MEMS Gravimeters for Geophysics

• Published in: IEEE instrumentation & measurement magazine Vol. 27; no. 6; pp. 46 - 52
• Main Authors: Prasad, Abhinav, Toland, Karl, Aftalion, Marc, Anastasiou, Kristian, Passey, Elizabeth, Rakoczi, Henrietta, Utting, Phoebe R., Walker, Richard, Bramsiepe, Steven G., Belwanshi, Vinod, Noack, Andreas, Middlemiss, Richard P., Paul, Douglas J., Hammond, Giles D.
• Format: Magazine Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01-09-2024; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Aquifers; Costs; Fault detection; Geophysical measurements; Geophysics; Gravimeters; Gravimetry; Gravitational fields; Manuals; Micromechanical devices; Mineral exploration; Minerals; Monitoring; Surveys; Volcanoes
• ISSN: 1094-6969; 1941-0123
• DOI: 10.1109/MIM.2024.10654725

By measuring tiny variations in the local gravity field, gravimeters can detect underground density anomalies that would be difficult to see by other means. This capability can result in high impact, real-world applications in volcano monitoring, aquifer monitoring, faults mapping, tunnel and voids detection, CO 2 sequestration, and energy and mineral exploration. However, the high cost of gold standard commercial gravimeters (e.g., a Scintrex CG-6 can cost over US 100k), their large size, significant power requirements, delicate handling needs (where large shocks or power-downs can cause instabilities or require repairs), and long delivery times (due to bespoke manufacturing, manual assembly, and tuning) have limited their widespread adoption. These short-comings have also restricted the deployment of gravimeters in hazardous locations (like on a volcano or underwater) and prevented low-cost large-scale surveys, array-based continuous monitoring, and drone-based gravimetry.