1,2,- 1National Gravitation Laboratory, MOE Key Laboratory of Fundamental Physical Quantities Measurement, School of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China (qushaobo@hust.edu.cn)
- 2School of Electronic Information and Communications, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China (dr_mac@hust.edu.cn)
High-precision gravity observation relies critically on the performance of sensor systems. Ground performance testing is of great importance for cutting-edge gravity measurement sensors, including satellite gravimetry payloads, gravimeters, MEMS accelerometers and other high-precision sensors. Since the precision level of these instruments is from 10-9 m/s2/Hz1/2 to 10-12 m/s2/Hz1/2 or even higher, the performance tests are primarily limited by seismic noise. This necessitates ground-based testing facilities with seismic isolation performance surpassing the target sensor noise floor. Huazhong University of Science and Technology has carried out extensive researches on low-frequency seismic isolation and inertial sensor performance testing. From 2015, a low-frequency horizontal vibration insensitive pendulum based on translation-tilt compensation has been proposed and tested, the residual noise reached 1×10-9 m/s2/Hz1/2 at 0.1 Hz. Since 2021, an active controlled four-wire pendulum has been presented. Combining with a precision gravitational calibration unit, an integrated performance test facility was built in 2023, with a direct resolution test of 50 pg level for inertial sensors. By using the electromagnetic excitation on the pendulum, it can realize the sensitivity calibration, amplitude–frequency response analysis, and resolution calibration of high-precision sensors. In 2025, an electrostatic accelerometer with low self-noise was used as the motion sensor of the active controlled four-wire pendulum, the residual noise on the bench was 1×10-9 m/s2/Hz1/2 at 0.5 Hz. Recently, a new two-stage active-passive hybrid vibration isolation system was designed by integrating a four-wire pendulum and a translation-tilt compensation pendulum. The residual noise measured by an out-of-loop Guralp 3T seismometer reached a minimum level of 4×10-10 m/s2/Hz1/2 at 0.1 Hz. These works provide effective means to improve the ground-based test ability and long-term stability evaluation of high-precision inertial sensors. They also support the development of next-generation space gravity missions, quantum gravimeters, lunar and planetary seismometers and gravimeters, etc.
How to cite: Ma, C., Bai, Y., Liu, L., Li, M., Qu, S., and Zhou, Z.: Low-frequency seismic isolation and high-precision inertial sensor ground performance testing facility for satellite gravimetry, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-6130, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-6130, 2026.
