China earthquake center reports that a 3.4 magnitude earthquake hit the territory of North Korea. Seismologists say the quake probably caused by an explosion.
A 3.4-magnitude earthquake hit the northeastern part of North Korea, China's Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) said Saturday.
© AP Photo/ Richard Drew North Korea Claims Country's Nuclear Weapons Meant for Self-Protection
"On September 23, at 16:29 [08:29 GMT] local time a 3.4-earthquake (suspected explosion) occurred in North Korea (41.4 degrees north latitude, 129.1 degrees east longitude), the depth of 0 km," the seismologists said.
However, South Korea's weather agency claimed that the nature of the quake more likely of a natural origin.
According to the agency's data, the quake hit the Kilju area in North Hamgyong Province.
zimzamzoom2 on September 23rd, 2017 at 13:41 UTC »
Brb in 10 hours when people know what actually happened.
seis-matters on September 23rd, 2017 at 13:33 UTC »
A seismologist's summary:
NORSAR, a CTBT (Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty) contributor, has put out a statement that the signals of this M3.4 event today point to a tectonic source rather than a nuclear explosion, a settling of the ground around the Punggye-ri test facility possibly related to the extremely large test they carried out earlier this month.
A natural source is consistent with preliminary analysis of both the M6.3 test and the small M4.1 "aftershock" that followed it by 8.5 minutes. Researchers classified the M4.1 as a collapse, landslide, rock burst, or other mass-movement event and the M3.4 today appears to fall into the same broad category. It will be difficult to reach a satisfactory conclusion given that these are both very small in magnitude and all our nearest measurements are across the border.
To determine an accurate depth for both natural earthquakes and man-made weapons tests at shallow depths of less than 15 km or so, seismic recordings are needed very near to the source. As I said above, that is not possible in the case of North Korea and all our recordings come from further away. We (seismologists) can still use seismic waves to determine a depth at further distances, but those key phases are all wrapped up together when the event is shallow and the uncertainties are already on the order of several kilometers.
OfficePlum on September 23rd, 2017 at 09:39 UTC »
South Korean news reporting it was detected at ground level
What the fuck