Design and initial characterization of a compact, ultra high vacuum compatible, low frequency, tilt accelerometer

Journal Article · Tue Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4890285· OSTI ID:22308690

Peña Arellano, F. E. ^[1]; Rodionov, A. V.; Kim, C. ^[2]; Shaner, M.; Asadoor, M. ^[3]; Sobacchi, E. ^[4]; Dergachev, V.; Bhawal, A. ^[5]; Gong, P. ^[6]; Lottarini, A. ^[7]; Minenkov, Y. ^[8]; Murphy, C. ^[9]

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1. National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan)
2. California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125 (United States)
3. Mayfield Senior School, 500 Bellefontaine Street Pasadena, California 91105 (United States)
4. Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, 56126 Pisa (Italy)
5. Arcadia High School, 180 Campus Drive, Arcadia, California 91007 (United States)
6. Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)
7. Department of Computer Science, University of Pisa, Largo B. Pontecorvo 3, 56127 Pisa (Italy)
8. Sezione INFN Tor Vergata, via della Ricerca Scientfica 1, 00133 Roma (Italy)
9. School of Physics, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Perth, Western Australia 6009 (Australia)

A compact tilt accelerometer with high sensitivity at low frequency was designed to provide low frequency corrections for the feedback signal of the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory active seismic attenuation system. It has been developed using a Tungsten Carbide ceramic knife-edge hinge designed to avoid the mechanical 1/f noise believed to be intrinsic in polycrystalline metallic flexures. Design and construction details are presented; prototype data acquisition and control limitations are discussed. The instrument's characterization reported here shows that the hinge is compatible with being metal-hysteresis-free, and therefore also free of the 1/f noise generated by the dislocation Self-Organized Criticality in the metal. A tiltmeter of this kind will be effective to separate the ground tilt component from the signal of horizontal low frequency seismometers, and to correct the ill effects of microseismic tilt in advanced seismic attenuation systems.

• OSTI ID: 22308690
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 85, Issue 7; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0034-6748
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ACCELEROMETERS
BACKGROUND NOISE
CONSTRUCTION
DATA ACQUISITION
DESIGN
DISLOCATIONS
GRAVITATIONAL WAVES
HYSTERESIS
INTERFEROMETERS
LASERS
METALS
POLYCRYSTALS
PRESSURE RANGE MICRO PA
SENSITIVITY
TUNGSTEN CARBIDES