A test carried out in the US state of Nevada recreated the effects of an underground nuclear explosion without using a nuclear device. Conventional explosives were used instead, according to TWZ.

The experiment was designed to improve the United States’ ability to detect so-called isolated explosions. The US National Nuclear Security Administration said the data collected during the test will help validate scientific models and refine algorithms used by American nuclear explosion detection systems.

The test focused in particular on how seismic signals change depending on the conditions in which an underground blast occurs. During a conventional underground nuclear test, a device is placed deep inside a borehole in direct contact with the surrounding rock. This allows a significant share of the shock wave to travel through the ground and reach monitoring sensors.

An isolated blast produces a different seismic signature. In this scenario, the explosive charge is detonated inside a large underground cavity, reducing the amount of energy transmitted into the surrounding rock. As a result, the seismic signal becomes weaker and more difficult to detect.