Seismoacoustics

We address local and regional-scale seismological and infrasound problems through a combination of theory, data analysis, and field deployments.

Contact Us

Team Leader
Joshua Carmichael
(505) 667-5724

The LANL Seismoacoustics Team advances the nation’s ability to monitor explosions globally through waveform analysis research applied to a diversity of seismic and acoustic sources. This research includes advanced waveform modeling and signal processing.

The Seismoacoustics Team

We are a diverse group of scientists exploring research that models waves through the earth and atmosphere, detects and describes signals associated with various types of sources, advances the understanding of signal sources. Goals include improved event location, detection of signals from smaller sources, better discrimination between earthquake and explosive sources, and improved yield estimation.

To support our research, we develop and maintain an extensive seismic and acoustic database comprised of waveforms and event data, merging local, regional, and teleseismic network assets across the globe. This research is in support of United States treaty/explosion monitoring.

Our capabilities

Increasingly, seismic and infrasound data are combined with additional datasets in Multi-Phenomenology Explosion Monitoring (MultiPEM); MultiPEM contributes to the enduring US treaty/explosion monitoring mission and, importantly, lends itself to the discovery of the “art of the possible” for future treaty/explosion monitoring capabilities.
Ground-Based Nuclear Detonation Detection (DOE)
Source Physics Experiment (DOE)
Underground Nuclear Explosion Signatures Experiment (DOE)

Our Researchers

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Joshua Carmichael: Team Leader

Quantitative glaciology
Geophysical research supporting global security, including novel statistical signal processing methods; geophysical hypothesis tests; and multi-physics waveform fusion methods
Application of mathematical/physical methods that increase the predictive capability of waveform detection/screening methods and quantify uncertainty
Icequake and functional analysis problems
Multi-phenomenological detection and discrimination of explosions

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Michael Cleveland: Research Scientist

Geophysics, seismic source analysis
Development of modern, waveform-based methods to improve seismic source parameters
Development of modern analytic explosive source model, and physics-based understanding of shear-wave generation at the source

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Dale Anderson: Research Scientist

LANL Program Lead for LYNM
PhD in Applied Statistics, over 25 years experience in nuclear explosion and treaty monitoring
Expertise: development of mathematical statistics to combine multiple phenomenology sensor signatures into unified analyses

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Mike Begnaud: Research Scientist

Deputy Group Leader for Geophysics
Seismology/geophysics
Seismic earth models
Seismic location and ground truth estimates
Database design and development
Web interactions

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Philip Blom: Research Scientist

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Garrett Euler: Research Scientist

Earth and planetary science
Earthquake seismology
Seismoacoustic noise
Multiphenomenological explosion monitoring
Time series analysis and array analysis
Code development

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Jonathan MacCarthy: Research Scientist

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Omar Marcillo: Research Scientist

Seismoacoustic analysis
Data analysis
Instrumentation and sensor development

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William Phillips: Research Scientist

Building velocity and attenuation models for high frequency local and regional phases and coda
Testing newly developed models for improvements in locating, discriminating, and characterizing underground nuclear tests
Data collection, analysis, developing new inversion techniques

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