosions of about 10 and 100 tons of ANFO explosives in January 2011. It was a collaborative effort between Israel, CTBTO, USA and several European countries, with the main goal to provide fully controlled ground truth (GT0) infrasound sources, monitored by extensive observations, for calibration of International Monitoring System (IMS) infrasound stations in Europe, Middle East and Asia. In all shots, the explosives were assembled like a pyramid/hemisphere on dry desert alluvium, with a complicated explosion design, different from the ideal homogenous hemisphere used in similar experiments in the past. Strong boosters and an upward charge detonation scheme were applied to provide more energy radiated to the atmosphere. Under these conditions the evaluation of the actual explosion yield, an important source parameter, is crucial for the GT0 calibration experiment. Audio-visual, air-shock and acoustic records were utilized for interpretation of observed unique blast effects, and for determination of blast wave parameters suited for yield estimation and the associated relationships. High-pressure gauges were deployed at 100–600 m to record air-blast properties, evaluate the efficiency of the charge design and energy generation, and provide a reliable estimation of the charge yield. The yield estimators, based on empirical scaled relations for well-known basic air-blast parameters—the peak pressure, impulse and positive phase duration, as well as on the crater dimensions and seismic magnitudes, were analyzed. A novel empirical scaled relationship for the little-known secondary shock delay was developed, consistent for broad ranges of ANFO charges and distances, which facilitates using this stable and reliable air-blast parameter as a new potential yield estimator. The delay data of the 2009 shot with IMI explosives, characterized by much higher detonation velocity, are clearly separated from ANFO data, thus indicating a dependence on explosive type. This unique dual Sayarim explosion experiment (August 2009/January 2011), with the strongest GT0 sources since the establishment of the IMS network, clearly demonstrated the most favorable westward/eastward infrasound propagation up to 3,400/6,250 km according to appropriate summer/winter weather pattern and stratospheric wind directions, respectively, and thus verified empirically common models of infrasound propagation in the atmosphere.

Coherent ambient infrasound recorded by the International Monitoring System

Ambient noise recorded by the International Monitoring System (IMS) infrasound network includes incoherent wind noise and coherent infrasonic signals; both affect detection of signals of interest. We present summary statistics of coherent infrasound recorded by the IMS network. We have performed systematic broadband (0.01-5 Hz) array processing of the IMS historical dataset (39 stations from 2005 to 2010) using an implementation of the Progressive Multi-Channel Correlation (PMCC) algorithm in log-frequency space. From these results, we estimate multi-year 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles of the rms pressure of coherent signals in 15 frequency bands for each station. We compare the resulting coherent noise models in the 15 frequency bands with raw power spectral density noise models, which inherently include both incoherent and coherent noise. We show that IMS arrays consistently record coherent ambient infrasound across the broad frequency range from 0.01 to 5 Hz when wind-noise levels permit. Multi-year averaging of PMCC detection bulletins emphasizes continuous signals such as oceanic microbaroms, as well as persistent transient signals such as repetitive volcanic, surf, or anthropogenic activity (e.g., mining or industrial activity).

Potential of the International Monitoring System radionuclide network for inverse modelling

The International Monitoring System (IMS) radionuclide network enforces the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty which bans nuclear explosions. We have evaluated the potential of the IMS radionuclide network for inverse modelling of the source, whereas it is usually assessed by its detection capability. To do so, we have chosen the degrees of freedom for the signal (DFS), a well established criterion in remote sensing, in order to assess the performance of an inverse modelling system. Using a recent multiscale data assimilation technique, we have computed optimal adaptive grids of the source parameter space by maximising the DFS. This optimisation takes into account the monitoring network, the meteorology over one year (2009) and the relationship between the source parameters and the observations derived from the FLEXPART Lagrangian transport model. Areas of the domain where the grid-cells of the optimal adaptive grid are large emphasise zones where the retrieval is more uncertain, whereas areas where the grid-cells are smaller and denser stress regions where more source variables can be resolved.The observability of the globe through inverse modelling is studied in strong, realistic and small model error cases. The strong error and realistic error cases yield heterogeneous adaptive grids, indicating that information does not propagate far from the monitoring stations, whereas in the small error case, the grid is much more homogeneous. In all cases, several specific continental regions remain poorly observed such as Africa as well as the tropics, because of the trade winds. The northern hemisphere is better observed through inverse modelling (more than 60% of the total DFS) mostly because it contains more IMS stations. This unbalance leads to a better performance of inverse modelling in the northern hemisphere winter. The methodology is also applied to the subnetwork composed of the stations of the IMS network which measure noble gases.

Constraints on Infrasound Scaling and Attenuation Relations from Soviet Explosion Data

— The Institute for the Dynamics of the Geospheres (IDG) in Moscow, Russia, contains an archive of infrasound recordings from Soviet atmospheric nuclear tests that were conducted in 1957 and 1961, and has digitized the highest quality records from this data set. We have measured the infrasound signals from these records and compared them with previously developed scaling and attenuation relations. We find that the data are in best agreement with a scaling and attenuation relation developed by the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) which can be written as logP = 3.37 + 0.68 logW− 1.36logR where P is zero to peak pressure amplitude in Pascals, W is the yield in kilotons, and R is the source to receiver distance in kilometers. We use the scaling relations to define an infrasound magnitude, and to estimate the detection capability of the International Monitoring System (IMS) being developed as part of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). The detection threshold for the proposed 60-station IMS network is estimated to be slightly higher than the CTBT design goal of 1 kiloton in some locations.

Surveying infrasonic noise on oceanic islands

An essential step in the establishment of an international monitoring system (IMS) infrasound station is the site survey. The Provisional Technical Secretariat recommends infrasonic noise be recorded with meteorological data at four separate, promising, locations in the vicinity of the nominal station location to identify a secure site which would give the good signal-to-noise while offering easy access to power and telecommu-nications. A good infrasound station should be sheltered from the prevailing winds by gentle topography, trees, and ground cover and located as far as possible from other natural and cultural noise sources. As the IMS network has been designed to give uniform global coverage, some of the stations will be located on oceanic islands. Noise surveys are being conducted at three locations in the Atlantic: Sao Miguel, Azores; Santiago, Cape Verde; and Ascension Island. These island locations are very important as they provide coverage in a region of great monitoring interest. However, they also offer a range of meteorological, topographical, and habitation conditions which result in few suitable locations to deploy an infrasound array. This paper describes preliminary efforts to characterize infrasonic noise levels on these islands and find locations with the necessary practical requirements.