SBIR Phase II: New Family of Inexpensive, Broad Band Seismometers

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9423991 Abramovich This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project involves the research and development of new seismometers based on principles of molecular electronics. The progress of seismology has been hampered by the lack of low cost, high performance, portable, rugged, easy to install, broad frequency band instruments. This project is aimed at filling this void. In Phase I, problems encountered by previous researchers, including these investigators, have been overcome, and conceptual prototypes were built. Field tests showed very close correlation with STS-s seismometers in recording remote earthquakes. Phase II theoretical and experimental effort will be focused on the optimization of all major seismometer characteristics: transfer function, self-noise, transducer coefficient, temperature stability, as well as manufacturability, while maintaining the low cost. Every prototype will be subjected to extensive laboratory and field testing at various locations in the U.S. The ultimate goal is the implementation of three seismometer versions: Basic (noise 200-400 nm/s, 0.03-5 Hz band); Limited Band Advanced (20-40 nm/s, 0.3-25 Hz); Broad Band Advanced (less than 75 nm/s, 0.016-5 Hz). Special attention will be devoted to the development of an expanded temperature range instrument for field applications. A built-in magnetohydrodynamic calibrator will be developed for the advanced seismometer versions. An optional PC-based multichannel programmable Seismic Data Acquisition system will be developed with on-board real-time keeping and anti-aliasing filtering. In order to facilitate and expedite the evaluation of newly developed transducers and seismometers, an inexpensive calibration platform will be built.