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There has been growing speculation over the past few weeks that North Korea is considering
a third nuclear test. If Pyongyang does go ahead with the test, how will the rest of
us be able to tell? Our Kim Han-ul explains.
On May 25th 2009, the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, a South Korean public
research institution, detected a tremor from an earthquake in North Korea measuring 5-point-4
on the Richter scale.
As it turned out, it was an artificial earthquake caused by North Korea's second nuclear test
in Pungye-ri. But scientists weren't surprised that the test was detected in this way.
In 2006, a collaborative effort between seismological observatories from South Korea, China and
Russia helped detect Pyongyang's first nuclear test.
Now, the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources is currently operating in
emergency mode on the heels of reports that a third nuclear test by North Korea is imminent."When
unusual movements are detected from the North, we are the first to detect them and we pass
the information on to the relevant organizations."
The underground explosion caused by a nuclear test can be detected through seismic arrays,
sonic rays and even through tiny amounts of nuclear material caught in the air.
But nuclear experts say the fastest and the most accurate way to tell whether a nuclear
test has been conducted... is by measuring seismic activity.
And South Korea has a web of domestic and international observatories that can come
up with the most accurate analysis of this kind of activity.
"We have seven seismic and sonic ray observatories near the 38th parallel and we also analyze
data collected from China and Russia. So we are able to conclude that an underground explosion
in North Korea was from a nuclear test."
A nuclear test can be detected by a seismic array just minutes after it is finished,....
while detection through sonic rays can take up to an hour.
Kim Han-ul, Arirang News.