Laboratory Comparison of the Performance of Analog Geophones and MEMS Accelerometers

A seismic sensor testing laboratory at the University of Calgary is evaluating the performance of analog geophones and MEMS accelerometers using precise mechanical excitation. It is important to characterize the errors in the experimental results as being due to the imperfection of the sensors in addition to the distortions of the testing equipment during excitation. Seismic grade geophones and MEMS accelerometers both exhibit excellent performance as compared to their theoretical models down to measured acceleration amplitudes of less than 10 micro-g.