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Zemlya, north of the Arctic Circle (20%). The above-ground testing was very active at Novaya Zemlya in the years 1958 to 1962. When the 79 tests at that site are matched to the M>=5.8 earthquakes over the five-day period for those years, the fol- lowing areas emerge as high-risk zones: Table 9: Percentage of All Earthquakes (M>=5.8) after USSR Above-Ground Nuclear Tests in Novaya Zemlya, 1958 to 1963 (five-day period) _ Location __1990-1949 __Atter USS Tests. Costa Rica/Panama: 8.82 Mindanao, Philippines: 6.86 Vanuatu: 5.86 Kermadec Is.: 6.86 Kamchatka: . 5.88 Java/Java Trench: . 8.82 S. Aleutian Is.: 4 10.76 Observations from Table 10 show that around 30% of the time, during a given five-day period following an underground nuclear test in Nevada, an M>=5.8 earth- quake has hit the Vanuatu Islands, Solomon Islands, Nevada itself, parts of the Aleutians, or Santiago, Chile. The 35 tests at Novaya Zemlya, 1963 through 1988, tie to familiar areas again, as given in Table 11 below: observers feel that the French will have to move these tests to the nearby Fagataufa Islands. When the earthquakes of M>=5.8 are mapped within five days following all French underground testing, many Pacific regions again emerged as most affected and noticeable. See Table 13. Interestingly, the French nuclear test site itself at Mururoa Atoll (22°S Lat., 139°W Long.) has a low 1.55% earthquakes observed in the five-day period following an underground test. This is quite different when compared to earthquake frequencies following underground tests at the three other test sites in Nevada (4.36%), Semipalatinsk (3.51%), and Novaya Zemlya (18.18%). This might be attributed to the fact that energy released from an underground nuclear test dissipates differ- ently from a test site surrounded by an ocean. observed in the five-day period following an underground test. This is quite different when compared to earthquake frequencies 1958 to 1963 (five-day period) _ Table 11: Percentage of All Earthquakes Location __990-1949 After USSF Tests (M>=5.8) after USSR Below-Ground Costa Rica/Panama: 1,05 8.82 Nuclear Tests in Novaya Zemlya, - Madanso, Philippines: a85 ses 1963 to 1988 (five-day period) following underground tests at the three Konsades te: 231 6.86 cation 1900-1949 AnerussATess| Other test sites in Nevada (4.36%), a. = _ oe = z. Semipalatinsk (3.51%), and Novaya S. Aleutian Is. 1.85 10.76 Mindanao: 3.95 9.03 Zemlya (18.18%). This might be attributed — rns to the fact that energy released from an These seven areas were struck 55% of _ | Novaya Zemlya: “0 underground nuclear test dissipates differ- the time during a five-day period following | “: S*me™ermadec's.: 5.59 ently from a test site surrounded by an an above-ground test at Novaya Zemlya, ocean. for the period 1958 through 1962. : ; The major [ex-JUSSR nuclear test site in Table 13: Percentage of All Earthquakes The [former] USSR's main testing site Semipalatinsk and associated mainland (M>=5.8) after French Below-Ground today is Semipalatinsk. But from 1945 sites have received over 400 underground Nuclear Tests at Mururoa Atoll, South through 1962, only a total of 53 above- nuclear tests since 1963. Interesting pat- Pacific, 1975 to 1988 (five-day period) ground tests were recorded, This number terns of earthquakes again follow nuclear | Location __1999-1949__After French Tests also included tests conducted at their other tests at these sites. The South Pacific Zome | w semos, Kermadecla: 5.70 mainland sites in Siberia and the Ural once again shows a relationship, but so too | Now Britain, Solomon is.: 2.98 Mountains. Two regions are most notice- does the Nevada region, which previously | {Neues zone: a ably tied to this particular Soviet nuclear only appeared with a high percentage fol- pd am test site: Taiwan at 9.48%, and the South lowing American nuclear tests in Nevada | jjercociy, ElSavador 222 Aleutian Islands at 23.28%. These two itself. The Aleutian Islands usually show | Columbia: 0.85 locations respectively received only 2.16% an increase in earthquake frequency fol- and 0.88% of all M>=5.8 carthquakes dur- lowing nuclear tests, but this is not the case Atmospheric and Underground ing the pre-testing period of 1900 to 1949. following a USSR underground test at Nuclear Tests Combine: Two other high-percent zones are the Scmipalatinsk, a marked contrast with the When all the above-ground southern Mexico-Central America coastal Novaya Zemlya test site. Further, the (atmospheric) nuclear explosions are region at 8.62%, and the westem Samoa- Semipalatinsk region itself received 3.15% considered, certain areas of the world Tonga region at 9.48%. of all M>=5.8 earthquakes following reveal high frequency patterns of the Another very interesting observation is nuclear tests at that site, as compared toa M>=5.8 earthquakes following such tests. that these mainland Soviet tests appeared to low 0.23% prior to 1950. See Table 12. These areas, listed in Table 14, account for have little significant effect upon earth- about 50% of all the M>=5.8 earthquakes quake patterns in the Indonesia-Solomon Table 12: Percentage of All Earthquakes that followed an above-ground nuclear Islands region, a zone that appears tied to . — va USSR oped explosion within the five-day period. other above-ground nuclear test sites. “USSR Mainland sites, 1963 tol 988 7 Table 14: Percentage of All Earthquakes (five-day period) (M>=5.8) after All Atmospheric Above- Underground Nuclear Testing acuien 1900-1949 After USAT. Ground Nuclear Tests Worldwide, Underground or below-ground nuclear testing for the USA and USSR started in 1963. Through to 1988 the USA tested underground 629 times, almost exclusively at the Nevada test site. The Soviets tested ____1950 to 1974 (five-day period) Solomon Is.: 298 8.92 i 5 Vanuatu: 3.36 6.49 Fiji, Now Caledonia, Kamchatka, Aleutians: 0.88 2.08 Kermadec,W.Samoa block: 8.23 14.86 097 2.08 Honshu-Kyusnu: 219 243 0.76 1.65 Nevada: 0.61 1.62 0.88 727 Aleutians: 255 324 0.97 466 underground 45] times, mainly at the Semigaiatinsk: 0.23 351 Vanuatu: 3.36 6.86 Semipalatinsk location, but with 35 under- a. _— — mi ground tests at Novaya Zemlya. The French conducted 1,112 under- | s mexico, eiSaivador 2.22 357 Table 10. Percentage of All Earthquakes ground nuclear tests at Mururoa Atoll in | Kemadecis.: hen mt (M>=5.8) after USA Below-Ground the South Pacific from 1975 through 1988. | taiwan: 2.16 329 Nuclear Tests in Nevada, 1963 to 1988 As pointed out by a recent National | S-Seece, Turkey: i =a (five-day period) Resources Defence Council paper, the The earthquake patterns following all! ‘cation 1900-1949 AnerusaTests | French have accounted for some 20% of all underground nuclear tests are similar to nuclear tests within the 10 years to 1988. those for the above-ground testing, and, Vanuatu: 3.36 6.81 7 Solomon Istands: 298 4.89 Serious fractures of the coral atoll and con- when grouped together, account for about ay = Mes stant nuclear contamination of the site and 50% of all the M>=5.8 earthquakes that Aleutian Is. Block: 331 12.57 z = Santiago, Chile: 0.76 279 surrounding waters has occurred. Some follow an underground nuclear explosion. 0.76 3.95 3.36 3.07 o 559 9.09 9.09 6.06 6.06 18.18 15.15 The major [ex-JUSSR nuclear test site in Table 13: Percentage of All Earthquakes Semipalatinsk and associated mainland (M>=5.8) after French Below-Ground sites have received over 400 underground Nuclear Tests at Mururoa Atoll, South nuclear tests since 1963. Interesting pat- Pacific, 1975 to 1988 (five-day period) terns of earthquakes again follow nuclear cation 1900-1949 __After French Tests tests at these sites. The South Pacific zone eau vatliees 67% once again shows a relationship, but so too | New Britain, Solomon is.: 2.98 19.08 does the Nevada region, which previously | §,Neutiee zone: = _ only appeared with a high percentage fol- | Hokkaido: 3.07 5.3 lowing American nuclear tests in Nevada | (jercociny ElSavador 222 itself. The Aleutian Islands usually show | Columbia: 0.85 an increase in earthquake frequency fol- lowing nuclear tests, but this is not the case Atmospheric and Underground following a USSR underground test at Nuclear Tests Combine Semipalatinsk, a marked contrast with the When all the above-ground Novaya Zemlya test site. Further, the (atmospheric) nuclear explosions are Semipalatinsk region itself received 3.15% considered, certain areas of the world of all M>=5.8 earthquakes following reveal high frequency patterns of the nuclear tests at that site, as compared toa M>=5.8 earthquakes following such tests. low 0.23% prior to 1950. See Table 12. These areas, listed in Table 14, account for ahont 50% of all the Ms=§ & earthanakes 2.98 3.36 8.92 6.49 The French conducted 1,112 under- ground nuclear tests at Mururoa Atoll in the South Pacific from 1975 through 1988. As pointed out by a recent National Resources Defence Council paper, the French have accounted for some 20% of all nuclear tests within the 10 years to 1988. Serious fractures of the coral atoll and con- stant nuclear contamination of the site and surrounding waters has occurred. Some 14 ¢ NEXUS OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 1995