Characteristics and Applications of a High Performance, Miniaturized, Infrasound Sensor

Abstract:

Infrasound Sensors have been used for many years to monitor a large number of geophysical phenomena and manmade sources. Due to their large size and power consumption these sensors have typically been deployed in fixed arrays, portable arrays have required trucks to transport the sensors and support equipment. A high performance, miniaturized, infrasound microphone has been developed to enable mobile infrasound measurements that would otherwise be impractical. The new device is slightly larger than a hockey puck, weighs 200g, and consumes less than 150mW. The sensitivity is 0.4V/Pa and self noise at 1Hz is less than 0.63µPa²/Hz. The characteristics were verified using a calibrator tracable to the Los Alamos calibration chamber. Field tests have demonstrated the performance is comparable to a Chaparral model 25. Applications include man portable arrays, mobile installations, and UAV based measurements.