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Advanced Inertial Sensors: Advances, Challenges and Applications
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Advanced Inertial Sensors: Advances, Challenges and Applications

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Physical Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 May 2025 | Viewed by 8399

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Peng Xu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Center for Gravitational Wave Experiment, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
2. School of Fundamental Physics and Mathematical Sciences, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
3. Lanzhou Center of Theoretical Physics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Interests: gravitational wave detection; inertial sensor; experimental relativity; weak force measurement
Prof. Dr. Jungang Lei

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Technical Director of Space Environmental Load Engineering Center, Lanzhou Institute of Physics, Lanzhou 730000, China
Interests: gravity reference sensor technology; space micro-acceleration measurement

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Considering scientific missions’ constant need for advances in precision measurement technologies, inertial reference systems in space are of ever-increasing importance. High-precision inertial sensors could play vital roles in a large number of fields, including Newtonian and relativistic gravity field measurements in space (including gravitational wave detections), inertial navigations, drag-free flight, autonomous orbit maintenances, etc. Among them, electrostatic suspension inertial sensors have already been applied in a series of global gravity recovery satellites (such as CHAMP, GRACE/GFO, GOCE), and will continue to serve as the key payloads of the next-generation gravity missions, as well as space-borne gravitational antennas (LISA, Taiji, Tainqin, etc.). Superconducting gravity gradiometers and atomic interferometers, on the other hand, have unique advantages in high-precision gravitational gradient measurements, especially when applied to exploratory research in experimental relativity. Considering the demand for high or even ultra precision in future planned science missions, as well as the need for versatility and miniaturizations for survey missions, etc., there remain great but exciting challenges in the R&D of advanced inertial sensors.

We believe this is an appropriate time to launch this Special Issue, which aims to offer the scientific and engineering community an overview of innovative works on advanced inertial sensors and their applications. We invite you to submit original research articles and review articles on topics including, but not limited to, advanced measurement principles, new designs, technological breakthroughs (readout systems, controls, levitations, noise rejections, etc.), data analysis and processing, potential applications and related mission designs.  

Prof. Dr. Peng Xu
Prof. Dr. Jungang Lei
Guest Editors

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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28 pages, 8079 KiB  
Article
Identification and Compensation Method of Unbalanced Error in Driving Chain for Rate-Integrating Hemispherical Resonator Gyro
by Yiwei Sun, Zhennan Wei, Guoxing Yi and Ning Wang
Sensors 2024, 24(13), 4328; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24134328 - 3 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 852
Abstract
The accuracy of the signal within a driving chain for the rate-integrating hemispherical resonator gyro (RI-HRG) plays a crucial role in the overall performance of the gyro. In this paper, a notable and effective method is proposed to realize the identification and compensation [...] Read more.
The accuracy of the signal within a driving chain for the rate-integrating hemispherical resonator gyro (RI-HRG) plays a crucial role in the overall performance of the gyro. In this paper, a notable and effective method is proposed to realize the identification and compensation of the unbalanced error in the driving chain for the RI-HRG that improved the performance of the multi-loop control applied in the RI-HRG. Firstly, the assembly inclination and eccentricity error of the hemispherical resonator, the inconsistent metal conductive film layer resistance error of the resonator, the coupling error of the driving chain, and the parameter inconsistency error of the circuit components were considered, and the impact of these errors on the multi-loop control applied in the RI-HRG were analyzed. On this basis, the impact was further summarized as the unbalanced error in the driving chain, which included the unbalanced gain error, equivalent misalignment angle, and unbalanced equivalent misalignment angle error. Then, a model between the unbalanced error in the driving chain and a non-ideal precession angular rate was established, which was applicable to both single channel asynchronous control and dual channel synchronous control of the RI-HRG. Further, an unbalanced error identification and compensation method is proposed by utilizing the RI-HRG output with the virtual precession control. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method was verified through simulation and experiments in kind. After error compensation, the zero-bias instability of the RI-HRG was improved from 3.0950°/h to 0.0511°/h. The results of experiments in kind demonstrated that the proposed method can effectively suppress the non-ideal angular rate output caused by the unbalanced error in the driving chain for the RI-HRG, thereby further improving the overall performance of the RI-HRG. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inertial Sensors: Advances, Challenges and Applications)
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12 pages, 2934 KiB  
Article
Data Quality Assessment of Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On Accelerometer
by Zongpeng Pan and Yun Xiao
Sensors 2024, 24(13), 4286; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24134286 - 1 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 679
Abstract
Accelerometers are mainly used to measure the non-conservative forces at the center of mass of gravity satellites and are the core payloads of gravity satellites. All kinds of disturbances in the satellite platform and the environment will affect the quality of the accelerometer [...] Read more.
Accelerometers are mainly used to measure the non-conservative forces at the center of mass of gravity satellites and are the core payloads of gravity satellites. All kinds of disturbances in the satellite platform and the environment will affect the quality of the accelerometer data. This paper focuses on the quality assessment of accelerometer data from the GRACE-FO satellites. Based on the ACC1A data, we focus on the analysis of accelerometer data anomalies caused by various types of disturbances in the satellite platform and environment, including thruster spikes, peaks, twangs, and magnetic torque disturbances. The data characteristics and data accuracy of the accelerometer in different operational states and satellite observation modes are analyzed using accelerometer observation data from different time periods. Finally, the data consistency of the accelerometer is analyzed using the accelerometer transplantation method. The results show that the amplitude spectral density of three-axis linear acceleration is better than the specified accuracy (above 10−1 Hz) in the accelerometer’s nominal status. The results are helpful for understanding the characteristics and data accuracy of GRACE-FO accelerometer observations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inertial Sensors: Advances, Challenges and Applications)
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15 pages, 6042 KiB  
Article
A Ground-Based Electrostatically Suspended Accelerometer
by Hanxiao Liu, Xiaoxia He, Chenhui Wu and Rong Zhang
Sensors 2024, 24(12), 4029; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24124029 - 20 Jun 2024
Viewed by 655
Abstract
In this study, we have developed an electrostatically suspended accelerometer (ESA) specifically designed for ground use. To ensure sufficient overload capacity and minimize noise resulting from high suspension voltage, we introduced a proof mass design featuring a hollow, thin-walled cylinder with a thin [...] Read more.
In this study, we have developed an electrostatically suspended accelerometer (ESA) specifically designed for ground use. To ensure sufficient overload capacity and minimize noise resulting from high suspension voltage, we introduced a proof mass design featuring a hollow, thin-walled cylinder with a thin flange fixed at the center, offering the highest surface-area-to-mass ratio compared to various typical proof mass structures. Preload voltage is directly applied to the proof mass via a golden wire, effectively reducing the maximum supply voltage for suspension. The arrangement of suspension electrodes, offering five degrees of freedom and minimizing cross-talk, was designed to prioritize simplicity and maximize the utilization of electrode area for suspension purposes. The displacement detection and electrostatic suspension force were accurately modeled based on the structure. A controller incorporating an inverse winding mechanism was developed and simulated using Simulink. The simulation results unequivocally demonstrate the successful completion of the stable initial levitation process and suspension under ±1g overload. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inertial Sensors: Advances, Challenges and Applications)
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26 pages, 8525 KiB  
Article
Sensor Head Temperature Distribution Reconstruction of High-Precision Gravitational Reference Sensors with Machine Learning
by Zongchao Duan, Feilong Ren, Li-E Qiang, Keqi Qi and Haoyue Zhang
Sensors 2024, 24(8), 2529; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24082529 - 15 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1069
Abstract
Temperature fluctuations affect the performance of high-precision gravitational reference sensors. Due to the limited space and the complex interrelations among sensors, it is not feasible to directly measure the temperatures of sensor heads using temperature sensors. Hence, a high-accuracy interpolation method is essential [...] Read more.
Temperature fluctuations affect the performance of high-precision gravitational reference sensors. Due to the limited space and the complex interrelations among sensors, it is not feasible to directly measure the temperatures of sensor heads using temperature sensors. Hence, a high-accuracy interpolation method is essential for reconstructing the surface temperature of sensor heads. In this study, we utilized XGBoost-LSTM for sensor head temperature reconstruction, and we analyzed the performance of this method under two simulation scenarios: ground-based and on-orbit. The findings demonstrate that our method achieves a precision that is two orders of magnitude higher than that of conventional interpolation methods and one order of magnitude higher than that of a BP neural network. Additionally, it exhibits remarkable stability and robustness. The reconstruction accuracy of this method meets the requirements for the key payload temperature control precision specified by the Taiji Program, providing data support for subsequent tasks in thermal noise modeling and subtraction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inertial Sensors: Advances, Challenges and Applications)
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11 pages, 3059 KiB  
Communication
A Transportable Atomic Gravimeter with Constraint-Structured Active Vibration Isolation
by Chuanjing Ruan, Wei Zhuang, Jiamin Yao, Yang Zhao, Zenghan Ma, Cong Yi, Qin Tian, Shuqing Wu, Fang Fang and Yinghong Wen
Sensors 2024, 24(8), 2395; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24082395 - 9 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1037
Abstract
Many efforts have been taken in recent years to push atomic gravimeters toward practical applications. We demonstrate an atomic gravimeter named NIM-AGRb2 that is transportable and suitable for high-precision gravity measurements. Constraint-structured active vibration isolation (CS-AVI) is used to reduce the ground vibration [...] Read more.
Many efforts have been taken in recent years to push atomic gravimeters toward practical applications. We demonstrate an atomic gravimeter named NIM-AGRb2 that is transportable and suitable for high-precision gravity measurements. Constraint-structured active vibration isolation (CS-AVI) is used to reduce the ground vibration noise. The constraint structure in CS-AVI ensures that the isolation platform only has vertical translation, with all other degrees of freedom (DoFs) being constrained. Therefore, the stability of active vibration isolation is enhanced. With the implementation of CS-AVI, the sensitivity of NIM-AGRb2 reached as low as 20.5 μGal/Hz1/2. The short-term sensitivity could be further reduced to 10.8 μGal/Hz1/2 in a seismologic observation station. Moreover, we evaluated the system noise of the gravimeter, and the results were consistent with our observations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inertial Sensors: Advances, Challenges and Applications)
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15 pages, 6268 KiB  
Article
Research and Optimization of High-Performance Front-End Circuit Noise for Inertial Sensors
by Yuzhu Chen, Xin Liu, Longqi Wang, Tao Yu, Zhi Wang, Ke Xue, Yanlin Sui and Yongkun Chen
Sensors 2024, 24(3), 805; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24030805 - 26 Jan 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1210
Abstract
An inertial sensor is a crucial payload in China’s Taiji program for space gravitational wave detection. The performance of the capacitive displacement sensing circuit in the low-frequency band (0.1 mHz to 1 Hz) is extremely important because it directly determines the sensitivity of [...] Read more.
An inertial sensor is a crucial payload in China’s Taiji program for space gravitational wave detection. The performance of the capacitive displacement sensing circuit in the low-frequency band (0.1 mHz to 1 Hz) is extremely important because it directly determines the sensitivity of the space gravitational wave detection missions. Therefore, significant, yet challenging, tasks include decreasing the low-frequency noise in capacitive displacement sensing circuits and improving the capacitive sensing resolution. This study analyzes the noise characteristics of the pre-amplifier circuit within the capacitive sensing circuit, achieves precise tuning of the transformer bridge, and examines how transformer parameters affect noise. In addition, this study introduces a method using a discrete JFET to reduce the operational amplifier current noise and analyzes how feedback resistance and capacitance in TIA circuits affect the overall circuit noise. The proportional relationship between different transformer noises and TIA noise before and after optimization was analyzed and experimentally verified. Finally, an optimized TIA circuit and a superior transformer were utilized to achieve an increase in the capacitive sensing resolution from 1.095 aF/rtHz @ 10 mHz to 0.84 aF/rtHz @ 10 mHz, while improving the performance by 23%. These findings provide valuable insights into further decreasing circuit noise and increasing the capacitive sensing resolution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inertial Sensors: Advances, Challenges and Applications)
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Review

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21 pages, 2221 KiB  
Review
High-Precision Inertial Sensor Charge Management Based on Ultraviolet Discharge: A Comprehensive Review
by Tao Yu, Yuhua Wang, Yang Liu and Zhi Wang
Sensors 2023, 23(18), 7794; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23187794 - 11 Sep 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1675
Abstract
The charge accumulation caused by cosmic rays and solar energetic particles poses a significant challenge as a source of noise for inertial sensors used in space gravitational wave detection. To address this issue, the implementation of charge management systems based on ultraviolet discharge [...] Read more.
The charge accumulation caused by cosmic rays and solar energetic particles poses a significant challenge as a source of noise for inertial sensors used in space gravitational wave detection. To address this issue, the implementation of charge management systems based on ultraviolet discharge becomes crucial. This paper focuses on elucidating the principles and methods of using ultraviolet discharge for charge management in high-precision inertial sensors. Furthermore, it presents the design and implementation of relevant payloads. Through an analysis of the charge accumulation effect and its impact on noise, key considerations regarding coatings, light sources, and optical paths are explored, and some current and valuable insights into the future development of charge management systems are also summarized. The conclusions drawn from this research also provide guidance for the advancement of higher precision ultraviolet discharge technology and the design of charge management systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inertial Sensors: Advances, Challenges and Applications)
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