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UK National Data Centre archive of seismic recordings of (presumed) underground nuclear tests 1964-1996
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This abstract discusses the preservation and modern digitization of the UK National Data Centre's seismic recording archive covering underground nuclear tests and earthquakes from 1964 to 1996. Sourced from four key seismometer arrays (EKA, YKA, GBA, and WRA), these historical analogue records were re-digitised at higher sampling rates (100 Hz instead of 20 Hz) and catalogued for ongoing forensic seismology and international distribution.
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ST_CODE: 167538
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Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 18, EGU2016-7538, 2016
Geophysical Research Abstracts
Vol. 18, EGU2016-7538, 2016
EGU General Assembly 2016
© Author(s) 2016. CC Attribution 3.0 License.
UK National Data Centre archive of seismic recordings of (presumed) underground nuclear tests 1964-1996
John Young and Sheila Peacock
Blacknest, Reading, United Kingdom ([email protected])
The year 1996 has particular significance for forensic seismologists. This was the year when the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) was signed in September at the United Nations, setting an international norm against nuclear testing. Blacknest, as a long time seismic centre for research into detecting and identifying underground explosions using seismology, provided significant technical advice during the CTBT negotiations. Since 1962 seismic recordings of both presumed nuclear explosions and earthquakes from the four seismometer arrays Eskdalemuir, Scotland (EKA), Yellowknife, Canada (YKA), Gauribidanur, India (GBA), and Warramunga, Australia (WRA) have been copied, digitised, and saved. There was a possibility this archive would be lost. It was decided to process the records and catalogue them for distribution to other groups and institutions. This work continues at Blacknest but the archive is no longer under threat. In addition much of the archive of analogue tape recordings has been re-digitised with modern equipment, allowing sampling rates of 100 rather than 20 Hz.
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This abstract discusses the preservation and modern digitization of the UK National Data Centre's seismic recording archive covering underground nuclear tests and earthquakes from 1964 to 1996. Sourced from four key seismometer arrays (EKA, YKA, GBA, and WRA), these historical analogue records were ...