Development of a New Infrasound Microphone

Technology

Carrick L. Talmadge

National Center for Physical Acoustics

University of Mississippi, Oxford MS

Potential Applications of Infrasound Sensor

• monitoring potential atmospheric nuclear tests (CTBT applications)

• natural hazard detection of volcanos, tornados, tsunamis

• monitoring natural phenomena such as hurricanes and bolides

Challenges of Atmospheric Infrasound

• Noise associated with atmospheric turbulence (“wind noise”), especially at frequencies below 0.1 Hz. Conventionally this is solved by adding large “wind-noise filters” to sensors. The cost of the filters typically far exceeds the cost of the infrasound sensor itself.

• Environmental exposure is a hazard to current, rather delicate microphones, so vaults are constructed to stablize temperature and protect the instrument from environmental exposure.

~2.6 m28.5 m6.5 m

Microbarometer

Vault

70 m

Infrasound Pipe Array:

State of the Art Wind Noise Sensor

Goals of This Instrument Development

• Replace large pipe arrays with array of infrasound sensors.

• Ruggedize sensors, and construct them to be insensitive to thermal fluctuates: Removes requirement for instrument vault.

• Make them low-cost enough ($200 vs $5000+) to make practicable multiple arrays of sensors.

• Low replacement cost also reduces risk associated with damaged or destroyed sensors.

Piezoceramic Sensors

• Resonant Frequency - 3 kHz

• Sensitivity - 1 to 4 mV/Pa• Temperature Compensation

– Reverse bimorphs– Insulated enclosures,

small openings• Charge Generating

– Must operate into a high impendence

Frequency Response ofPiezeoceramic Sensors

higher frequencies strongly attenuated, phase becomes incoherent

very flat amplitude/phase response below 500 Hz–ideal for long-distance sensing

Schematic of NCPA Sensors

C50 pin-compatible connector

Note that this 4-element design reduces effects of temperature gradients across sensors

Characteristics of Sensor

• highly ruggedized

• 0.0005 Hz- 20 Hz operating range

• plug compatible with Chaparral 50

• self-calibration using reciprocal calibration method has been demonstrated from 0.1–100 Hz, calibration chamber with calibrated volume source

Single Sensor Comparison with C50

Mean Frequency Response of NCPA Sensors

Roll-off of C

50

Relative Calibration of NCPA Sensors

These are “out of box” values: Anticipate being able to fine tune output to ± 0.1 dB

Electronic Noise Floor: Equivalent Level

Electronic Noise Floor

“High Frequency” Sensor

• Allow use of microphone for low-frequency sound, long-range propagation experiments.

• 0.1 Hz- 1000 Hz operating range, configurable gain

• Improved vibrational isolation (elevated sensor applications).

• More compact sensor packaging.

Comparison of HF Sensor to B&K 4193

Work in Progress

• Independent evaluation at Los Alamos facility

• Final sensor body design: Improved coupling for senor lid, rectangular base enclosure for electronics, settle on weatherizing surface treatment for sensor plates.

• Long term field test to evaluate ruggedness.

• Develop calibration method for f < 0.01 Hz

Conclusions

•A new sensor technology incorporating piezoceramic sensors has been developed at the NCPA.

•This technology allows the use of piezoceramics for very low (at least 0.001 Hz) frequency detection.

•Because the sensing elements are inherently rugge, a microphone based on these sensors has the capable of being used in much more rugged environments than is typically possible with current sensors.