Predicting multiphase flow and tracer transport for an underground chemical explosive test
Published in Scientific Reports, 2026
Recommended citation: Ortiz, J. P., Lucero, D. D., Rougier, E., Knight, E. E., Bourret, S. M., Fritz, B. G., Bodmer, M. A., Heath, J., Neil, C. W., Boukhalfa, H., Kuhlman, K., Otto, S., Ezzedine, S., Roberts, B. L., Choens, R. C., Zyvoloski, G. A., Stauffer, P. H., & The PE1 Team. (2026). Predicting multiphase flow and tracer transport for an underground chemical explosive test. Scientific Reports, 16. doi:10.1038/s41598-026-35868-w.
Abstract:
We present predictions of multiphase flow and tracer transport for the Physics Experiment 1 (PE1), an underground chemical explosive test at the Nevada National Security Site. This work combines numerical simulations with field observations to validate models of gas migration following subsurface explosions, with important implications for nuclear test monitoring and verification.