Field Tests of a Portable MEMS Gravimeter
Gravimeters are used to measure density anomalies under the ground. They are applied in many different fields from volcanology to oil and gas exploration, but present commercial systems are costly and massive. A new type of gravity sensor has been developed that utilises the same fabrication methods...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2017-11-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/17/11/2571 |
| _version_ | 1818039501205798912 |
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| author | Richard P. Middlemiss Steven G. Bramsiepe Rebecca Douglas James Hough Douglas J. Paul Sheila Rowan Giles D. Hammond |
| author_facet | Richard P. Middlemiss Steven G. Bramsiepe Rebecca Douglas James Hough Douglas J. Paul Sheila Rowan Giles D. Hammond |
| author_sort | Richard P. Middlemiss |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Gravimeters are used to measure density anomalies under the ground. They are applied in many different fields from volcanology to oil and gas exploration, but present commercial systems are costly and massive. A new type of gravity sensor has been developed that utilises the same fabrication methods as those used to make mobile phone accelerometers. In this study, we describe the first results of a field-portable microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gravimeter. The stability of the gravimeter is demonstrated through undertaking a multi-day measurement with a standard deviation of 5.58 × 10 − 6 ms − 2 . It is then demonstrated that a change in gravitational acceleration of 4.5 × 10 − 5 ms − 2 can be measured as the device is moved between the top and the bottom of a 20.7 m lift shaft with a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 14.25. Finally, the device is demonstrated to be stable in a more harsh environment: a 4.5 × 10 − 4 ms − 2 gravity variation is measured between the top and bottom of a 275-m hill with an SNR of 15.88. These initial field-tests are an important step towards a chip-sized gravity sensor. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T07:59:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-83b83b72b2a64e4ebcbdf020270aa86a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T07:59:38Z |
| publishDate | 2017-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-83b83b72b2a64e4ebcbdf020270aa86a2022-12-22T01:56:49ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202017-11-011711257110.3390/s17112571s17112571Field Tests of a Portable MEMS GravimeterRichard P. Middlemiss0Steven G. Bramsiepe1Rebecca Douglas2James Hough3Douglas J. Paul4Sheila Rowan5Giles D. Hammond6School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Kelvin Building, University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8SU, UKSchool of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Kelvin Building, University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8SU, UKSchool of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Kelvin Building, University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8SU, UKSchool of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Kelvin Building, University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8SU, UKSchool of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Rankine Building, Oakfield Avenue, Glasgow G12 8LT, UKSchool of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Kelvin Building, University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8SU, UKSchool of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Kelvin Building, University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8SU, UKGravimeters are used to measure density anomalies under the ground. They are applied in many different fields from volcanology to oil and gas exploration, but present commercial systems are costly and massive. A new type of gravity sensor has been developed that utilises the same fabrication methods as those used to make mobile phone accelerometers. In this study, we describe the first results of a field-portable microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gravimeter. The stability of the gravimeter is demonstrated through undertaking a multi-day measurement with a standard deviation of 5.58 × 10 − 6 ms − 2 . It is then demonstrated that a change in gravitational acceleration of 4.5 × 10 − 5 ms − 2 can be measured as the device is moved between the top and the bottom of a 20.7 m lift shaft with a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 14.25. Finally, the device is demonstrated to be stable in a more harsh environment: a 4.5 × 10 − 4 ms − 2 gravity variation is measured between the top and bottom of a 275-m hill with an SNR of 15.88. These initial field-tests are an important step towards a chip-sized gravity sensor.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/17/11/2571gravitygravimetergravimetryMEMS |
| spellingShingle | Richard P. Middlemiss Steven G. Bramsiepe Rebecca Douglas James Hough Douglas J. Paul Sheila Rowan Giles D. Hammond Field Tests of a Portable MEMS Gravimeter Sensors gravity gravimeter gravimetry MEMS |
| title | Field Tests of a Portable MEMS Gravimeter |
| title_full | Field Tests of a Portable MEMS Gravimeter |
| title_fullStr | Field Tests of a Portable MEMS Gravimeter |
| title_full_unstemmed | Field Tests of a Portable MEMS Gravimeter |
| title_short | Field Tests of a Portable MEMS Gravimeter |
| title_sort | field tests of a portable mems gravimeter |
| topic | gravity gravimeter gravimetry MEMS |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/17/11/2571 |
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