Impact of ambient temperature on spring-based relative gravimeter measurements

In this paper, we investigate the impact of ambient temperature changes on the gravity reading of spring-based relative gravimeters. Controlled heating experiments using two Scintrex CG5 gravimeters allowed us to determine a linear correlation (R 0.9) between ambient temperature and gravity variations. The relation is stable and constant for the two CG5 we used: -5 nm/sC. A linear relation is also seen between gravity and residual sensor temperature variations (R 0.75), but contrary to ambient temperature, this relation is neither constant over time nor similar between the two instruments. The linear correction of ambient temperature on the controlled heating time series reduced the standard deviation at least by a factor of 2, to less than 10 nm/s. The laboratory results allowed for reprocessing the data gathered on a field survey that originally aimed to characterize local hydrological heterogeneities on a karstic area. The correction of two years of monthly CG5 measurements from ambient temperature variations halved the standard deviation (from 62 to 32 nm/s) and led us to a better hydrological interpretation. Although the origin of this effect is uncertain, we suggest that an imperfect control of the sensor temperature may be involved, as well as a change of the properties of an electronic component.