Deep seismic sounding in northern Eurasia

Abstract

For nearly 40 years, the former Soviet Union has carried out an extensive program of seismic studies of the Earth's crust and upper mantle, known as “Deep Seismic Sounding” or DSS [Piwinskii, 1979; Zverev and Kosminskaya, 1980; Egorkin and Pavlenkova, 1981; Egorkin and Chernyshov, 1983; Scheimer and Borg, 1985]. Beginning in 1939–1940 with a series of small‐scale seismic experiments near Moscow, DSS profiling has broadened into a national multiinstitutional exploration effort that has completed almost 150,000 km of profiles covering all major geological provinces of northern Eurasia [Ryaboy, 1989].

Peaceful Nuclear Explosions in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Russia

“…Regional interest on the effects of radioactivity is high in light of the unique native cultures which populate the area and because of reported plans to deploy floating nuclear reactors at towns like Tiksi and Kyusyur to alleviate the energy shortage in isolated northern communities. Earth scientists can contribute through cooperative research programs to study various geological and geophysical aspects of these PNEs; efforts have been made by USGS and other agencies to obtain seismic records from the deep seismic sounding lines and individual PNEs (Benz et al, 1992). In return, we can obtain better information on the geology, structure and tectonics of this poorly known part of the world, including source characteristics and wave propagation features.…”

“…Minor radiation anomalies are associated with "Oka", "Sheksna", and "Neva-2" (Koltin, 1993), possibly from the burning off of contaminated gas. "Oka" was also used for deep seismic sounding studies (Benz et aL, 1992). All of the detonations were in dolomite (Sultanov, 1993) of the Lower Cambrian Sinsk horizon, very close to the granitic basement.…”

“…Publicity about leakage of radioactive gas from the Semipalatinsk test site and health problems apparently related to nuclear testing led to a moratorium on testing there in 1990 (Feshbach and Friendly, 1992). In addition to detonations at the test sites, numerous peaceful nuclear explosions (PNEs) were conducted for crustal and mantle structure studies throughout the former USSR (e.g., Benz et al, 1992), as well as for economic and developmental purposes. Of these, twelve were conducted in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), eastern Russian Federation.…”

Upper-mantle velocity structure beneath the Siberian platform

“…Many of these profiles use nuclear explosions as seismic sources for recording long-distance profiles (up to about 4000 km) and chemical explosives for recording shorter-distance profiles (up to about 750 km) (Scheimer & Borg 1984;Benz et al 1992). The energetic sources used on several DSS profiles have permitted interpretation of velocity structure to uppermantle depths.…”

“…During the past 30 years, the Soviet Ministry of Geology (now the Center for Regional Geophysical and Geoecological Research) has conducted an extensive seismicexploration programme of the Eurasian crust and upper mantle using explosion sources. Many of these profiles use nuclear explosions as seismic sources for recording long-distance profiles (up to about 4000 km) and chemical explosives for recording shorter-distance profiles (up to about 750 km) (Scheimer & Borg 1984;Benz et al 1992). The energetic sources used on several DSS profiles have permitted interpretation of velocity structure to uppermantle depths.…”