P-wave coupling of underground nuclear explosions

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Abstract
P-wave amplitude data for underground nuclear explosions are correlated with detonation energy. Amplitudes are reproducible to 25 per cent when source media and propagation path differences are minimized. These data verify theoretical scaling relationships and establish relative coupling for various shot media. An empirical correlation of these amplitude data with dry porosity of the detonation medium indicates that a medium with 60 per cent dry porosity may couple explosive energy one-fourth or one-fifth as efficiently as does alluvium. The relationship of teleseismic magnitude to explosive yield for various types of low coupling shows that dry porous media give a significant reduction of seismic signals generated by underground nuclear explosions.

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