abstract
The tectonic strain-release characteristics of the CANNIKIN nuclear explosion are determined from seismic surface waves and static strain changes associated with the event. The source is considered to be the superposition of an isotropic explosion component and a tectonic component consisting of a fault of arbitrary orientation. From Love-to-Rayleigh-wave amplitude ratios, the strength of the tectonic component (F) relative to the explosion is determined to be 0.6. The parameters of the fault are found to be consistent with nearby faults and displacements observed following the event. Reasonable agreement with observed static strains is also obtained with a fault 20 km long, but of different orientation. Discrepancies between observed and theoretical strains indicate the complexity of strain readjustment. The relatively small amount of tectonic strain release associated with CANNIKIN is probably due either to the low rigidity of the medium or to low ambient stresses near the surface.
