The U.S. government sponsors and supports various programs to monitor nuclear explosions through seismic, hydroacoustic, and infrasound data collection stations. These stations are typically deployed in remote areas all over the world. However, current remote data acquisition station technology is limited by (1) poor data quality and reliability and (2) high installation, operation, and maintenance costs. This project will develop a compact, remote, seismic data acquisition platform using advanced low power electronics, packaging, and power source technologies. It will specifically address the problem of data quality and data communications reliability, and will reduce deployment, operational, and maintenance costs. Phase I identified: (1) low-power, high-resolution ADC devices and configurations; (2) low-power, highly-integrated miniaturized components for overall size and power reduction; (3) methods for integrating most of the major subsystems of the station into a single electronics package; (4) low power satellite and wireless communications options; and (5) advanced power supplies. Phase II will design, fabricate, and test a working prototype of robust remote seismic data acquisition platform that will integrate the technologies investigated in Phase I.
Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: In addition to the national security application, the hardware and software developed in this project should be directly applicable to commercial earthquake monitoring, as well as other strong motion, infrasound, and hydroacoustic data acquisition and monitoring.
