Infiltec QM-4.5V-20HZ Seismometer detects nearby blasting, traffic, quakes

Description

QM-4.5V-20HZ Strong Motion Seismometer for Monitoring Ground Vibrations.
The Infiltec Model QM-4.5V-20HZ Seismometer is designed for school, office, home and field use. It records and displays vibration, shock, and PPV (Peak Particle Velocity) in a compact, portable, and rugged package that is less expensive and easier to use than conventional designs. The QM-4.5V-20HZ has an internal vertical geophone sensor and custom electronics to detect ground vibrations from nearby sources like blasting, machinery, traffic, and local earthquakes that are in the 4.5hz to 20Hz range.
It will NOT detect most distant earthquakes
because their predominant vibrations are generally at frequencies below 1 Hz. The QM-4.5V-20HZ does not require any external power supply or assembly or enclosure or adjustment; including alignment, damping, zeroing, etc. The QM-4.5V-20HZ works with the standard
AmaSeis
Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10 based seismic software. It also works with the new
jAmaseis
software for Windows, Linux and Mac OS. For distant earthquake detection, see our
Model QM-4.5LV Seismometer
.
FEATURES AND BENEFITS OF THE QM-4.5V-20HZ STRONG MOTION SEISMOMETER:
Complete system includes seismometer hardware with serial cable, USB-to-Serial adapter cable with software CD, and instructions for downloading the latest AmaSeis seismic software from the Internet. Nothing else is required.
10 second hardware setup! Take it out of the shipping box, plug it into your PC, and recording starts. (This assumes that
AmaSeis
software is installed and running)
You can create your own online web page that displays your QM-4.5V-20HZ realtime display.
Detects and records local blasting, machinery noise and traffic 24/7.
PPV (Peak Particle Velocity) can be calculated from AmaSeis amplitude data display.
Works with AmaSeis seismic Windows software, the seismic education standard.
No assembly ever required.
No damping adjustments ever required.
No external power supply ever required.
No complex leveling adjustments ever required (use bubble level to level once within +/-15 degrees).
No additional enclosure ever required to protect against air currents
No alignment ever required.
No adjustments for moving ever required, just pick it up and move it.
No adjustment of internal electronics (amplifier, filter, digitizer, power supply) ever required.
Practically indestructible to damage caused by shock, vibration, shipping & handling.
One enclosure contains everything: sensor, amplifier, filter, digitizer, power supply.
Metal enclosure shields electronics against noise from nearby electromagnetic interference.
High digital resolution (16 bits) keeps large and small vibrations on scale
High-quality low-pass filter (Elliptic type) reduces sampling rate to 50 samples per second.
Steep low-pass filter cutoff (8 pole) allows slower sampling output (50 sps) without aliasing.
Zero-drift amplifier reduces low frequency (1/f) noise in the system bandwidth.
Microprocessor firmware adjusts for component drift due to temperature changes, aging, etc.
Very low power (under 0.05 Watts) operation supplied from RS232 lines. Designed to operate continuously 24/7/365.
Connects to PC DB9 serial port, or a USB port through a USB-Serial DB9 adapter (included).
Works on Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10 PC via AmaSeis logging data 24/7 in background.
You can use your PC for other jobs while AmaSeis is running. Just keep the AmaSeis display full screen, even if in background.
Installation: place on level, non-ferrous, ground contact slab away from foot traffic and machinery and rapidly changing temperatures. May not work well on wooden floors or upper building floors. The ideal location is an insulated vault on bedrock like
this
.
NEW: Works with
jAmaseis
Java based software for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.
NEW: You can download the latest USB-Serial adapter
Prolific drivers
for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.
The label on the top of the enclosure has
Quick Start Instructions
.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE QM-4.5V-20HZ STRONG MOTION SEISMOMETER:
Performance:
This device is
NOT
designed to detect distant earthquakes. The QM-4.5V-20HZ is designed to detect and monitor ground vibrations cause by nearby blasting, machinery, vehicle traffic, local earthquakes, etc.
See our Model QM-4.5LV Seismometer if you want to detect distant earthquakes.
Mode of Operation:
Single-axis, vertical velocity sensing by digitizing the amplified and filtered voltage from a vertical geophone sensor.
Output:
Serial output formatted for
AmaSeis
seismic software, RS232 format 9600 baud N81 ASCII with LF and CR characters terminating records..
Frequency Pass-Band:
0.01 Hz to 20 Hz digitized data stored on hard drive by AmaSeis at about 5 megabyte per 24 hours.
Temperature Range
40 to 90 F (4 to 32 C) with no adjustments required, but
the operating temperature must be stable
. Internal firmware automatically adjusts for slow temperature and component drifts.
Housing:
Diecast aluminum box encloses all electronics and sensor, 6.024x3.268x1.988 inches (153x83x50.5 mm). Shipping weight approximately 2.2 lb (1 kg).
Computer Connection:
15 ft (4M) serial cable (up to 100 ft (30M) extension optional) connects to PC DB9 connector or USB-Serial DB9 adapter.
Mechanical Adjustments:
Minimal. No alignment, damping, gain, zeroing, etc adjustments required. Use bubble level on box to level within +/- 15 degrees.
Power Supply:
None. No external power supply required, all power supplied by USB or PC serial port through the serial cable connected to the PC.
PPV (Peak Particle Velocity):
You can monitor vertical PPV in the 4.5 Hz - 20 Hz band over the velocity range from 4.9*10^-6 mm/s to 0.16 mm/s (0.19*10^-6 in/s to 0.0063 in/s).
Digital Processing:
16 bits voltage resolution from internal digitizer, 50 sample/second ASCII data record output, firmware adjusts for component drifts.
Lowpass Filter:
Analog 8 Pole Elliptic filter @ 20 Hz corner frequency for anti-aliasing.
Data Logging Software:
PC seismic data logging and analysis software AmaSeis available online for free download.
Time Sync Software
: Free programs like
About Time
can be used to make the AmaSeis time base accurate within milliseconds.
Computer Requirements:
Most PCs running Windows (98/XP/V/7/8/8.1/10) can run AmaSeis in backgound 24/7/365 while doing other tasks. Hard drive must be capable storing 5 megabyte/day.
HOW TO USE AMASEIS SOFTWARE ON YOUR PC WITH THE QM-4.5V-20HZ SEISMOMETER:
Note that most of the extensive online Amaseis software instructional material references the AS1 seismometer setup that is not relevant to the QM-4.5V-20HZ, so skip the AS1 material and look for AmaSeis software setup and use instructions.
Each QM-4.5V-20HZ Seismometer has
Quick Start Instructions
on a label on the top of its enclosure.
Seismology Instruction with AmaSeis
(pdf) from
IRIS Seismographs in Schools Program
.
Using the AmaSeis seismogram viewer
- by L. Braile from Purdue University.
Why I Filter My Helicorder Record
Generated by AmaSeis - by John Lahr.
How to
Install AmaSeis
on Your Windows PC (YouTube Video) - by John Lahr.
How to use AmaSeis to
Extract and Save
Earthquake Data Segments (YouTube Video) - by John Lahr.
How to Adjust
AmaSeis Time Settings
(YouTube Video) - by John Lahr. Mentions free
About Time Software
.
Finding the Coordinates and Elevation of Your Station
for AmaSeis - by John Lahr.
Estimating Earthquake Distance
from AmaSeis Data (YouTube Video) by
UK School Seismology Program
.
Listen to your earthquake sounds (speeded up) from your Amaseis files by using Bob McClure's
SAC_to_PSN
free program.
Sign up for
free earthquake notifications by email or cell phone
to compare with your AmaSeis display - from the US Geological Service.