Introduction to seismic sensors

(subject 3.2)

Peter Novotny

PACMAN meeting, CERN, 7 October 2014

What is seismic sensor?

Instrument which measures ground motion.

(Not only earthquakes!)
 Ground Motion in frequency domain

Power Spectral Density PSD RMS of ground motion

of ground motion

Cultural
noise
Micro
seismic
peak
 How does seismic sensor work?
Relative motion
(mass to ground)

Ground acceleration
Absolute motion (ground)

Dynamic described by 2nd Newtons law => Forced damped

harmonic oscillator.
 How does seismic sensor work?

Transfer
functions:
Laplace
transform

Natural
frequency

!! Information about absolute motion is in relative motion!!
 How we measure relative motion?

ing different types of transducers:

Pen (mechanical seismometers - obsolete)
Resistive
Capacitive
Piezoelectric
Optical (Interferometers, encoders)
Inductive coil + magnet
Eddy current
LVDT - Linear variable differential transformer

 Seismic sensor parameters

Bandwidth fmin - fmax

Sensitivity S conversion factor from D,V,A to Volts
Self noise N determine resolution
Resolution R = S/N smallest measureable value
Dynamic range Max/Min measureable value
Active/passive need of power supply

 requirements on sensor

Bandwidth = (0.1 100) Hz

Resolution = Sensitivity and Self-noise
for R = 0.1um
for NANO STABILISATION R = 0.1nm
Stray magnetic fields resistance
Weight < few kg & compact size
Temperature stability
Radiation resistance => only for stabilisation
Price 4000 sensors for CLIC

 Geophones

Output voltage proportional to ground velocity

above natural frequency.
Simple and compact solution

requirements
Low noise
Weight and size
Price

Natural freq. > 10

Hz
Magnetic
 Geophones with feedback => seismometers

Utilise the feedback control of mass position to extend

bandwidth to low frequencies.

Seismic
mass

Leaf spring

sensing & force

coils
 Geophones with feedback => seismometers

Output voltage is proportional to ground velocity in certain

frequency bandwidth.

requirements
Very low noise
Resolution
Broad bandwidth
Weight and size
Magnetic
resistance
 Accelerometers
Output voltage proportional to ground Piezoelectric MEMS capacitive acc.
acceleration below natural frequency.
Different types:
Piezoelectric, piezoresistive,
capacitive, Principle
Force Balanced (FBA)
Possibility of utilizing MEMS
+ size and price reduction
- high self noise

requirements MEMS
Bandwidth realisation
Magnetic
resistance
Price
Higher noise at Final
lower freq.
 Noise in seismic sensors
Noise
Producer Model
[um*s-2/Hz1/2]
Interferometer Sources of noise: 0.9 @1Hz
0.25 @10Hz
Endevco 87
0.1 @100Hz
Thermomechanical bb rms <4um*s-2

(Brownian) noise Wilcoxon 731A

0.3 @2Hz
0.1 @10Hz
0.04 @100Hz
Molecular collisions with mass Brel & 14.7 @0.1Hz
8340
Thermoelectrical (Johnson) Kjr 14.7 @55Hz
0.6 @1Hz

noise PCB 393B31 0.1 @10Hz

0.04 @100Hz
COLIBRY SF1600S. 3 in 0.1-100Hz
Random thermal excitation S A BW
Capacitive of charge carriers rms 0.22@1Hz
Metrozet TSA-100S rms 0.2@10Hz
sensor
Schottky noise rms 0.7@10Hz

Random movement of charge

across
potential barriers
Flicker 1/f noise
Impurities in semiconductors
 Classification of seismic sensors

Output voltage By type of sensing

proportional to: transducer:
Displacement Capacitive
Inductive
Velocity:
Piezoelectric
geophones
Optical
feedback geophones =
classifications:
Other
seismometers
Acceleration: Bandwidth
Short period, Long period,
Accelerometers
Broad band,
Force Balanced Very BB
Accelerometers (FBA) Signal intensity
Strong motion, High sensitivity
Few sensors and their producers
Producer type of sensors
GURALP Seismometers
ion (Sensor Nederland
geophones
B.V.)
Sercel (Mark Products) geophones
Kinemetrics (Streckeisen) Seismometers + FBA
Nanometrics Seismometers
REFTEK Seismometers
Lennartz electronic Seismometers
Metrozet Seismometers + FBA
FDBCK MET geophones +
Eentec
FBA
SINUS Piezo-velocity sensor
GeoSIG geophones + FBA
Endevco accelerometers
Wilcoxon accelerometers
DYTRAN accelerometers
DJB Instruments accelerometers
MMF accelerometers
Brel & Kjr accelerometers
PCB accelerometers
COLIBRYS accelerometers
R-sensors MET geophones + acc
METTECH MET
GEOTECH INSTRUMENTS Seismometers
 Secondments

Development of the seismic High precision mechanic

sensor for stabilisation of the manufacturer
Final Focus (of CLIC)
Equivalent of 7 months
(already started)
Their measuring and control
system 3 months starting in March
2015
Project:
Measurement and
adjustment techniques for
Thank you for
your
attention!