Kazakhstan System Establishment for Nuclear Tests and Earthquakes Monitoring

Project # 2. 1994-2019. Kazakhstan System Establishment for Nuclear Tests and Earthquakes Monitoring

The National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan in cooperation with a number of international and foreign organizations have established a new modern system for nuclear tests and earthquakes monitoring. The system includes network of seismic and infrasound monitoring stations, Kazakhstan National Data Center (KNDC) in Almaty, system for stations communication with the national and international data centers.

Kazakhstan system, established under support of the Comprehensive Tests Ban Treaty Organization, Air Force Technical Applications Center of the USA (AFTAC), Norwegian Seismic Array (NORSAR), Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS), Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University (LDEO), the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA\DASE) includes geophysical stations, that were reconstructed, upgraded and rebuilt within 1994-2019, system of communication with satellite communication channels, as well as Specific Seismic Data Collection and Processing Center, established in 1999. 17-object observation geophysical network incorporates 5 seismic groups, 8 three-component seismic stations, 3 infrasound groups and magnetic station.

All seismic groups and stations are mainly located along the perimeter of Kazakhstan territory. The stations are highly sensitive due to good choice of seismological conditions in areas of their locations, equipment installation in boreholes, that reduce noise levels, as well as complexation of three-component and single-component seismometers. Technical re-equipment by high-tech equipment installation is carried out constantly, ensuring the network stability and operability.

Kazakhstan National Data Center (KNDC) successfully operates in Almaty. Data collection is carried out via more than 130 communication channels in real-time mode from remote stations, located up to 1,650 km away from the Center.

The data center processes up to 17–20 thous. seismic and over 50 thous. infrasound events per a year, makes urgent reports on severe and perceptible events, bulletins of different degree of urgency (automatic, interactive, summary with addition of MES RK station data), catalogues, databases, archives. Recognition of seismic events nature and preparation of separate seismic bulletins for earthquakes and explosions are carried out retrospectively. Data are exchanged pursuant to CTBT provisions, international and national centers: International Data Center (Vienna); America’s Data Center (Florida); IRIS Data Center (USA); the European Mediterranean Seismological Center (France); Data Center of Geophysical Service of Russia (Obninsk); International Seismological Center (United Kingdom).

The web site (www.kndc.kz) constantly provides data on recorded events. The demand for information resources via this website has increased by 15 times over the past 5 years. The Data Center has developed and uses automated technics for control execution over incoming data, which quickly identify problems during data collection-transmission-processing a continuous flow of monitoring data. Software translation and renovation is performed constantly enabling to use it in systems with initial code (Linux). As a result, the CTBTO International Data Center receives information on the wide range of events from Kazakhstan stations and data center. All nuclear explosions, conducted in DPRK, the events near unclosed nuclear test sites in Central and South Asia, severe earthquakes that occurred all over the world, seismic and infrasound events at the territory of Kazakhstan have been recorded.

Monitoring system, realized in Kazakhstan in support of CTBT, is one of the best systems in post-Soviet space.

The evaluation of the events detection efficiency at teleseismic distances by primary and auxiliary network stations for using their data in the CTBTO International Data Center’s main REB bulletin (Reviewed event bulletin) shows, that all 4 seismic stations of Kazakhstan IMS segment rank among the best over the long period of time.