GPS Stations Can Detect Clandestine Nuclear Tests

GPS Stations Can Detect Clandestine Nuclear Tests

www.sciencedaily.com

At the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), American researchers are unveiling a new tool for detecting illegal nuclear explosions: Earth's global positioning system (GPS).

(visit the link for the full news article)

A clever researcher has discovered that the effect of a nuclear detonation creates a bubble/shockwave of ionized particles that GPS stations can detect.

He proved, using GPS station performance data, that the North Korean 2009 test was real and verifiable across GPS systems in South Korea.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/da0956b6f3aa.jpg[/atsimg]

The above illustration seems to bear out his research.

Even underground nuclear tests leave their mark on the part of the upper atmosphere known as the ionosphere, the researchers discovered, when they examined GPS data recorded the same day as a North Korean nuclear test in 2009. Within minutes on that day, GPS stations in nearby countries registered a change in ionospheric electron density, as a bubble of disturbed particles spread out from the test site and across the planet.
"Its as if the shockwave from the underground explosion caused the earth to 'punch up' into the atmosphere, creating another shockwave that pushed the air away from ground zero," said Ralph von Frese, professor of earth sciences at Ohio State University and senior author on the study.

Congratulations (future) "Dr." Park..., you've done well.

Excellent read....

Enjoy

MM



www.sciencedaily.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by Maxmars

Interesting story, I didn't know that GPS would be that sensitive to an underground test, so I learned something.

I wonder how unique the signature is for nuclear tests? For example, an earthquake or volcanic eruption might also have the same effects of simultaneously triggering seismic detectors, and also sensing shock waves into the atmosphere. Volcanic activity is pretty hard to hide, so that leaves earthquakes versus nuclear detonations. Can they tell them apart? The article isn't real clear on that, but I suppose it also depends on the type of earthquake.

reply to post by Arbitrageur


We both have the same question.

I assume that the EMP is the driver behind the 'bubble' of energy shooting up towards the atmosphere and causing the ionospheric disruption. I don't know that earthquakes generate any electromagnetic effect, but we have seen the weird "aurora-like" lights dancing in the sky prior to some earthquakes.... so... maybe that's a theory worth pursuing....

reply to post by Maxmars
I know the EMP you're taking about with above-ground tests, but I'm not sure it's manifested much above ground when an underground test occurs. The ground is a pretty decent conductor, (not as good as metal per unit area, but there's so much of it), and that would act as an EMP shield of sorts, so I'm not sure how much, if any of the EMP leaks from the underground test.

I think the shock wave they are talking about is a compression shock wave, that travels pretty fast but much slower than an EMP and it's not related to an EMP. In fact they don't mention EMP anywhere in that article, so I'm not sure that's a factor at all, though I can't rule it out. But I do know the ground can be a decent conductor and a conductive shell can cancel out an EMP. That's how Faraday cages work to cancel out EMPs from above-ground nuclear detonations, it's basically a conductive shell to protect sensitive equipment.

I did some research and found out there are other ways they can detect an the EMP signature of a nuclear underground test, but they have to be close to the detonation to detect it (maybe less than 10km) and I'm not sure it can be detected using the method in the article linked in the OP:

ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE (EMP) FROM THE MAGNETIC BUBBLE SOURCE AS A DISCRIMINATOR OF UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS, INCLUDING CAVITY DECOUPLING

As I expected, that report suggests to me that the EMP from an underground test is pretty well contained, there's a little leakage of an ELF signature, but not much and only at close range (

reply to post by Arbitrageur


I love learning.

Thanks for the research. Well. There goes my weak idea... it's your turn now....