Lab testing of new seismic sensor for defense and security applications

Abstract

General Sensing Systems (GSS) has developed a sensor based on electrets material. Herein we describe the creation and lab testing of this very small and high performance seismic sensor intended for up-to-date security and military systems. This article delivers the first results of laboratory tests of this small size and extremely low cost new sensor. This new sensor was compared with the most popular geophones, the GS-14-L3 and GS-20DX geophones produced by Geo Space Corporation. The results show that the new, GSS sensor has an expanding frequency response range in both the low and high frequency areas. This is crucial for increased detection range of seismic-acoustic and hydro acoustic reconnaissance systems. The new, GSS sensor also has the highest sensitivity among all the compared geophones as well as a lower sensitivity threshold. When the amplitude of vibrations is very small, the GS-14-L3 and GS-20DX geophones, for example, miss signals-whereas the new sensor has a good response. Specifically, this performance characteristic of the new GSS sensor also allows the development of reconnaissance systems with a high detection range. Test results also show that the new sensor demonstrates good signal discrimination, ensuring efficient signal interpretation. In general, the results reported here show that the use of electrets materials enables the manufacture of very small and inexpensive seismic-acoustic and hydro acoustic sensors with improved performance characteristics.