T2.2-P17.

Simultaneously Relocation of the 2013 North Korea Underground Nuclear Test

with the Surrounding Seismicity Using MJHD and Double Difference Algorithm
1 1 1 1 1 STMKG
Dimas Salomo J. Sianipar, I Gusti Ketut Satria Bunaga, Sandy Tri Gustono, Hendri Subakti, Supriyanto Rohadi
1 CONTACT:
Indonesian State College of Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics (STMKG BMKG), Jakarta, Indonesia dimas.salomo@gmail.com
Science and Technology Conference 2015
dimas.salomo@bmkg.go.id

INTRODUCTION Modified Joint Hypocenter Determination (MJHD)

 MJHD method is the development of JHD (Joint Hypocenter Determination) method . We used the MJHD algorithm
 On February 12th, 2013 morning at 02:57 UTC, there had been an earthquake with its epicenter in the region of from Hurukawa (2011) and the combination of P-wave phase dataset and seismic stations explained in table below.
North Korea precisely around Sungjibaegam Mountains. Zhao et al. (2014), Vavrycuk and Kim (2014), Sianipar et
al. (2015) have been successfully discriminate this seismic event of North Korea nuclear test 2013 from ordinary Name of Scale of Relo- Number of
Arrival Data Input Stations
earthquakes. They concluded that the DPRK 12 February 2013 earthquake was a shallow seismic event with ex- Scenario cation Events
plosion characteristics and an implication of the non-natural sources. MJHD1 Teleseismic Dataset A * 114 Only BMKG stations
 The accuracy of this seismic event location is very necessary to analyze further. Therefore, we required the reloca- MJHD2 Teleseismic Dataset A * 114 Only IMS CTBTO stations
tion and analysis of the high precision location of this event. Patton and Pabian (2014) proposed that the location of MJHD3 Teleseismic Dataset A * 114 Global stations
the North Korea nuclear test site must be reliable and meaningful with the presence of the tunnel in the vicinity of MJHD4 Regional Dataset B ** 53 Regional stations
the Punggye-ri facility.
DPRK has conducted three underground nuclear tests in the vicinity of Mount Manthap (in 2006, 2009 and 2013)

Double Difference (DD)
(Murphy et al., 2013). Several studies have already been discussing on the accurate determination of the location
We used the DD algorithm from Waldhauser and Ellsworth (2000) for relocating the 2013 North Korea underground
of the seismic event of North Korea nuclear test, such as Zhao et. al. (2014), Zhang and Wen (2013), Murphy et al.
nuclear test and the surrounding seismicity. The combination of the phase dataset and seismic stations used in this
(2013), Carluccio et. al. (2012), Murphy et al. (2010) and Wen and Long (2010). These locations were close to the
method can be seen in Table below. We used both of the global IASP91 velocity model and updated velocity model
Punggye-ri nuclear test facility of North Korea (Figure 2).
determined by this study.
 The aim of this research is to determine the high precision location of the DPRK February 12th, 2013 nuclear test
Figure 13. The position of all results of relocated position from this
earthquake using relative relocation algorithm of Modified Joint Hypocenter Determination (MJHD) and Double Dif- Name of Scale of Relo- Number of Velocity
Arrival Data Input Stations study shown by the black star. A black square was the Punggye-ri
ference (DD) using IMS CTBTO (International Monitoring System Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organi- Scenario cation Events Model facility position. The plus black symbols were some location results
zation), BMKG (Indonesian Agency for Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics), regional and global seismic sta- IASP91 from other institutions and studies of 2013 North Korea under-
tions respectively. We also compare the location results with absolute location method of Simulated Annealing. DD1 Regional Dataset B ** 56 Regional stations ground test. The topography data were downloaded from Topogra-
Global Figure 14. The slicing result of the O-A, O-B, O-C, O-D and O-E as the topography
phy V18.1 www.topex.ucsd.edu (global 1-minute grids). The color analysis method to determine the high possibility location for tunnel adit around
Updated
DD2 Regional Dataset B ** 56 Regional stations gradation was for the elevation (in meter). Also shown the slice O- Punggye-ri facility.
model A, O-B, O-C, O-D and O-E of topography profile.
Updated
DD3 Regional Dataset C *** 3 Regional stations
model
 All results show that the locations scattered in the radius of less than 7 km from the Punggye-ri facility. The horizon-
tal distance with the lowest value is the result of Simulated Annealing method (SA) in the east-south direction from
Simulated Annealing (SA) Absolute Location the facility. The highest horizontal distance from Punggye-ri facility is the result of MJHD1 (around 6.6 km). The lo-
Simulated annealing inversion method also was applied to determine the high precision location of the North Korea cation estimation of each scenario and also the compilation with the location estimation from other researcher and
February 12th, 2013 nuclear test. The algorithms used in this study were developed according to White (1984) and institutions can be seen in Figure 12. MJHD1, MJHD4, and all of the double difference scenarios result (DD1, DD2
Figure 2. The outlook of the Pung- Weber (2000), and then modified to solve this case. The algorithm flowchart of this simulated annealing used in this and DD3) scattered in the northwest of the Punggye-ri facility. The MJHD2 took place in northeast and the MJHD3
gye-ri nuclear test facility taken
from Google Earth Pro ©. This fa- study can be seen in Figure below. In this method, we used 15 well distributed regional seismic stations. in the southwest of the facility.
cility had taken place in coordinate  We also used the analysis of topographic data to determine the high possibility location of the 2013 North Korea
41.2770 E and 129.0807 E with
elevation 1343 m. underground nuclear test. We made five slice of elevation profile from the Punggye-ri test facility to the location
named A, B, C, D and E location. This profile was accorded to the result of the relocations. The slicing result of the
Figure 1. Seismicity of the North Korea mainland region elevation profile can be seen in Figure 14. In the O-B, O-C and O-D profile, there were valleys which make us con-
Figure 4. The topography countour of the vicinity around Punggye-ri
and vicinity in the year of 2006-2014. Figure shows us that
the North Korea mainland is not a seismically active for
nuclear test facility in North Korea. A black square was the Punggye- sidered that there is no possibility to make a horizontal tunnel across the profile.
ri facility position. The plus black symbols were some location re-
shallow tectonic earthquake. Also shown the epicenter of
the 2013 underground nuclear test of North Korea as a red
sults from institutions and studies of 2013 North Korea underground  The elevation profile of O-A and O-E track show us that these
test. The topography data were downloaded from Topography V18.1 two profiles have possibility for the presence of a horizontal tun-
star. The seismic data were downloaded from International
www.topex.ucsd.edu (global 1-minuted grids). The color gradation
Seismology Center (ISC). The topography outlook was
was for the elevation (in meter).
nel. We proposed the “A” location (around MJHD4, DD1, DD2,
from GEBCO 30s (2D) data. and DD3) in coordinate 129.04 E, 41.29 N have a higher possibil-
ity as the location of the 2013 underground nuclear test because
it’s have more enough elevation than “E” location (SA location)
DATA & RESOURCES for underground nuclear detonation.
“A”
 To analyse further, we made the second vertical derivative (SVD)
 Dataset A = Three North Korea Test (2006, 2009 and 2013) and seismicity from BMKG catalogue 2012-2013. This of the bouguer anomaly of gravity in the region around the Pung-
is the arrival time data from 111 seismic event occurred in the area of 34-44 N, 125-145 E, with shallow depth ≤ 50 gye-ri facility. The SVD map can be seen in Figure 15. This SVD
km and for all magnitude. anomaly map shows us the shallow effect of gravity potential in
 Dataset B = Shallow crustal seismicity from ISC catalogue 2006 - the region of Punggye-ri facility.
2014 in the mainland region of North Korea and vicinity includ-
ing three nuclear test (in 2006, 2009 and 2013) (Figure 6).  As the discussion for this study, we can consider that the high
 Dataset C = The precise repicking of P-wave arrival time data Figure 10. The seismic stations used in this study. The yellows were the global possibility location of the 2013 North Korea underground nuclear
for three North Korea test (Figure 11) seismic stations including BMKG’s network. The greens were the IMS CTBTO test was the location which has no significant anomaly of SVD in
stations. The white triangles were the regional seismic stations (used to relocate Figure 8. The algorithm of the Simulated Annealing method for non
the 2013 North Korea underground nuclear test). -linear inversion solution (modified from Ry and Nugraha, 2012).
the track from the Punggye-ri facility (as the tunnel adit). It means
that there is no high or low density structure along the tunnel.
This consideration was supporting the “A” location as the high Figure 15. Second vertical derivative of Bouguer anomaly near
possibility location from all the relocation results because there is the location of the Punggye-ri nuclear test facility. The position
RESULT & ANALYSIS of all results of relocated position from this study shown by the
no significant anomaly from the Punggye-ri facility to the “A” loca- black star. A black square was the Punggye-ri facility position.
We successfully relocated this shallow seismic event in year 2013 in the mainland region of Korea peninsula. From
seven scenarios of this study, we got seven new location estimation of the North Korea underground nuclear test tion. But we can consider about the possibility of the SVD anom- The plus black symbols were some location results from other
February, 12, 2013 event. We proposed and considered all results as better location because the lower value of the aly outlook can represent the presence of the real tunnels. We institutions and studies of 2013 North Korea underground test.
recommend making more precise study of the gravity anomaly The colour gradation was for the SVD anomaly value (in mili-
root mean square of the observed and calculated residual of travel time after the relocation process. In relocation, gal). Also shown the slice O-A (brown arrow) of topography
around the Punggye-ri facility from the sensing satellite to under- profile. The gravity data were downloaded from Gravity V23.1
we choose the result with the lowest value of standard deviation of calculation processes.
stand the better possibility. from www.topex.ucsd.edu.

Figure 6. The epicenters of the seismic events which used for the P-wave
CONCLUSION
Figure 11. The precise repicking of the P-wave arrival time of the 2013 North
velocity model estimation. The yellow star symbol represented the seis- We successfully give contribution for determining the high precision location of the 2013 North Korea underground
Korea underground nuclear test. All waveforms were Butterworth band pass fil- nuclear test. Results of the relocation method in this study show the locations with distance less than 7 km from the
micity (48 events) from ISC bulletin in the year 2006-2014. These were
tered 2-7 Hz. From up to bottom: Station BJT, ERM, HIA, MAJO, MDJ, SSE
and YSS. We used DIMAS Interactive Program for this repicking.
the shallow crustal seismic events occurred in the mainland of the North Punggye-ri facility. MJHD1, MJHD4, DD1, DD2 and DD3 result scattered in the northwest of the facility and mean-
Korea and vicinity. The green triangles were the regional seismic stations ingfully if related to the west tunnel entrance. SA and MJHD3 result location is considered related to the south tun-
which used in Velest3.3 program.
nel adit proposed by Liu and Hansen (2013). The MJHD2 result is meaningful if related to the east tunnel entrance.

The Optimum 1-D P-Wave Velocity Model The MJHD4 result is very close to the DD1, DD2 and DD3 location. We have been combining all the relocation re-
sults with the topography and gravity analysis and named this location as “A” location. We proposed that the north-
Bottom west of the Punggye-ri facility (around “A” location) in coordinat 129.04 E and 41.29 N with elevation around 2050-
We determined the updated regional P-wave velocity model Number of layer Top (km) Velocity
(km) 2150 meter is the high possibility location of the 2013 North Korea underground nuclear test.
estimation in the North Korea region. We used the algorithm
of Kissling (1995) by using the Velest3.3 program. The 48 1 -3 5 6.68 km/s
shallow depth events were used to determinate the updated 2 5 35 5.31 km/s ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
1D P-wave regional velocity structure of the North Korea re- 3 35 71 6.71 km/s We would like to thank CTBTO for supporting this study under the program of CTBTO Young Scientist and and
gion. As many as 19 regional seismic stations were used for Engineers Research Award 2014, award notification letter no. IDC/SA/502/14/078/MK/jy. We also thank for Dr. N.
the algorithm. We selected the arrival times from the stations 4 71 120 7.71 km/s
Hurukawa (IISEE Japan) for the help and permission to use the MJHD script program. We thank Kissling (Velest),
which were at distance of less than 15 degrees from the initial 5 120 171 7.28 km/s Waldhauser (HypoDD), Wessel and Smith (Generic Mapping Tools) for the program used in this study. We thank
test site. We used the IASP91 as the initial model. This table 6 171 210 7.56 km/s Martin Kalinowski, Mikhail Rozhkov, Dmitry Bobrov and Jennifer Ylo for the research mentoring in IDC CTBTO. We
is the updated 1D P-wave velocity model for the North Korea thank Ahmad Syahputra (Bandung Institute of Technology) for the some built program in this study. We also would
region and vicinity determined by this study. 7 210 271 8.44 km/s Figure 12. All of the relocation results by this study shown by the yellow circle. The red circle is the 2013 locations from other researchers
and institutions. The white arrows were the tunnels entrance proposed by Murphy et al. (2014). The picture taken from Google Earth Pro ©. like to thank for all of the reviewers for the comments and suggestions to improve the result of this research. ***
8 271 … 8.52 km/s