MRI: Development of an Integrated Borehole Geodetic and Seismic Sensor

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The Scripps Institution of Oceanography of the University of California San Diego will prototype a new generation of sensitive motion detector of the earth. The fiber-optic-based sensors are deployed in deep boreholes and record movements as small as the width of a human hair over times that range from a fraction of a second to years. The new instrument package will record behavior from sudden earthquakes to slow movements that do not generate seismic waves. The instrument can be located where dangerous faults or volcanic hazards exist near human populations, as well as where induced earthquakes associated with fluid extraction or injection might occur. This project is aligned with NSF's mission of promoting the progress of science to advance the nation's health, prosperity, and welfare. The Scripps Institution of Oceanography will develop a geodetic/seismometer package that can detect a range of earthquake-related phenomena from sudden slip to continuous slow slip and episodic tremor. The package will provide key data for understanding the physics of fault movement. The robust fiber-optic-based sensors will have a long instrument lifetime and be resistant to high downhole temperatures. The comprehensive instrument will measure vertical and horizontal ground velocities, gravity, tilt, and strain. The prototype instrument will be installed in an existing borehole at the Pinon Flat Observatory for testing and comparison with existing seismic and strain systems. The new package is expected to significantly expand the network of geodetic/seismic observations both on land and beneath the sea floor.