Map
of California & Nevada earthquakes
What is seismology's role in monitoring the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)?
On September 10, 1996, the United Nations General Assembly voted 158-3 to approve a treaty prohibiting all nuclear tests. The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty has been signed by 130 nations - including the United States. President Clinton signed the agreement on September 24, 1996.
Seismology is one of several fields that play a role in monitoring the CTBT. Underground nuclear explosions produce seismic waves with unique characteristics which allow the discrimination between explosions and earthquakes.
Seismic Monitoring
- SMDC Monitoring Research Program
- US National Data Center
- Seismic verification at NORSAR
- Seismic Verification at the Swiss Seismological Service
- Nuclear Tests and Verification from Richard Allen at the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory
Publications
- Reports from the Office of Technology Assessment
These reports are now available from The OTA Legacy, an archive site hosted by The Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.- Seismic Verification of Nuclear Testing Treaties Executive Summary (PDF ~937K)
- Containment of Underground Nuclear Explosions Executive Summary (PDF ~60K)
- IRIS Brochure on the CTBT
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Berkeley Seismological Lab
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Last modified: Thu Jul 24 09:40:08 PDT 2008