HC Deb 26 November 1990 vol 181 cc302-4W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list in theOfficial Report all unclassified studies undertaken by the Atomic Weapons Establishment and its predecessor since 1979 on (a) the United States nuclear test site at Nevada and (b) the Soviet nuclear test sites at Semipalatinsk and Novaya Zemla; and how many classified studies have been undertaken at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment or the Atomic Weapons Establishment on these test sites over the same period.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

The unclassified seismological studies undertaken by the Atomic Weapons Establishment and its predecessor since 1979 on the United States nuclear test site at Nevada and the Soviet sites at Semipalatinsk and Novya Zemlya are as follows:

Journal Publications

  • Pooley, C. I. Douglas, A. and Pearce, R. G. (1983). The Seismic Disturbance of 1976 March 20, East Kazakhstan: earthquake or explosion?
  • Geophys J. R. astr Soc, 621–631.
  • Douglas, A. and Hudson, J. A. (1983). Comments on "Time Functions Appropriate for Nuclear Explosions" by L. J. Burdick and D. V. Helmberger and "Seismic Source Functions and Attenuation from Local and Teleseismic Observations of the NTS Events Jorum and Handley" by D. V. Helmberger and D. M. Hadley.
  • Bull Seism Soc Am, 73, 1255–1264.
  • Douglas, A. (1984). Teleseismic Observations of Aftershocks immediately following an underground explosion.
  • Geophys J. R. astr Soc, 77, 503–515.
  • Bache, T. C., Marshall, P. D. and Bache, L. B. (1985). Q for Teleseismic P waves from Central Asia.
  • J. Geophys Research, 98, 3575–3587.
  • Douglas, A. (1987). Differences in Upper Mantle Attenuation between the Nevada and Shagan River Test Sites: Can the effects be seen in P-wave seismograms?
  • Bull Seism Soc Am, 77, 270–276.
  • Stewart, R. C. and Marshall, P. D. (1988). Seismic P-waves from Novaya Zemlya explosions: seeing double! Geophysical Journal, 92, 335–338.
  • Douglas, A. and Rivers, D. W. (1988). An explosion that looks like an earthquake.
  • Bull Seism Soc Am. 78, 1011–1019.
  • Marshall, P. D. Stewart, R. C. and Lilwall, R. C. (1989). The seismic disturbance on 1986 August 1 near Novaya Zemlya; a source of concern?
  • Geophysical Journal, 98, 565–573.

AWE O Reports

  • Douglas, A., J. A. Hudson, B. J. Barley, (1981). Complexity of Short Period P Seismograms: What does Scattering Contribute?
  • AWRE Report No. O 3/81.
  • Bache, T. C. Marshall, P. D. and J. B. Young, (1984). Q and its Effect on Short Period P Waves from Explosions in Central Asia.
  • AWRE Report No. O 17/84.
  • Marshall, P. D., T. C. Bache and R. C. Lilwall, (1984). Body Wave Magnitudes and Locations of Soviet Underground Explosions at the Semipalatinsk Test Site.
  • AWRE Report No. O 16/84.
  • Marshall, P. D., R. C. Lilwall and Jean Farthing, (1986). Body Wave Magnitudes and Locations of Underground Nuclear Explosions at the Nevada Test Site, 1971–1980. AWRE Report No. O 21/86.
  • Lyman, N. S., A. Douglas, P. D. Marshall and J. B. Young, (1986). P Seismograms Recorded at Eskdalemuir, Scotland from Explosions in Nevada, USA.
  • AWRE Report No. O 10/86.
  • Lilwall, R. C. and P. D. Marshall, (1986). Body Wave Magnitudes and Locations of Soviet Underground Explosions at the Novaya Zemlya Test Site.
  • AWRE Report No. O 17/86.
  • Lilwall, R. C., P. D. Marshall and D. W. Rivers, (1988). Body Wave Magnitudes of some Underground Nuclear Explosions at the Nevada (USA) and Shagan River (USSR) Test Sites.
  • AWE Report No. O 15/88.
  • Stewart, R. C., (1988). P-wave Seismograms from Underground Explosions at the Shagan River Test Site Recorded at Four Arrays.
  • AWE Report No. O 4/88.
  • Gillbanks, T. G. A., P. D. Marshall and R. C. Stewart, (1989). P-wave Seismograms Recorded at Yellowknife, Canada from Underground Nuclear Explosions in Nevada, USA. AWE Report No. O 26/88.
  • Lilwall, R. C. and J. B. Young, (1989). Broad-band P Wave Seismograms of 6 Underground Explosions in the USA Recorded at a Selection of LRSM Stations.
  • AWE Report No. O 2/89.
    • 304
  • Porter, Mrs. D. and Mrs. P. Peachell, (1990). Some Seismic Results from the US-USSR Joint Verification Underground Nuclear Explosions.
  • AWE Report No. O 6/90.
  • Marshall, P. D., R. C. Lilwall and Miss J. Farthing, (1990). Estimates of the Teleseismic Magnitudes of some Early Nevada Test Site Explosions.
  • AWE Report No. O 13/90.
  • Lilwall, R. C. and Miss J. Farthing, (1990). Joint Epicentre Determination of Soviet Underground Nuclear Explosions 1973–89 at the Semipalatinsk Test Site. AWE Report No. O 12/90.

It would not be in the national interest to reveal how many classified studies have been undertaken.