作者：Joseph Bermudez Jr JDW通讯记者 科罗拉多

    初步的韩国国防部和国家情报局报告指出，一次来自北朝鲜核试验3.58-3.7-量级爆炸在早上当地时间10.36（格林威治标准时间01:36）被发现。来自美国地质勘探局（USGS）的后来的报告估计4.2里氏震级的震动。在报告中的分歧是由于USGS的评估，稍后，它准备能够去结合较大数量传感器的记录。

    USGS数据确定爆炸的时间和位置在10月9日01:35:27（格林威治标准时间）并且中心在41.311—N，129.114—E和深度0-1公里上。这地点位置大约在在北Hamgyong省中Kilchu西北42公里，边远Mant'ap-san山的坡地上。这与在2005年期间最初发表的可疑开挖隧道和区域的建筑活动的报告一致。在上个月期间的后来报告指出北朝鲜已经在Mant'ap-san下挖掘一条700米-长的水平隧道。

    虽然细节是试验性质的，初步和未经证实的韩国报告指出测试是一个0.55kT当量的分裂装置。对照在广岛上被释放的核弹大约12.5kT当量。0.55kT的数字，无论如何，在产生4.2里氏震级记录上似乎是太低了。这可以认为-依靠依据试验位置的地质构成-2-12kT的当量。即使，无论如何，较低的当量是正确的，它将暗示测试是一个“提前或后引爆”事件（工业工程学的一个失败），当它已经被预期北朝鲜的第一次核子试爆会有一个值得注目地高当量时候。

    附原文供对照参考：

North Korea claims nuclear test

By Joseph Bermudez Jr JDW Correspondent
Colorado

Initial South Korean Ministry of Defence and National Intelligence Service reports indicated that a 3.58-3.7-magnitude blast was detected emanating from a North Korean nuclear test at 10.36 am local time (01:36 GMT). Subsequent reports from the US Geological Survey (USGS) place the magnitude of the tremor at 4.2 on the Richter scale. The difference in the reports is due to the fact that the USGS assessment, being somewhat later, was able to incorporate a larger number of sensor reports in its preparation.

The USGS data identifies the time and location of the blast as 9 October at 01:35:27 (GMT) and centred at 41.311—N, 129.114—E at a depth 0-1 km. This places the site approximately 42 km northwest of Kilchu, in the province of North Hamgyong, on the remote slopes of Mant'ap-san Mountain. This coincides with reports that first appeared during 2005 of suspicious tunnelling and construction activities in the area. Subsequent reports during the past month indicate that the North Koreans had excavated a 700 m-long horizontal tunnel under Mant'ap-san.

Although details are tentative, initial and unconfirmed South Korean reports indicate that the test was a fission device with a yield of .55 kT. By comparison the nuclear bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima yielded approximately 12.5 kT. The figure of .55 kT, however, seems too low given the 4.2 register on the Richter scale. This could suggest - depending upon the geological make-up of the test site - a yield of 2-12 kT. If, however, the lower yield is correct, it would suggest that the test had been a "pre- or post-detonation" event (ie a failure), as it had been anticipated that North Korea's first nuclear test would have a significantly higher yield.

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© 2006 Jane's Information Group
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