Noise characterization of unmanned ground vehicles for infrasound array deployment

Abstract

Deployment of infrasound arrays can present humans with challenges including harsh environments and dangerous chemicals. Infrasonic monitoring is the use of subaudible acoustics to monitor something of interest. Sources of infrasound include natural and manmade sources such as volcanic eruptions, large forest fires, and explosions. Robotic infrasound array deployment is being investigated to mitigate the potential challenges associated with human deployment. Robotic deployment would also allow for remote sensor repositioning to improve array response for specific sources. Unfortunately, robotic sensor emplacement will induce noise associated with the robotic platform, and this noise has a potential to mask sources of interest under certain conditions. Understanding to which conditions robotic deployment is applicable is vital to exploring infrasonic monitoring in hazardous environments in the future. This presentation will describe the characterization of noise generated by multiple robotic platforms in both mobile and stationary states. Analysis during each of these states allows for the determination of when robotic mounted infrasonic monitoring is viable.