Güralp Certimus, A Seismic Station Optimized for Rapid Deployment in Rugged Terrain

Session: Recent Advances in Very Broadband Seismology [Poster]
Type: Poster
Date: 4/30/2020
Time: 08:00 AM
Room: Ballroom
Description: 

Operators of broadband seismic stations, particularly in hostile locations, are restricted in experiment design and deployment time-frames by the significant constraints of historical instrumentation. Manufacturers need to move away from the strict requirements on tilt tolerance and associated performance compromises, fixed frequency responses, and power-hungry systems in favour of simple, flexible and smart instruments that allow the operator to focus on the science at hand.

This transition towards compact technology has recently become more feasible. However, installing low-noise, broadband instruments in remote areas has remained a challenge: low-noise force-balance broadband seismometers are typically heavy and delicate, requiring significant infrastructure and logistics.

Güralp now offers the Certimus, a compact standalone instrument with the same level of performance as traditional force-balance broadband seismometers researchers but with the opportunity to push the boundaries of seismic monitoring and deploy stations in more challenging environments.

Proven Güralp advanced technology allows the Certimus to function with 90 degrees tilt, enabling fast installation in hand-dug shallow holes. The frequency range is fully configurable in the long-period corner to allow flexibility: 120s, 10s and 1s to 100Hz. In 1s mode, the sensor will settle quickly and reliable data can be available in a matter of hours. Certimus offers simple installation integrity checks before leaving the site, both with the surface and the burial variants, streaming live waveforms and SoH data via Bluetooth, LCD screen or web interface.

As power consumption is a major limitation, Certimus comes with an ultra-low power mode (under 300mW) and a rugged battery module to gain up to six weeks of data before retrieval – or before a permanent power supply is arranged. All these advanced features are gathered in a compact, lightweight housing that can be carried with all accessories in a backpack to the most inaccessible areas. Quality seismic data is made available swiftly from anywhere, anytime.

Presenting Author: Will Reis

Authors