Gravity Methods

By
Dinesh Kumar (Bishnoi)
Assistant Professor
RTU, Kota
 Gravimeter
Stable gravimeters
Stable gravimeters in principle are spring balances supporting a
weight of constant mass. Change in gravity alters the weight of
the mass and consequently the spring elongates. The difference
in the lengths of the spring, measured at two stations, thus
signifies the difference in gravity dg between them. If the
gravity at one station is known, the gravity at the other station
can be calculated. In this example, the fact that the spring acts
as a measuring device and a support for the mass restricts the
accuracy of the instrument. This was however the basis of early
instruments known as stable gravimeters
Unstable gravimeters
In contrast to the static type, the unstable gravimeters employ the
principle of astatisation so that even minute changes in gravity
produces significant displacements in the position of the mass. This
is achieved by creating a labilising force reinforcing the gravity
force and hence opposing the stabilizing force of the restoring
spring. The deflections of the beam carrying the mass of the system
need not therefore be magnified to the extent required in static
gravimeters.
Consider a vertical spring, loaded with a mass m at its bottom.
The weight mg elongates the spring, according to Hooke’s law, by
an amount d given by mg
d
C
Where C is the spring constant, i.e., force per unit length of the
spring.
If the same system were to vibrate in a vertical plane, the motion
would be simple harmonic, and its period T of oscillation is given by
m d
T  2  2
C g
d T 2
 2
g 4
And hence, for a gravity difference, the elongation increases with
the square of the period. To increase T, either m may be increased
or C may be decreased. The first alternative is impracticable, for
large masses necessarily make the instrument very bulky and the
springs required to support them do not possess the necessary
elastic and thermal characteristics. Astatisation is thus achieved
only by opposing C by a labilising force of constant C′. The period
now reduces to
m
T  2
C C'
and becomes infinite at C = C′.
 LaCoste and Romberg gravimeter
The meter consists of a hinged beam carrying a mass
supported by a spring attached immediately above the hinge.
By suitable design of the spring and beam geometry the
magnitude of the increase in restoring force with increasing
gravity can be made as small as possible. A zero-length
spring is used pre-tensioned in manufacture so that the
restoring force is proportional to the physical length of the
spring rather than the extension.
k b z y
g  ( )( )( )( )s
M a s s

For a given change g, we can make s as large as we wish by

decreasing one or more of the factors on the right-hand of the
above equation. The sensitivity of the instrument is ~0.01 mgal.
 Worden gravimeter
This gravimeter is used extensively, and is provided with
internal temperature compensation, has the advantage of
exceptional portability. k b cos 2
g  ( )( )( )s
M a cos
As in the LaCoste-Romberg meter the sensitivity can be
increased by decreasing the factors (k/M) and (b/a); in
addition the factor (cos2/cos) approaches  zero when
approaches 45, thus furnishing another method of obtaining
high sensitivity. In practice the sensitivity is 0.01 mgal and
the range is ~60 mgal.