Seismograms offer insight into Oklahoma City bombing

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union
By: , and 

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Abstract

The terrorist bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995, generated seismic waves that were recorded on two permanent seismographs about 7 and 26 km away from the bombing. The seismogram recorded at 26 km shows two low-frequency wave trains, discrete sets of oscillatory signals, that begin about 10 s apart. Public release of this record prompted speculation that each wave train was caused by a different energy source. On May 23, 1995, the U.S. Geological Survey monitored the demolition of the bomb-ravaged Federal Building with portable seismographs (Figure 1). Two wave trains were picked up again. The recordings indicate that the wave trains during both the bombing and demolition represent seismic waves traveling at different velocities. We conclude that the two wave trains recorded during the bombing are consistent with a single impulsive energy source.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Seismograms offer insight into Oklahoma City bombing
Series title Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union
DOI 10.1029/96EO00269
Volume 77
Issue 41
Year Published 1996
Language English
Publisher American Geophysical Union
Description 7 p.
First page 393
Last page 399
Country United States
State Oklahoma
City Oklahoma City
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