Infrasound Generation from the Source Physics Experiments

Abstract:

Understanding the acoustic and infrasound source generation mechanisms from underground explosions is of great importance for usage of this unique data type in non-proliferation activities. One of the purposes of the Source Physics Experiments (SPE), a series of underground explosive shots at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), is to gain an improved understanding of the generation and propagation of physical signals, such as seismic and infrasound, from the near to far field. Two of the SPE shots (SPE-1 and SPE-4’) were designed to be small “Green’s Function” sources with minimal spall or permanent surface deformation. We analyze infrasound data collected from these two shots at distances from ~300 m to ~1 km and frequencies up to 20 Hz. Using weather models based upon actual observations at the times of these sources, including 3-D variations in topography, temperatures, pressures, and winds, we synthesized full waveforms using Sandia’s moving media acoustic propagation simulation suite. Several source mechanisms were simulated and compared and contrasted with observed waveforms using full waveform source inversion. We will discuss results of these source inversions including the relative roll of spall from these small explosions.

Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.