Development, Manufacturing, and Preparation for Serial Production of Low Noise Seismometers (CRADA Final Report)
This was a collaborative effort between Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC as manager and operator of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Refraction Technology, Inc. (REF TEK), to collaborate on the development of a broadband, competitive low-noise seismometer, rugged and easy to use for field deployments. The work involved collaborative work between LLNL, REF TEK and a group led by Federal State Unitary Enterprise, Research Institute of Pulse Technique (RIPT), Moscow, Russia. The proposed work focused on bringing an improved version of the Russian SDSE seismometer from development phase to production in two versions. The first was a very low cost, rugged, broadband seismometer for field deployment that would achieve noise levels comparable to the standard earth low noise model (LNM) of the USGS. All three components were integrated into one case, and have sensitivity near 2000 v/m/s, and analog output with bandwidth of .01 to 40 Hz with high coherence. The second phase of development combined the results of previous instruments and these tests, and lowered the internal noise according to class A of standard Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS) within the band of 0.01 to 50 Hz for a dynamic range 143 - 128 dB. The second phase extended the development using improved electronics and modifications suggested by these tests of the earlier prototypes. These sensors would also be very competitive and aimed towards major improvements in their ruggedness compared to existing sensors from other manufacturers. Prototypes would undergo extensive testing at low-noise field sites for durability and functionality. The development would yield production prototypes capable of serial production at RPZ in Moscow. The collaboration between the Russian and US partners would improve the availability of rugged, broadband seismometers for commercial applications, research applications, seismic networks operated by our government and international organizations, and a spur collaboration on the development of additional types of seismometers.