AWE Blacknest is a specialist research and technical centre within the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), Aldermaston, operated by AWE Management Ltd under contract from the UK Ministry of Defence. For more than 50 years, it has developed expertise in distinguishing seismic signals from underground nuclear explosions from those caused by earthquakes. This work supports forensic seismology and the monitoring aims of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, and has informed assessments for the UK Government concerning nuclear explosions conducted by other countries.

AWE Blacknest’s principal role is to develop and maintain methods for detecting and identifying underground explosions using seismic techniques. It also hosts the United Kingdom’s National Data Centre under the treaty. The centre makes seismic data from UK stations and UK-territory International Monitoring System stations available to the public, alongside digitised historic event data originally recorded on analogue sources.

Through its website, AWE Blacknest provides information about its work, publications, careers, and access to continuous and historic seismic data