CTBT: Science and Technology Conference 2025 - SnT2025

Revisiting the DPRK nuclear tests

P2.2-620

Not scheduled

20m

Zeremoniensaal

E-poster T2.2 Seismoacoustic Sources in Theory and Practice P2.2 Seismoacoustic Sources in Theory and Practice

Speaker

Mx Raluca Dinescu (National Institute for Earth Physics (NIEP))

Description

Since 2006, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has conducted a series of six nuclear tests in the region of Punggye-ri, the latter claimed as a hydrogen bomb test, which occurred in September 2017. The estimated yield of these events ranged from 1 to 300 kilotons, based on various analyses, including seismic data and satellite imagery. The latest test was the most powerful, followed by increased seismic activity.
At Romania National Data Centre (NDC), as an essential aspect of seismic monitoring, we aim to discriminate tectonic events from nuclear tests. The analysis of the surface-wave magnitude (Ms) and body-wave magnitude (mb) and their relationship provides insight into the nature of the seismic event.
In this study, we apply the mb/Ms method, waveform analysis and spectral analysis to discriminate between tectonic events and underground nuclear explosions observed in the DPRK region.
To provide a more comprehensive verification framework, we used NDC-in-a-Box package capabilities for datasets available at the National Institute for Earth Physics (NIEP), International Monitoring System (MS) and European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (CSEM-EMSC).