Geophones

By: Ahmed Magdy Beshr, Mansoura University, Faculty of Science, Geophysics Department

The seismic waves detectors are known as geophones, called also, seismometers or jugs or detectors or receivers which used to convert the mechanical energy of earth's vibrations into electrical signals . It used on land or marine. The name geophone is derived from the Greek words geo meaning earth and phone meaning sound. Electromagnetic geophone consists of a coil and a magnet, one of them rigidly attached to a case fixed to the earth's surface, therefore it will move along with the earth due to the seismic disturbances, and the other element which acts as inertial element is suspended by a spring from support attached to the case that move with the earth. It fixed to the ground through a metallic spike. When the two elements move relative to each other, voltage will generate in the coil and the current will flow in the coil. The strength of that current depends on the Figure 1. velocity of the motion. The current and voltage are proportional to the velocity of motion. As shown in figure 1, the coil attached to the case, therefore it will move with the earth while the magnet acts as the inertial element. As shown in figure 2, the magnet attached to the case, therefore it will move with the earth while the suspended coil mass acts as the inertial element. The component of the ground motion is in the direction of the coil axis, therefore vertically suspended system is sensitive to vertical ground motion and the horizontally suspended system is Figure 2. sensitive to horizontal ground component. The geophone of this type is sensitive to the vertical component of the ground motion. The sensitivity of electromagnetic geophones depends on; the strength of magnet and the number of coil turns. Electromagnetic geophones are more commonly used on land.

Hydrophone is called also pressure phone or pressure-sensitive phone, it used for marine seismic survey. The receivers swim behind a recording vessel immersed below the water surface or suspended on water with the aid of plastic floats, also it can placed in a fixed position under water, see figure 3. Hydrophone is sensitive to changes in water pressure producing by the passing of seismic waves. Most hydrophones are made from a piezoelectric material like ceramic. This material produces small electrical charges due to pressure changes. Piezoelectric materials can convert pressure waves into an electrical signals. These electrical signals can be recorded and later analyzed with computer programs.

Figure 3.