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The location of the 2006 nuclear explosion in North Korea has been accurately imaged by back-projected regional Pn waves recorded by the Japanese Hi-net array. Based on the determined location, the nuclear explosion site can be identified from geo-referenced FORMOSAT-2 satellite images. The seismically determined epicenter is about 2.5km northeast of the original estimate of its absolute location. Results indicate that a remote suspect event had been unambiguously detected and accurately located by a dense array within a regional distance. Employing ground truth correction, the satellite images can be referenced forshifting the array-determined epicenter to its absolute position. After correction, this event can be treated as a reference event for accurately locating future nuclear explosions. Our study utilizes public information from a dense seismic network and further demonstrates that commercial observation satellites can accurately monitor compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, as well as earthquakeand tsunami hazards almost in real time.
Huang, B-S. (2008): Tracking the North Korean Nuclear Explosion of 2006, Using Seismic Data from Japan and Satellite Data from Taiwan. Physics of Earth and Planetary Interiors, Vol .167, 34-28.