thumbnail

A brief test of the Hewlett-Packard MEMS seismic accelerometer

Open-File Report 2014-1047
By: , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20141047

Links

Abstract

Testing was performed on a prototype of Hewlett-Packard (HP) Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) seismic accelerometer at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory. This prototype was built using discrete electronic components. The self-noise level was measured during low seismic background conditions and found to be 9.8 ng/√Hz at periods below 0.2 s (frequencies above 5 Hz). The six-second microseism noise was also discernible. The HP MEMS accelerometer was compared to a Geotech Model GS-13 reference seismometer during seismic noise and signal levels well above the self-noise of the accelerometer. Matching power spectral densities (corrected for accelerometer and seismometer responses to represent true ground motion) indicated that the HP MEMS accelerometer has a flat (constant) response to acceleration from 0.0125 Hz to at least 62.5 Hz. Tilt calibrations of the HP MEMS accelerometer verified that the flat response to acceleration extends to 0 Hz.


Future development of the HP MEMS accelerometer includes replacing the discreet electronic boards with a low power application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and increasing the dynamic range of the sensor to detect strong motion signals above one gravitational acceleration, while maintaining the self-noise observed during these tests.

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title A brief test of the Hewlett-Packard MEMS seismic accelerometer
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 2014-1047
DOI 10.3133/ofr20141047
Year Published 2014
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Geologic Hazards Science Center
Description iv, 18 p.
Country United States
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details