Primary ground displacements and seismic energy near the gnome explosion

Abstract

Near-source measurements of seismic waves from gnome have been compared with a theoretical seismic source model derived by Blake (1952). It is estimated that 75 percent of the seismic energy in the primary waves is contained in the first half cycle of the ground displacement as shown on the seismograms from instruments located between 0.3 and 10 km from the explosion. The geometrical attenuation of the radiation field of the displacement wave is probably closely approximated by spherical divergence at ranges near the explosion. There is some evidence that a long-period displacement field may exist near the explosion as predicted by the theoretical model. However, there are not sufficient empirical data from the gnome explosion to make a detailed comparison between theory and observation.