Quick Search:    advanced search

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

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) 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 Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (2) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Koper, K. D. Articles by Aster, R. C. Search for Related Content GeoRef GeoRef Citation

Seismic Recordings of the Carlsbad, New Mexico, Pipeline Explosion of 19 August 2000

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Saint Louis University
St. Louis, Missouri 63103
(K.D.K.)
Department of Geosciences
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona 85721
(T.C.W.)
Earth and Environmental Science Department
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, New Mexico 87801
(R.C.A.)

Manuscript received 13 September 2002.

On 19 August 2000 two seismometer networks in southeastern New Mexico recorded signals from a natural gas pipeline explosion. Analysis of the particle motion, arrival times, and durations of the seismic signals indicates that three impulsive events occurred with origin times of 11:26:18.8 ± 1.9, 11:26:43.6 ± 2.1, and 11:27:01.7 ± 2.0 (UCT). The first event was caused by the explosive blowout of the buried, high-pressure pipeline, and the second event was caused by the ignition of the vented natural gas. The nature of the third event is unclear; however, it was likely created by a secondary ignition. There were also two extended seismic events that originated at the same time as the first two impulsive events. The first resulted from the preignition venting of the gas and lasted for about 24 sec, while the second resulted from the postignition roaring of the flames and lasted for about 1 hr. Many of the source constraints provided by the seismic data were not available from any other investigative technique and thus were valuable to a diverse range of parties including the New Mexico state police, law firms involved in litigation related to the accident, the National Transportation and Safety Board, and the general public.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. J. Evans A review of underground fuel storage events and putting risk into perspective with other areas of the energy supply chain Geological Society, London, Special Publications, January 1, 2009; 313(1): 173 - 216. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Kristekova, P. Moczo, P. Labak, A. Cipciar, L. Fojtikova, J. Madaras, and J. Kristek Time-Frequency Analysis of Explosions in the Ammunition Factory in Novaky, Slovakia Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, October 1, 2008; 98(5): 2507 - 2516. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. G. Evers, L. Ceranna, H. W. Haak, A. Le Pichon, and R. W. Whitaker A Seismoacoustic Analysis of the Gas-Pipeline Explosion near Ghislenghien in Belgium Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, April 1, 2007; 97(2): 417 - 425. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]