IMPROVEMENT OF OBSERVATION ACCURACY OF THE LACOSTE‐ROMBERG (MODEL D) GRAVITY METER BY SUPPLEMENTARY INSTALLATION OF ELECTRONIC FEEDBACK1

Abstract

AbstractRecent years have seen an increasing need for high‐precision gravity meters. A widely used and the most accurate one is the LaCoste‐Romberg, model D (LCR‐D) meter, equipped with electronic readout. According to the manual the reading accuracy is 5 μGal. A way of reducing most of the instrumental factors limiting the accuracy is the use of an electronic feedback system.We have fitted the LCR‐D 34 with a Schnüll‐Röder‐Wenzel, model D (SRW‐D) feedback. After installation the readout voltage was calibrated, the instrumental behaviour tested, and the accuracy of the system determined. By repeat readings in the laboratory without moving the meter, the standard deviation for a single reading is better than 4 μGal in normal mode and better than 1 μGal in feedback mode. The accuracy of gravity differences ‐ this is usually observed in field practice ‐ is the mean value of the repeat errors of several sets of differences observed in a short time to avoid any corrections. This accuracy is better than 9 μGal in normal mode and better than 5 μGal in feedback mode. With this, the accuracy of a single reading becomes more than 6 μGal and more than 3 μGal, respectively.As the described improvement of accuracy was found to be not as good as expected, additional improvements should centre on the use of electronic levels instead of the standard liquid ones.