The Self-Calibrating Tilt Accelerometer: A method for observing tilt and
correcting drift with a triaxial accelerometer
Abstract
We present observations from two field deployments of a calibrated
tiltmeter that we name the Self-Calibrating Tilt Accelerometer (SCTA).
The tiltmeter is based upon a triaxial quartz crystal accelerometer; the
horizontal channels measure tilt and are periodically rotated into the
vertical to obtain a measurement of the acceleration of gravity. Changes
in the measured total acceleration are ascribed to drift in the vertical
channel and used as calibrations for removing that same drift from the
tilt time series observed between calibrations. Changes in the span
(sensitivity) of the accelerometer channels can also be measured by
calibrating them pointing up and down. A 3-year test on the seafloor at
Axial Seamount show that the calibrations are consistent with a
linear-exponential model of drift to ~0.5 μg (μrad). The
calibrated tilt time series was impacted by platform settling for the
first 2 years, but after repositioning the tiltmeter, the calibrated
observations were consistent for the final year with the tilt observed
on a nearby LILY tiltmeter. A separate 15-month test in a stable vault
at Piñon Flat Observatory was complicated by seasonal temperature
variations of >5°C; the calibrations are consistent with a
linear-exponential model of drift to ~2 μg when
temperature and temperature time-derivative dependence is included.
Similarly, the calibrated tilt time series was impacted by thermal
deformation of the SCTA assembly. A future test in a thermally and
tectonically stable borehole will be required to assess the accuracy of
the SCTA.