Quick Search:    advanced search

GSW Home   GeoRef Home   My GSW Alerts   Contact GSW   About GSW   Journals List   Help

This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by VON SEGGERN, D. Search for Related Content GeoRef GeoRef Citation

Joint magnitude determination and analysis of variance for explosion magnitude estimates

TELEDYNE GEOTECH, 314 MONTGOMERY STREET, ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA 22314

Abstract

A least-squares procedure which simultaneously estimates station corrections, event magnitudes, and an attenuation rate is used as a basis for analyzing the variance of explosion magnitudes. This procedure is here termed "joint magnitude determination" (JMD). The JMD method is applied to Seismic Data Laboratory (SDL) data from North American stations for Nevada Test Site explosions. The standard deviation of station magnitudes (M_S and m_b) computed by JMD for an event typically is one-half of the standard deviation of magnitudes computed by routine methods. This reduction is wholly due to the addition of station terms. Surprisingly, no consequent reduction in scatter of the explosion M_S versus m_b plot was attained by using JMD estimates rather than routine ones. To resolve this paradox, the scatter of magnitude estimates is divided into three distinct parts: source, path-station, and measurement. The absolute value for each part is derived from the seismic measurements without using yield information. After path-station effects and measurement noise are suppressed, it is found that source effects contribute significantly to magnitude bias for explosions, thus explaining the failure of the JMD method to reduce M_S versus m_b scatter.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				I. M. Tibuleac, D. H. von Seggern, J. G. Anderson, K. W. Smith, A. Aburto, and T. Rennie Location and Magnitude Estimation of the 9 October 2006 Korean Nuclear Explosion Using the Southern Great Basin Digital Seismic Network as a Large-Aperture Array Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, April 1, 2008; 98(2): 756 - 767. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. H. von Seggern Seismic Background Noise and Detection Threshold in the Southern Great Basin Digital Seismic Network Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, December 1, 2004; 94(6): 2280 - 2298. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Evaluation of Short-Period, Near-Regional Ms Scales for the Nevada Test Site Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, August 1, 2003; 93(4): 1773 - 1791.

				R.-S. JIH and R. H. SHUMWAY Iterative network magnitude estimation and uncertainty assessment with noisy and clipped data Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, August 1, 1989; 79(4): 1122 - 1141. [Abstract] [PDF]

				R. E. HABERMANN and M. S. CRAIG Comparison of Berkeley and CALNET magnitude estimates as a means of evaluating temporal consistency of magnitudes in California Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, June 1, 1988; 78(3): 1255 - 1267. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T. C. BACHE Estimating the yield of underground nuclear explosions Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, December 1, 1982; 72(6B): S131 - S168. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. VON SEGGERN and R. BLANDFORD Seismic threshold determination Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, June 1, 1976; 66(3): 753 - 788. [Abstract] [PDF]

				F. RINGDAL Maximum-likelihood estimation of seismic magnitude Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, June 1, 1976; 66(3): 789 - 802. [Abstract] [PDF]