Enhancing sensor performance while reducing sensor cost and extending mission duration
Sensors deployed underwater and on the ocean floor often rely on precise time-stamping of the information gathered by sensor elements such as geophones and hydrophones. For example, oil and gas exploration firms use a technique called reflection seismology to map underground formations by time-stamping how long it takes for sonic pulses to travel through the formations. The three-dimensional map that results can show likely locations of oil and gas deposits. For the maps to be accurate, sensor synchronization must be precise — hence, the need for highly accurate clocks within the sensors. As sensor nets are deployed over wider areas and left unattended for longer periods (with no access to GPS), the need for accurate clocks only increases. Symmetricom’s Chip Scale Atomic Clock (CSAC) offers reduced drift, higher precision and lower power consumption. This means sensors will be more accurate and can either be deployed longer or use smaller, less expensive batteries. Operational costs are also reduced.
The SA.45s Chip Scale Atomic Clock (CSAC) provides the accuracy and stability of atomic clock technology while achieving dramatic reductions in size, weight and power consumption. This newest member of Symmetricom’s QUANTUM™ family of atomic oscillators is ideal for applications, especially those in GPS-denied environments that call for precise synchronization, accurate time keeping and maximum portability.
White Papers
New Technology Enables a Chip Scale Atomic Clock (PDF)
Application Briefs
Better Undersea Sensing with the SA.45s Chip Scale Atomic Clock (CSAC) (PDF)
