Disclaimer The views expressed on this poster are those of the

authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the

CTBTO

SnT2015 Poster T2.3-P4. Analysis of Events Recorded at Seismic and Infrasound Stations in International Data Centre Operations

P. Bittner, P. Polich, J. Gore, S.Ali, T. Medinskaya, P. Mialle, IDC, Paulina.Bittner@ctbto.org

Abstract A system based on four technologies has been established to monitor compliance with the CTBT. Three of them,

so called waveform technologies (seismic, hydroacousticand infrasound), help to detect and locate events.

Infrasound technology, based on detection of low frequency acoustic waves is the most appropriate for detection

of atmospheric sources. Routine analysis of infrasound data started in 2010 in International Data Centre (IDC)

operations. IDC analysts validate and improve automatic system solutions and identify events missed by the

automatic system. Since February 2010 the IDC Reviewed Event Bulletin (REB) included almost 6500

infrasound events, about 50% of all validated infrasound events. Majority of infrasound events published in the

REB contain phases observed at seismic stations. Examples of these events are large atmospheric events (e.g.

2013 Chelyabinsk fireball), volcanic eruptions (e.g. Mount Kelud February 2014), mining blasts or earthquakes

(e.g. Tohoku 2011). This presentation will provide a summary of events recorded at both seismic and infrasound

networks of the International Monitoring System (IMS). Results of this study may help analysts to decide about

correct associations of infrasound phases and improve location of small seismic events with infrasound

associations.

I10

I48

I42

I47

I31 I46

I22

I07

I26 I34

I35

I56

I37

I43

Events which originate above the ground are either pure infrasound or events with seismic associations at very

close stations. The only exception was the Chelyabinsk fireball recorded at 20 IMS infrasound stations as the

largest event ever recorded by this network [Le Pichon 2013] . This event was also recorded at 3 IMS seismic

stations at regional distances (like Sulawexs 2009).

Other infrasound events which are normally not recorded at seismic stations are volcanic eruptions. Volcanic

activity at Kamchatka Peninsula is the only one often observed at a seismic station PS36 (Petropavlovsk-

Kamchatskiy) collocated with IS44. Both stations are within local distances from several active volcanoes.

Addition of seismic observations to infrasound driven events may not only promote an LEB event to the REB

but also significantly improves event location.

Seismic and infrasound networks may report different activity related to the eruption. For example according to

VAAC Buenos Aires Calbuco volcano located in Southern Chile erupted on 22/04/2015 at 21:55 UTC. Initial

eruption was followed by two more at 2:30 UTC and 8:30 UTC on 23/04/2015. Increased seismic activity was

observed at a local seismic station before the first eruption. One event was also recorded at teleseismic distance

stations and could be included in the REB. Event located basing on observations from seismic stations locates

15 km from Calbuco which is within the error ellipse (Fig.1). First eruption was recorded at 6 infrasound

stations, REB event location is 400 km away from the source (Fig2). Event location is shifted to the east due to

the high altitude wind direction (the closest infrasound stations were situated to the north and to the south in

relation to the source). Hypothetical event which would include both infrasound and seismic observations

would be located close to the location shown in Fig.1.

Introduction

Since February 2010 IDC analysts started reviewing events with infrasound associations. Events and

associations considered as correct were included in the Late Event Bulletin (LEB). 6500 events detected by at

least 3 primary stations with acceptable time and azimuth residuals were included in the REB. Except large

seismic events with infrasound associations, infrasound events are characterized by a small number of

associated phases. Many pure infrasound events are recorded at only two stations and do not meet REB

criteria. 75% of REB events with infrasound associations are also recorded at the IMS seismic network.

Seismo-infrasound events may be grouped in three categories: infrasound driven events with seismic

associations, surface explosions and large seismic events with infrasound associations [Brachet 2010].

75% of seismo-infrasound REB events were recorded at stations up to 10 deg from mining areas. Most active mining areas and

stations which detect their activity have been shown in Fig.3.

I46RU contributed to almost 60% of REB seismo-infrasound events. High number of REB events recorded at I46RU can be

explained by the collocation with a primary seismic array PS33 (Zalesevo) and three other seismic arrays PS23 (Makanchi), AS58

(Kurchatov) and AS57 (Borovoye) at regional distances. These mining events are normally not recorded at teleseismic distance.

Larger mining events, often recorded at teleseismic distance occur mainly in Wyoming area. They are detected by I10CA in winter

and I56US in summer. Events located in Wyoming area contribute to 30% of REB seismo-infrasound events recorded by seismic

stations at teleseismic distances. Another frequently observed events locate in mining area in North Africa. These events are

detected by more distant stations I48TN or I42PT depending on high altitude wind direction.

If an event from mining area was detected by infrasound stations it is likely to be generated by a close to ground explosion. It is

straight forward using satellite maps to compare its location with the known location of its assumed source. It may improve small

event locations as phase picking or automatic processing errors will be identified.

Infrasound driven events

Events from mining areas and surface explosions

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

delta [deg]

mb

0

1

2

3

4

5

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7

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700

depth [km]

mb

Surface explosions may be recorded both at infrasound and regional seismic network. In comparison

with underground events analysts would expect to observe infrasound signals at larger distances.

Infrasound calibration experiment conducted at Sayarim military range in Israel [Fee 2013] was a large

(~110 tons of TNT) surface explosion included in the REB. Due to favorable high altitude winds

infrasound signal was observed at a distance of 56 degrees, whereas the most distant seismic station was

only at 3 degrees. Unfortunately not all events are that simple and one of challenges will be to ensure

that an infrasound association is not included in the event by coincidence.

Fig 4. shows relation between event magnitude and distance of infrasound station which recorded

related infrasound signal. As we observed for stations at distances larger than 20 deg minimal magnitude

(mb) of seismic events exceeded 4.5. For underground events of lower magnitude infrasound signal was

observed at the largest distance of 11 deg.

Deep underground events

Although infrasound signal is generated at the

earth surface more than 4% of REB events

with infrasound associations were located at

depths greater than 0 km. Very large events

may generate enough energy to be converted

to infrasound signal even if epicentre depth

exceeds 200 km (Fig. 8.)

Fig.1. Location of seismic event related

to Calbuco activty

Fig.2. Location of Calbuco eruption based on

infrasound observations

Fig.3. Active mining areas observed at IMS infrasound network togehter with detecting stations

Fig.8. Magnitude/depth dependence for deep underground

events with infrasound associations; min depth 100 km

(period of time 2010-2015)

Underground events – points of energy conversion

Earthquakes are the majority of underground events which generate infrasound signal. Infrasound signal is generated not at the epicenter but by land movements excited by the seismic waves. To validate a correct

association of an infrasound detection to the seismic event analysts plot conversion points between seismic and acoustic energy. In case of underground sea events point of energy conversion may be far from the

epicentre which results in high azimuth and time residuals. Fig 6. shows conversion points for an event from Papua New Guinea recorded in April 2015, fig 5.seismic and infrasound signals generated by this event, fig

7. locations of other aftershock sequence events with similar points of conversion between seismic and acoustic energy. It is easy to notice that for some events from this sequence infrasound detection azimuth

residual will exceed 50 degrees but it still should be associated to the seismic event.

Fig.5. Seismic and infrasound signals generated by a sequence

event detected at I40PG Fig.6. Points of energy conversion for infrasound signal displayed

in Fig.5.

Fig.7. Location of other squence events with points of

energy conversion similar to displayed in Fig.6.

Fig.4. Magnitude/distance dependence for earthquakes and explosions ; min station distance 20 deg

[Brachet 2010] N. Brachet, D. Brown, R. Le Bras, Y. Cansi, P. Mialle, and J. Coyne (2010), Monitoring the Earth’s atmosphere with the global IMS infrasound network, in Infrasound monitoring for atmospheric studies by A. Le Pichon, E. Blanc and A. Hauchecorne, Springer

[Fee 2013] David Fee, Roger Waxler, Jelle Assink, Yefim Gitterman, Jeffrey Given, John Coyne, Pierrick Mialle, Milton Garces, Douglas Drob, Dan Kleinert, Rami Hofstetter, Patrick Grenard, Overview of the 2009 and 2011 Sayarim Infrasound Calibration Experiments , Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmosphere

[ Le Pichon 2013] Alexis Le Pichon, Lars Ceranna, Christoph Pilger, Pierrick Mialle, David Brown, Pascal Herry, Nicolas Brachet, 2013 Russian Fireball largest ever detected by CTBTO infrasound sensors, Geophysical Research Letters, AGU

`Concluding remarks:

Altitude events and volcanoes are detected by infrasound network. Seismic phase associations

improve event location.

Infrasound signal observed at large distance undicates an explosion rather than an earthquake for a

small magnitude event

Azimuth and time residuals for infrasound signals generated by an underground sea source may be

large as points of energy conversion may be far from the epicentre

Infrasound signal may be expected for large magnitude events with epicentre depth greater than

100 km