The Theory of Stress Wave Radiation from Explosions in Prestressed Media

Abstract

Stress wave radiation from underground explosions has been observed to contain an anomalous shear wave contribution which is most likely of tectonic origin. In this paper the theoretical radiation field to be expected from an explosion in a prestressed medium is given under the assumption that no secondary low symmetry faulting on a large scale occurs and that the total tectonic component of the field is due to stress relaxation around the roughly spherical fracture zone created by the explosive shock wave. Evidence for the occurrence of this simple kind of tectonic source is considered, and it is concluded that this model is appropriate in many, if not most, instances involving underground explosions. Expressions for the spectrum of the radiation field and its spatial radiation pattern are given in terms of multipole expansions for the components of the rotation potential and the dilatation potential. Several possible rupture formation models are treated. All models show that the tectonic radiation is of simple quadrupole form, as has been observed. The energy radiated due to stress relaxation is considered in detail, and it is also shown that, in terms of the energy released, a dislocation source can be used as an equivalent for the stress relaxation effects. The theoretical energy partition between compressional and shear waves for the tectonic field is in the ratio of (approximately) 1 to 10, so that tectonic stress release does not affect the direct compressional body wave particularly, but gives rise to totally anomalous SH polarized waves (e. g. Love waves) and affects Rayleigh type surface waves significantly, as is also observed. The theory can be applied to obtain estimates of source dimensions and the orientation and magnitude of the initial prestress field in the region of the explosion. In addition, application of this particular form of the general tectonic source theory to deep earthquakes and volcanic earthquakes also appears to be reasonable in view of the probable high symmetry of the failure or phase transition regions for such events.

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