Azimuthally Dependent Seismic‐Wave Coherence at the Source Physics Experiment Large‐N Array

Abstract

Abstract We document azimuthally dependent seismic scattering at the Source Physics Experiment (SPE) using the large‐N array. The large‐N array recorded the seismic wavefield produced by the SPE‐5 buried chemical explosion, which occurred in April 2016 at the Nevada National Security Site, U.S.A. By selecting a subset of vertical‐component geophones from the large‐N array, we formed 10 linear arrays, with different nominal source–receiver azimuths as well as six 2D arrays. For each linear array, we evaluate wavefield coherency as a function of frequency and interstation distance. For both the P arrival and post‐P arrivals, the coherency is higher in the northeast propagation direction, which is consistent with the strike of the steeply dipping Boundary fault adjacent to the northwest side of the large‐N array. Conventional array analysis using a suite of 2D arrays suggests that the presence of the fault may help explain the azimuthal dependence of the seismic‐wave coherency for all wave types. This fault, which separates granite from alluvium, may be acting as a vertically oriented refractor and/or waveguide.