CTBTO: Preliminary Data on DPRK Alleged Nuclear Test

UNCLAS UNVIE VIENNA 000239 DEPT FOR ISN/MNA, VCI/NA, L/ACV, IO/T, T, S/T-T DOE FOR NN-40 JCS FOR J5/DDIN SECDEF FOR OSD/ISP, ATSH/NCB/NT, AND DTRA OVP FOR BLINKEN AND WOLFSTHAL SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC KTBT PARM ENRG SUBJECT: CTBTO: Preliminary Data on DPRK Alleged Nuclear Test ¶1. The Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) held a special technical briefing May 25 to provide initial data from the International Monitoring System (IMS) on the alleged DPRK nuclear test. Thirty-nine seismic stations (23 primary stations and 16 auxiliary stations) reported the seismic event. The automated data processing system of the IMS prepared preliminary readouts at one, four, and six hours after the event. The initial data is as follows: Time: 00:54:53 Zulu Location: 41.2832 North Latitude, 129.0740 East longitude +- 14 kilometers Magnitude: 4.53 +-.3 ¶2. The more comprehensive Reviewed Event Bulletin (REB) will be available late Wednesday or early Thursday. The PTS said winds were calm in the region, so it was impossible to predict accurately when fallout from the explosion might reach a radionuclide station of the IMS with an operational noble gas system. PTS officials thought fallout might reach the nearby Russian station at Ussuriysk (RN58) within "a couple of days," while the Takasaki station in Japan might have something within two to four days. ¶3. Both PTS Executive Secretary Tibor Toth and CTBTO Preparatory Commission Chair Ambassador Shannon of Australia have issued statements. They are available on the CTBTO website, ctbto.org ¶4. The Australian Chair will convene a meeting Tuesday, May 26, to discuss possible Preparatory Commission response to the alleged test, in particular to decide whether to hold a special session of the Preparatory Commission and to assess interest in a possible statement on the alleged test. ¶5. Mission requests guidance on whether mission should support a statement and, if so, what such a statement might say. SCHULTE