Waves in the ionosphere produced by nuclear explosions

Baker, Donald M.; Davies, K.

doi:10.1029/ja073i001p00448

Cited by 33 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Our results are in good agreement with previous reports of ionospheric perturbations caused by atmospheric nuclear explosions (e.g. Baker & Davies 1968; Francis 1975; Broche 1977; Blanc 1985; Blanc & Rickel 1989) as well as large volcanic eruptions (e.g. Roberts et al .…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Ionospheric signature of surface mine blasts from Global Positioning System measurements

Calais

Minster

Hofton

et al. 2002

Geophysical Journal International

138

119

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Summary Sources such as atmospheric or buried explosions and shallow earthquakes are known to produce infrasonic pressure waves in the atmosphere Because of the coupling between neutral particles and electrons at ionospheric altitudes, these acoustic and gravity waves induce variations of the ionospheric electron density. The Global Positioning System (GPS) provides a way of directly measuring the total electron content in the ionosphere and, therefore, of detecting such perturbations in the upper atmosphere. In July and August 1996, three large surface mine blasts (1.5 Kt each) were detonated at the Black Thunder coal mine in eastern Wyoming. As part of a seismic and acoustic monitoring experiment, we deployed five dual‐frequency GPS receivers at distances ranging from 50 to 200 km from the mine and were able to detect the ionospheric perturbation caused by the blasts. The perturbation starts 10 to 15 min after the blast, lasts for about 30 min, and propagates with an apparent horizontal velocity of 1200 m s− 1. Its amplitude reaches 3 × 1014 el m− 2 in the 7–3 min period band, a value close to the ionospheric perturbation caused by the M=6.7 Northridge earthquake (Calais & Minster 1995). The small signal‐to‐noise ratio of the perturbation can be improved by slant‐stacking the electron content time‐series recorded by the different GPS receivers taking into account the horizontal propagation of the perturbation. The energy of the perturbation is concentrated in the 200 to 300 s period band, a result consistent with previous observations and numerical model predictions. The 300 s band probably corresponds to gravity modes and shorter periods to acoustic modes, respectively. Using a 1‐D stratified velocity model of the atmosphere we show that linear acoustic ray tracing fits arrival times at all GPS receivers. We interpret the perturbation as a direct acoustic wave caused by the explosion itself. This study shows that even relatively small subsurface events can produce ionospheric perturbations that are above the detection threshold of the GPS technique. By sensing derivative signals, which can be detected over a relatively broad region, it appears that GPS might be particularly useful for source characterization within the first acoustic quiet zone where infrasound would probably be ineffective. This suggests that dual‐frequency GPS monitoring could contribute to Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty verification.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Ionospheric signature of surface mine blasts from Global Positioning System measurements

Calais

Minster

Hofton

et al. 2002

Geophysical Journal International

138

119

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“…In particular, waveforms show two wave trains separated by about 8 min, a feature previously reported after atmospheric explosions from ionospheric and surface microbarograph measurements (e.g. Harkrider 1964; Baker & Davies 1968; Tolstoy et al 1971; Broche 1977; Bolt & Tanimoto 1981; Jacobson & Carlos 1994; Li et al 1994) and qualitatively interpreted either as a surface reflection of the acoustic pulse (Li et al 1994) or as ducted modes at the mesopause (Calais & Bernard Minster 1996).…”

Section: Data and Observationsmentioning

confidence: 54%

Lithosphere��atmosphere��ionosphere coupling after the 2003 explosive eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano, Montserrat

Dautermann¹,

Calais

Lognonné

et al. 2009

Geophysical Journal International

104

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SUMMARY Resonant coupling between the Earth and the atmosphere at frequencies where the solid Earth modes overlap the fundamental modes of the atmosphere allows for the triggering of oscillatory acoustic perturbations by ground excitation and vice versa. Here, we describe oscillatory perturbations observed in the solid Earth (from volumetric borehole strainmeter data) and in the atmosphere (from GPS‐derived ionospheric total electron content) following the 2003 July 13, Soufrière Hills Volcano explosion (Montserrat, Lesser Antilles). Spectral analysis shows an amplitude peak at 4 mHz for both data sets, with similar waveforms and signal duration. Using a normal mode summation technique, we show that both signals are explained by a single explosive source in the atmosphere. Similarities in waveforms, in particular a double wave train also reported after several other explosion‐triggered atmospheric perturbations, result from the superposition of the dominant (fundamental) atmospheric modes that trigger resonant coupling with the solid Earth around 4 mHz.

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“…Based on this principle, Watts and Davies [1960] have developed a high-frequency Doppler sounder technique to probe the transient variations of the ionosphere. The technique has been proved to be a very powerful tool for probing the ionosphere, especially during times of rapid changes of ionosphere, such as solar flares, storm sudden commencements (SSC), geomagnetic micropulsations, nuclear explosions, travelling ionospheric disturbances (TID's), earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic explosions and severe weather such as thunderstorms [Davies and Baker, 1965;Baker and Davies, 1968;Georges, 1968;Yuen et al, 1969;Weaver et al, 1970;Huang et al, 1973;Hung et al, 1978;Liu et al, 1982;Tanaka et al, 1984].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the detection of acoustic‐gravity waves generated by typhoon by use of real time HF Doppler frequency shift sounding system

Huang¹,

Cheng²,

Chen³

1985

Radio Science

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A development of a direct vision type high‐frequency Doppler frequency sounder and a setup of HF Doppler frequency sounding array at the northern part of Taiwan Island were presented. By use of all typhoons that occurred in 1982 and 1983, the detectability of the typhoon‐generated acoustic‐gravity waves by use of this HF Doppler frequency sounding array was presented. The results show that the acoustic‐gravity waves generated by a typhoon can be detected by this sounding array; however, the detectability is only 2 out of 12.

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Waves in the ionosphere produced by nuclear explosions

Cited by 33 publications

References 7 publications

Ionospheric signature of surface mine blasts from Global Positioning System measurements

Ionospheric signature of surface mine blasts from Global Positioning System measurements

Lithosphere��atmosphere��ionosphere coupling after the 2003 explosive eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano, Montserrat

On the detection of acoustic‐gravity waves generated by typhoon by use of real time HF Doppler frequency shift sounding system

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Waves in the ionosphere produced by nuclear explosions

Cited by 33 publications

References 7 publications

Ionospheric signature of surface mine blasts from Global Positioning System measurements

Ionospheric signature of surface mine blasts from Global Positioning System measurements

Lithosphere���atmosphere���ionosphere coupling after the 2003 explosive eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano, Montserrat

On the detection of acoustic‐gravity waves generated by typhoon by use of real time HF Doppler frequency shift sounding system

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Lithosphere��atmosphere��ionosphere coupling after the 2003 explosive eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano, Montserrat