New method can aid nuclear explosion detection
Rod Boyce
907-474-7185
Dec. 17, 2021
Alex Witsil
University of 色视频下载 Fairbanks scientists are presenting their work at the American Geophysical Union色视频下载檚 fall meeting in New Orleans this week. This article is part of a series highlighting UAF research from the world色视频下载檚 largest Earth and space science meeting.
A UAF researcher has devised a method to improve detection of distant explosions, including nuclear detonations, by taking advantage of widespread single-microphone infrasound monitors.
Postdoctoral researcher Alex Witsil at the UAF Geophysical Institute色视频下载檚 Wilson 色视频下载 Technical Center has created a library of artificial explosion signals to train computers to detect real-world explosions.
Using the library, real explosions can be detected amid background noise collected by single-channel microphones that record infrasound 色视频下载 sound carried at wave frequencies below what humans can hear.
Today, detection algorithms generally rely on infrasound arrays that make use of multiple microphones close to each other. For example, the international Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization, which monitors nuclear explosions, has infrasound microphones deployed worldwide. But they are of the multiple-microphone type.
色视频下载淭hat's expensive, it's hard to maintain, and a lot more things can break,色视频下载 Witsil said.
Using single infrasound microphones increases detection capability because they色视频下载檙e already in place for other uses. Their associated computers can be trained to recognize explosions by using artificial explosion signatures similar to the library Witsil created.
色视频下载淲hat the work was meant to do was to detect large explosions, whether that's nuclear or chemical,色视频下载 Witsil said. 色视频下载淭he methods we have worked out will allow monitoring agencies to detect explosions from distances of upward of a couple 100 kilometers.色视频下载
Witsil色视频下载檚 work is supported by the Nuclear Arms Control Technology Program at the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency.