Two new IMS stations certified in Wyoming and Western Australia

Two more IMS stations have been certified, primary seismic station PS48 and hydroacoustic station HA01. PS48 is a seismic array located near the town of Pinedale, Wyoming, USA. It was originally constructed in 1957 as part of the USA's underground nuclear test detection programme. Between then and 1989 it had a number of different configurations and types of equipment. PS48 was selected as an IMS station during the CTBT negotiations in Geneva and was upgraded to meet PTS specifications between 1999 and 2001. The PTS made a certification visit to the station in July 2001. HA01 is a new hydrophone station, designed, manufactured and installed by the company MariPro under contract to the PTS. It is located at Cape Leeuwin, Western Australia, which is the southwestern tip of Australia. HA01 is one of three hydroacoustic stations in the region that will monitor the Indian and Southern Oceans. HA08 in the northern Indian Ocean was certified in 2000. PTS made a certification visit to the Cape Leeuwin station in September 2001.