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Rotation-Enabled 7-Degree of Freedom Seismometer for Geothermal Resource Development. Phase 1 Final Report

Under this Department of Energy (DOE) grant, A-Tech Corporation d.b.a. Applied Technology Associates (ATA), seeks to develop a seven-degree-of-freedom (7-DOF) seismic measurement tool for high-temperature geothermal applications. The Rotational-Enabled 7-DOF Seismometer includes a conventional tri-axial accelerometer, a conventional pressure sensor or hydrophone, and a tri-axial rotational sensor. The rotational sensing capability is novel, based upon ATA's innovative research in rotational sensing technologies. The geothermal industry requires tools for high-precision seismic monitoring of crack formation associated with Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) stimulation activity. Currently, microseismic monitoring is conducted by deploying many seismic tools at different depth levels along a 'string' within drilled observation wells. Costs per string can be hundreds of thousands of dollars. Processing data from the spatial arrays of linear seismometers allows back-projection of seismic wave states. In contrast, a Rotational-Enabled 7-DOF Seismometer would simultaneously measure p-wave velocity, s-wave velocity, and incident seismic wave direction all from a single point measurement. In addition, the Rotational-Enabled 7-DOF Seismometer will, by its nature, separate p- and s-waves into different data streams, simplifying signal processing and facilitating analysis of seismic source signatures and geological characterization. By adding measurements of three additional degrees-of-freedom at each level and leveraging the information from this new seismic observable, it is likely that an equally accurate picture of subsurface seismic activity could be garnered with fewer levels per hole. The key cost savings would come from better siting of the well due to increased information content and a decrease in the number of confirmation wells drilled, also due to the increase in information per well. Improved seismic tools may also increase knowledge, understanding, and confidence, thus removing some current blocks to feasibility and significantly increasing access to potential geothermal sites. During the Phase 1 effort summarized in this final report, the ATA Team modeled and built two TRL 3 proof-of-concept test units for two competing rotational sensor technologies. The two competing technologies were based on ATA's angular rate and angular displacement measurement technologies; Angular rate: ATA's Magnetohydrodynamic Angular Rate Sensor (Seismic MHD); and Angular displacement: ATA's Low Frequency Improved Torsional Seismometer (LFITS). In order to down-select between these two technologies and formulate a go / no go decision, the ATA Team analyzed and traded scientific performance requirements and market constraints against sensor characteristics and components, acquiring field data where possible to validate the approach and publishing results from these studies of rotational technology capability. Based on the results of Phase 1, the ATA Team finds that the Seismic MHD (SMHD) technology is the best choice for enabling rotational seismometry and significant technical potential exists for micro-seismic monitoring using a downhole 7-DOF device based on the SMHD. Recent technical papers and field data confirm the potential of rotational sensing for seismic mapping, increasing confidence that cost-reduction benefits are achievable for EGS. However, the market for geothermal rotational sensing is small and undeveloped. As a result, this report recommends modifying the Phase 2 plan to focus on prototype development aimed at partnering with early adopters within the geothermal industry and the scientific research community. The highest public benefit will come from development and deployment of a science-grade SMHD rotational seismometer engineered for geothermal downhole conditions and an integrated test tool for downhole measurements at active geothermal test sites.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

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.

Vergino, Eileen S.↗

Guidelines for Broadband Seismometer Testing

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty mandates the four verification technologies to be used by the International Monitoring System (IMS) to monitor compliance to the Treaty. These technologies are seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound, and radionuclide. Operational manuals for each of these technologies specify the requirements that equipment installed at IMS stations must meet for data from said stations to be accepted by the International Data Center. Following a model in which a revised set of infrasound sensor specifications and accompanying test procedures were developed in an international collaboration overseen by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, the same process was recently followed for seismometers potentially of use by the IMS. This document, a product of that collaboration, defines key concepts and recommends test procedures to be followed to characterize broadband seismometers in a consistent and standardized way. Results from these test procedures can be used to verify that a seismometer meets the manufacturers stated specifications and IMS requirements. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The writers of this document would like to acknowledge Charles R. Hutt, John R. Evans, Fred Followill, Robert L. Nigbor, and Erhard Wielandt, the authors of the 2009 Guidelines for Standardized Testing of Broadband Seismometers and Accelerometers funded by the U.S. Department of Interior, on which this document is based. Although this document is limited in scope to seismometers and much of the document has been updated, the structure remains essentially the same.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

High-Temperature MEMS Based Venus Seismometer

Seismology is the method of choice for studying a planet’s interior and assessing current tectonic activity. With a single strategically placed seismometer, or preferably a network of seismometers, a variety of key aspects of a planet can be evaluated. The level and nature of seismicity observed provides a gauge of current geologic, especially tectonic, activity. Where tectonic activity is and is not occurring illuminates what regions and geologic features on the planet are currently active, thus, constraining global geodynamics. Larger distal earthquakes can be used to determine major compositional and structural boundaries within a planet’s interior, providing major constraints on planet formation and interior evolution. Seismometers have been deployed successfully on the Moon and Mars. Only small subsets of the scientific knowledge that can be gained from seismology can be obtained from alternative scientific approaches, such as global gravity solutions or repeat-pass interferometry. By virtue of its similar size to Earth, Venus is likely to be highly seismically active (Fig. 1). Even at Earth-like levels of seismology, returning meaningful data would require observation over a period that is at least 2–3 orders of magnitude longer than the 1–2 h lifetime of previous Soviet landers. Clever insulation could extend the lifetime of standard electronics in a modern lander to perhaps 24 h. While active cooling of electronics for a Venusian lander is plausible, this approach would require considerable technological advancement and will likely come at a high monetary and mass cost. The high density of the Venusian atmosphere at the surface should mean that there is good coupling of seismic energy into the atmosphere, such that seismology using infrasound from a balloon platform is currently being explored, and observations of the upper levels of the atmosphere from orbit has also been proposed [3]. Besides losing all shear wave information with these two methods, calibrating and interpreting seismic information that has been distorted by, and convolved with, atmospheric phenomena will be challenging without existing seismology data collected through surface seismometers (optimally, simultaneous surface seismological observations would be made).

silicon carbide↗

Next Generation Qualification: Nanometrics T120PH Seismometer Evaluation

Sandia National Laboratories has tested and evaluated three seismometers, the Trillium 120PH, manufactured by Nanometrics. These seismometers measure broadband ground velocity using a UVW configuration with feedback control in a mechanically levelled borehole package. The purpose of the seismometer evaluation was to determine a measured sensitivity, response, self- noise, dynamic range, and self-calibration ability. The Nanometrics Trillium 120PH seismometers are being evaluated for the U.S. Air Force as part of their Next Generation Qualification effort.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Next Generation Qualification: Kinemetrics STS-5A Seismometer Evaluation

Sandia National Laboratories has tested and evaluated two seismometers, the STS-5A, manufactured by Kinemetrics. These seismometers measure three axes of broadband ground velocity using a UVW configuration with feedback control in a mechanically levelled borehole package. The purpose of the seismometer evaluation was to determine a measured sensitivity, response, self-noise, dynamic range, and self-calibration ability. The Kinemetrics STS-5A seismometers are being evaluated for the U.S. Air Force as part of their Next Generation Qualification effort.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

SHDAS Production Seismometer Evaluation.

The Seismo - Hydroacoustic Data Acquisition System (SHDAS) is undergoing evaluation in preparation for its engineering, development, and deployment by the U.S Navy as an ocean bottom seismic monitoring system. At the current stage of development, the production seismometers are being evaluated to confirm their performance prior to packaging and assembly for deployment. The testing of the seismometers is being conducted at the Pinon Flats Observatory (PFO) , supervised by Sandia National Laboratories, U.S Navy, and RP Kromer Consulting. SNL will conduct evaluation of the collected seismometer data and comment on the performance of the seismometers.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Next Generation Qualification: Guralp CMG-3V Seismometer Evaluation

Sandia National Laboratories has tested and evaluated three seismometers, the CMG-3V, manufactured by Guralp. These seismometers measure a single axes of broadband ground velocity in a borehole package. The purpose of the seismometer evaluation was to determine a measured sensitivity, response, passband, self-noise, dynamic range, and self-calibration ability. The Guralp CMG-3V seismometers are being evaluated for potential use in U.S. Air Force seismic monitoring systems as part of their Next Generation Qualification effort.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Optimism Experiment and Development of Space-qualified Seismometers in France

The OPTIMISM experiment will put two magnetometers and two seismometers on the Martian floor in 1995, within the framework of the Mars '94 mission. The seismometers are put within the two small surface stations. The seismometer sensitivity will be better than 10 exp -9 g at 1 Hz, 2 orders of magnitude higher than the Viking seismometer sensitivity. A priori waveform modeling for seismic signals on Mars shows that it will be sufficient to detect quakes with a seismic moment greater than 10 exp 15 Nm everywhere on Mars. Such events, according to the hypothesis of a thermoelastic cooling of the Martian lithosphere, are expected to occur at a rate close to one per week and may therefore be observed within the l-year lifetime of the experiment. Other aspects of the experiment are discussed.

Lognonne, P.↗

Wireless Seismometer for Venus

Measuring the seismic activity of Venus is critical to understanding its composition and interior dynamics. Because Venus has an average surface temperature of 462 C and the challenge of providing cooling to multiple seismometers, a high temperature, wireless sensor using a wide bandgap semiconductor is an attractive option. This paper presents progress towards a seismometer sensor with wireless capabilities for Venus applications. A variation in inductance of a coil caused by a 1 cm movement of a ferrite probe held in the coil and attached to a balanced leaf-spring seismometer causes a variation of 80 MHz in the transmitted signal from the oscillator sensor system at 420 C, which correlates to a 10 kHz mm sensitivity when the ferrite probe is located at the optimum location in the coil.

seismometer↗

Next Generation Robust Low Noise Seismometer for Nuclear Monitoring

Implementation of the proposed seismometers turned out to be much more challenging than anticipated. The noise levels achieved are indeed well below those ever featured by any electrochemical sensor and just very nearly miss reaching the original objectives. However, while noise-wise the instruments could still prove their usefulness, especially considering their robustness and no-maintenance operation, the implementation of the proposed noise-reduction concept resulted in much larger and heavier devices than originally expected. Moreover, these large dimensions relate only to single-component vertical sensors. While building similar horizontal component is possible, the resulting three-component instrument would be way too large and heavy to be of any practical use. The prototype instruments developed and built retained the inherent advantages of the electrochemical seismometers: no maintenance operation; ability to perform with large installation tilts; and, unfortunately, to a much lesser extent in terms of robustness.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗

A micro seismometer based on molecular electronic transducer technology for planetary exploration

This letter describes an implementation of micromachined seismometer based on molecular electronic transducer (MET) technology. As opposed to a solid inertial mass, MET seismometer senses the movement of liquid electrolyte relative to fixed electrodes. The employment of micro-electro-mechanical systems techniques reduces the internal size of the sensing cell to 1{mu}m and improves the reproducibility of the device. For operating bias of 600 mV, a sensitivity of 809 V/(m/s{sup 2}) was measured under acceleration of 400{mu}g(g{identical_to}9.81m/s{sup 2}) at 0.32 Hz. A -115 dB (relative to (m/s{sup 2})/{radical}(Hz)) noise level at 1 Hz was achieved. This work develops an alternative paradigm of seismic sensing device with small size, high sensitivity, low noise floor, high shock tolerance, and independence of installation angle, which is promising for next generation seismometers for planetary exploration.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

2023 Reftek Colt Seismometer Exploratory Evaluation

Sandia National Laboratories has tested and evaluated three Colt broadband seismometers designed and manufactured by Reftek. The purpose of this seismometer evaluation is to measure performance characteristics in areas such as power consumption, sensitivity, frequency response, full scale, self-noise, dynamic range, calibration system response, and passband. The Colt model of sensors are being evaluated to explore the potential for a future seismometer Type Approval process in the International Monitoring System (IMS) of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

2023 T120 Horizon and Slim Posthole Seismometer Exploratory Evaluation

Sandia National Laboratories has tested and evaluated a suite of four T120 broadband seismometers designed and manufactured by Nanometrics. Specifically, two T120 Horizon V2 sensors, one T120 Horizon V1 sensor and one T120 Slim Posthole (PH) sensor were evaluated. The purpose of this seismometer evaluation is to measure performance characteristics in areas such as power consumption, sensitivity, frequency response, full scale, self-noise, dynamic range, calibration system response, and passband. The T120 model of sensors are being evaluated to explore the potential for a future seismometer Type Approval process in the International Monitoring System (IMS) of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

The Viking seismometer

The Viking seismometer, operating on the Martian surface in the region of Utopia Planitia, includes three inertial velocity transducers, amplifiers, filters, automatic event detectors, data compactors, and temporary data storage capability within a unit weighing 2.2 kg. The seismometer functions at a peak magnification of 218,000 with a ground resolution of 2 nanosec and 3 Hz. Since the telemetry capacities associated with the system are limited, the seismometer instrument package employs three data processing modes: a high sampling rate mode; a heavily filtered background monitoring mode; and a frequently-used data compacting mode.

Miller, W. F.↗

Micromechanisms for optimism seismometer

Within the framework of the Mars 94 mission, it was decided to design and build a new vertical axis seismometer in order to continuously record the seismic events occurring on the Mars planet. The mission requirements lead to very stringent constraints on power, volume, mass and shock resistance at the landing. The seismometer must be capable of automatic leveling and automatic fitting to the local gravity. This paper deals with the mechanisms designed for this seismometer. Due to the short allotted time for its development and low cost, the baseline was to apply the rules of spatial tribology and, when it was possible, to customize existing components for space applications.

Paulin, Nicolas↗

Stratigraphic Profiles for Selected Hanford Site Seismometer Stations and Other Locations

Stratigraphic profiles were constructed for eight selected Hanford Site seismometer stations, five Hanford Site facility reference locations, and seven regional three-component broadband seismometer stations. These profiles provide interpretations of the subsurface layers to support estimation of ground motions from past earthquakes, and the prediction of ground motions from future earthquakes. In most cases these profiles terminated at the top of the Wanapum Basalt, but at selected sites profiles were extended down to the top of the crystalline basement. The composite one-dimensional stratigraphic profiles were based primarily on previous interpretations from nearby boreholes, and in many cases the nearest deep borehole is located kilometers away.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Evaluation of Two Guralp Preamplifiers for GS21 Seismometer Application

Sandia National Laboratories has tested and evaluated two Guralp preamplifiers for use with a GS21 seismometer application. The two preamplifiers have a gain factor of 61.39. The purpose of the preamplifier evaluation was to determine a measured gain factor, transfer function, total harmonic distortion, self-noise, application passband, dynamic range, seismometer calibration pass-through, and to comment on any issues encountered during the evaluation. The test results included in this report were in response to static, tonal, and dynamic input signals. The Guralp GS21 preamplifiers are being evaluated for potential use in the International Monitoring System (IMS) of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban-Treaty Organization (CTBTO). Test methodologies used were based on IEEE Standards 1057 for Digitizing Waveform Recorders and 1241 for Analog to Digital Converters

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗