Computer Modeling of the Cabriolet Event

摘要

Computer modeling techniques are described for calculating the results of underground nuclear explosions at depths shallow enough to produce cratering. The techniques are applied to the Cabriolet Event, a well-documented nuclear excavation experiment, and the calculations give good agreement with the experimental results. It is concluded that, given data obtainable by outside observers, these modeling techniques are capable of verifying the yield and depth of underground nuclear cratering explosions, and that they could thus be useful in monitoring another country's compliance with treaty agreements on nuclear testing limitations. Several important facts emerge from the study: (1) seismic energy is produced by only a fraction of the nuclear yield, a fraction depending strongly on the depth of shot and the mechanical properties of the surrounding rock; (2) temperature of the vented gas can be predicted accurately only if good equations of state are available for the rock in the detonation zone; and (3) temperature of the vented gas is strongly dependent on the cooling effect, before venting, of mixing with melted rock in the expanding cavity and, to a lesser extent, on the cooling effect of water in the rock. (ERA citation 05:014153)