Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.

The Waveform From Monday's North Korean 'Earthquake' Looks Identical To The Nuclear Test In 2009

Jennifer WelshFeb 12, 2013, 10:19 IST

The waveform from the USGS seismometer that detected the North Korean "earthquake" that happened Monday near Sungjibaegam, off of Nuclear Test Road, looks very similar to the waveform of the 2009 nuclear test North Korea performed.

That test registered a 4.5 magnitude, shown in blue, where today's registered a 4.9, the red waveform. The South Korean estimate is that the bomb may have been between 6 and 7 kilotons. Estimates for the 2009 test indicated the blast was about 2.5 kilotons.

By comparison, the nuclear bombs dropped by the US on Hiroshima produced a 16 kiloton explosion.

Andy Frassetto ?@drrocks1982The graph was tweeted out by Andy Frassetto (@drrocks1982), a geoscientist at the University of Arizona.