9412474 Weis High resolution seismic sensing could improve earth-drilling safety and efficiency, and provide a better exploration tool for geophysics. To achieve high spatial resolutions (on the order of 1 m) a seismic detector must have a frequency response up to about 2 kHz. Detectors made of fiber Bragg gratings should provide the required frequency response and be simpler, and more rugged than prior detectors. The immediate goals of this project are to design, fabricate, and test a prototype borehole seismic detection system using optical fiber-Bragg-gratings. The longer term goals of this project are: (1) build and test an array of fiber-grating seismic sensors, (2) refine the proposed seismic detection system, (3) establish a working relationship between RockBit International Inc. (RBI) and the faculty investigator, and (4) work together with RBI on further applications of optical fiber sensors to borehole and measurement-while-drilling (MWD) sensing. This project will be significant in at least three ways. First, the proposed seismic detector will be simple, reliable, easily multiplexed, and potentially less expensive than present detectors. Second, it will allow the faculty investigator and an undergraduate student to learn the problems and challenges of a local manufacturing company. Third, it will provide "real-world" engineering examples for instructional motivation in the classroom. ***
