Nanometrics Trillium Compact User manual

Trillium Compact
User Guide
Kanata, Ontario •Canada

© 2014 Nanometrics Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Trillium Compact Seismometer User Guide
Applies to the following products:
The information in this document has been carefully reviewed and is believed to be reliable.
Nanometrics Inc. reserves the right to make changes at any time without notice to improve the
reliability and function of the product.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without
the prior written permission of Nanometrics Inc.
Nanometrics Inc.
250 Herzberg Road
Kanata, Ontario, Canada K2K 2A1
Tel [phone]
Fax [phone]
Email [email protected]
www.nanometrics.ca
Product Name Model Number Saleable Part Number
Trillium Compact, 120 second TC120-SV1 16838
Trillium Compact, 20 second TC20-SV1 16838-20
Trillium Compact Posthole, 120 second, 300 m TC120-PH2 17327
Trillium Compact Posthole, 20 second, 300 m TC20-PH2 17327-20
Trillium Compact Posthole, 120 second, 50 m TC120-PH1 17656
Trillium Compact Posthole, 20 second, 50 m TC20-PH1 17656-20
Part number 16889R5
Release date 2014-03-04

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16889R5 2014-03-04 iii
About This Document
Document Conventions
Changes Included in This Revision
Revision number 16889R5 includes the following changes:
Added information throughout the guide for additional model numbers. This guide now
includes models
Changed the depth limit for Trillium Compact Posthole models TC120-PH2 and TC20-PH2 to
300 m.
Added the case tilt reporting feature to Section 7.2 “State-of-Health” on page37 in Chapter 7
“Using the Web Interface”.
Essential and Supplementary Information
Warning
Explains a risk of irreversible damage to data, software, or equipment
and provides recommendations for preventive action.
Caution
Explains a risk of damage to data, software, or equipment where
recovery is likely to be troublesome and provides recommendations for
preventive action.
Note
Provides additional information related to the current text.
Tip
Explains a best practice or provides helpful information related to the
current text.
Example
Provides an example related to the current text.
Text Conventions
bold text Identifies referenced elements in the graphical user interface (GUI)
(for example, “click Cancel to discard the changes”).
italic text Identifies variables such as parameter names and value placeholders
(for example, “select Configuration > Sensor Name”).
courier text Identifies commands that must be entered exactly as shown
(for example, “type mkdir $APOLLO_LOCATION/config”).
TC120-PH1 Trillium Compact Posthole, 120 second, 50 m
TC20-PH1 Trillium Compact Posthole, 20 second, 50 m
The case tilt feature applies to all Trillium Compact models with serial numbers 2500 and above.

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Contents
About This Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Document Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Changes Included in This Revision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Part 1 Installation
Chapter 1 Getting Started
1.1 About Trillium Compact Seismometers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.2 Unpacking and Handling a Trillium Compact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.3 Selecting a Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.4 Cables and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.5 Technical Support and Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.5.1 Recording Your Serial Number and IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.6 Site Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Chapter 2 Performing a Posthole Installation
2.1 Installing a Trillium Compact Posthole. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.2 Aligning a Trillium Compact Posthole to North . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.2.1 Using a Surface Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.2.2 Using a Surface Seismometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.3 Troubleshooting Your Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Chapter 3 Performing a Surface Vault Installation
3.1 Planning Your Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.2 Recommendations for Pier Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.2.1 Choosing the Right Concrete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.2.2 Decoupling the Pier and Vault Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.3 Common Types of Installations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.3.1 Vault Installations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.3.2 Temporary Installations on Rock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3.4 Alignment, Levelling, and Placement Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
3.5 Best Practices for Alignment and Levelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.6 Theory and Practice of Insulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3.7 Insulation Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3.7.1 Insulating with the Insulating Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3.7.2 Insulating with a Rigid Foam Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

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3.8 Installing a Trillium Compact in the Insulating Cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
3.9 Troubleshooting Your Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Part 2 Operation
Chapter 4 Input and Output Signals
4.1 UVW and XYZ Output Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
4.2 Serial RS-232 Communications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
4.3 Digital Control Input Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
4.4 Calibration Input Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
4.5 State-of-Health Output Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
4.6 Power Consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Chapter 5 Configuring Your System
5.1 Selecting the Trillium Compact Configuration for a Nanometrics Instrument . . . . 30
5.2 Using a Trident Digitizer with a Trillium Compact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
5.3 Increasing System Sensitivity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Chapter 6 Configuring Serial Communications
6.1 About Serial Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
6.2 Establishing a Direct Serial Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
6.2.1 Creating a SLIP Connection on a Windows XP Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
6.2.2 Creating a SLIP Connection on a Windows 7 Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
6.3 Connecting through a Nanometrics Digitizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
6.4 Calculating the IP Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Chapter 7 Using the Web Interface
7.1 About the Web Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
7.2 State-of-Health. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
7.3 Seismometer Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
7.4 Control Lines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
7.5 Sensor Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
7.6 Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Part 3 Reference
Chapter 8 Specifications
8.1 Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
8.2 Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
8.3 Hardware Interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
8.4 Digital Command and Control Interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

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8.5 Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
8.6 Physical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
8.7 Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Chapter 9 Transfer Function and Noise Floor
9.1 Frequency Response for 120 s and 20 s Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
9.2 Self-Noise for 120 s Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
9.3 Self-Noise for 20 s Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Chapter 10 Connector and Cables
10.1 14-Pin Trillium Compact Connector and Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
10.1.1 Pinout for 14-Pin Trillium Compact Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
10.1.2 Cable Pinout – 14-Pin Connector to Nanometrics Digitizer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
10.1.3 Cable Pinout – 14-pin Cable Waterproof Shroud to Nanometrics Digitizer. 53
10.1.4 Cable Pinout – 14-Pin Connector to Open End . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
10.1.5 Cable Pinout – 14-Pin Connector to Serial Port. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
10.2 16-Pin Trillium Compact Connector and Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
10.2.1 Pinout for 16-Pin Trillium Compact Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
10.2.2 Cable Pinout – 16-Pin Connector to Nanometrics Digitizer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
10.2.3 Cable Pinout – 16-Pin Connector to Open End . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
10.3 Cable Design Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Chapter 11 Physical Features and Dimensions
11.1 Top Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
11.1.1 Top View of Models TC120-SV1 and TC20-SV1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
11.1.2 Top View of Models TC120-PH2 and TC20-PH2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
11.1.3 Top View of Models TC120-PH1 and TC20-PH1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
11.2 Bottom Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
11.2.1 Bottom View of Models TC120-SV1 and TC20-SV1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
11.2.2 Bottom View of Models TC120-PH2, TC20-PH2, TC120-PH1, and TC20-PH1 . 64
11.3 Side Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
11.3.1 Side View of Models TC120-SV1 and TC20-SV1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
11.3.2 Side View of Models TC120-PH2 and TC20-PH2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
11.3.3 Side View of Models TC120-PH1 and TC20-PH1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
11.4 Side View of Optional 70 mm Spikes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Appendix A Carrying Case
A.1 Transporting a Trillium Compact in the Carrying Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Appendix B Cable Waterproof Shroud
B.1 Installing the Waterproof Shroud Cable Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

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Appendix C Levelling Cradle and Spike Kit
C.1 Using the Levelling Cradle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
C.2 Using the Levelling Cradle and Spike Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Appendix D Free Software Information
D.1 BSD Licence Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Appendix E Glossary
E.1 Glossary of Abbreviations and Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
E.2 List of Unit Abbreviations and Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
About Nanometrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Contacting Nanometrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Contacting Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

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Tables
1-1 List of cables and accessories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1-2 Record of installation site details. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2-1 Types of noise and possible causes for posthole deployments. . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3-1 Recommended pier design specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3-2 Types of noise and possible causes for surface vault deployments . . . . . . . . . 25
5-1 Configuring a Nanometrics instrument for a Trillium Compact . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
5-2 Increasing system sensitivity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
8-1 Technology specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
8-2 Performance specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
8-3 Hardware interface specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
8-4 Digital command and control Interface specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
8-5 Power specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
8-6 Physical specifications for models TC120-SV1 and TC20-SV1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
8-7 Physical specifications for models TC120-PH2 and TC20-PH2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
8-8 Physical specifications for models TC120-PH1 and TC20-PH1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
8-9 Environmental specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
9-1 Ground motion response nominal parameters for 120 s models . . . . . . . . . . . 46
9-2 Ground motion response nominal parameters for 20 s models . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
9-3 Calibration circuit parameters for 120 s and 20 s models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
10-1 Pinout for 14-pin Trillium Compact connector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
10-2 Cable 16777 – 14-pin connector to Nanometrics digitizer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
10-3 Cable 17769– Cable waterproof shroud to Nanometrics digitizer . . . . . . . . . . 53
10-4 Cable 16865 – 14-pin connector to open end . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
10-5 Cable 16978 – 14-pin connector to serial port and power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
10-6 Pinout for 16-pin Trillium Compact connector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
10-7 Cable 17768– 16-pin Trillium Compact to Nanometrics digitizer. . . . . . . . . . . . 57
10-8 Cable 17356 – 16-pin connector to open end . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
E-1 Unit Abbreviations and Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

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Figures
3-1 Example of seismometer alignment using vertically scribed marks . . . . . . . . . 18
3-2 Example of seismometer alignment using the case-top guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3-3 Trillium Compact insulating cover features and dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3-4 Cut-away illustration of a Trillium Compact in the insulating cover . . . . . . . . . 24
4-1 Trillium Compact axis orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
9-1 Bode plot for 120 s and 20 s models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
9-2 Self-noise for 120 s models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
9-3 Self-noise for 20 s models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
11-1 Top view of models TC120-SV1 and TC20-SV1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
11-2 Top view of models TC120-PH2 and TC20-PH2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
11-3 Top view of models TC120-PH1 and TC20-PH1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
11-4 Bottom view of models TC120-SV1 and TC20-SV1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
11-5 Bottom view of models TC120-PH2, TC20-PH2, TC120-PH1, and TC20-PH1 . . . 64
11-6 Side view of models TC120-SV1 and TC20-SV1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
11-7 Side view of models TC120-PH2 and TC20-PH2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
11-8 Side view of models TC120-PH1 and TC20-PH1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
11-9 Side view of models TC120-PH1 and TC20-PH1 with cable waterproof shroud 68
11-10 Side view of optional 70 mm spikes (posthole models only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
A-1 Cut-away illustration of a packed carrying case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
B-1 Preparing the installation surface on the Trillium Compact Posthole . . . . . . . . 72
B-2 Installing the cable waterproof shroud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
C-1 Levelling cradle features and dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
C-2 Levelling cradle and spike kit assembly configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Trillium Compact User Guide
16889R5 2014-03-04 1
Part 1
Installation
Getting Started
Performing a Posthole Installation
Performing a Surface Vault Installation

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Chapter 1
Getting Started
1.1 About Trillium Compact Seismometers
Trillium Compact is extremely simple to deploy with no mass lock and no mass centering
required. The exceptionally small size significantly reduces the time and effort required for
site preparation and installation. Continuous quality data are available within minutes of
deployment with no requirement for further intervention.
All Trillium Compact seismometers are observatory-class three-component, very
broadband, low-noise seismometers with extended low frequency range useful out to
beyond 1000 s, low noise, and a high clip level that is ideal for teleseismic, regional, and
local studies.
•Low-noise broadband seismometer performance
•Broadband performance, 20 or 120 second to 100 Hz, with improved noise floor at
high frequency
•Exceptionally high clip level of 26 mm/s permits on scale recording of larger events
closer to the source
•Ultra low power consumption of just 160 mW for low operating costs and higher
station reliability
•Ease of deployment through no mass lock, no mass centering and wide tilt range
•Integrated web server for efficient instrument management
Trillium Compact seismometers are available with 20 s or 120 s low corner period. The 20 s
variants have a wide operational tilt range of ±10° and are suitable for downhole
installations where the seismometer cannot be levelled, or for rapid deployments where a
quick settling time is needed. The 120 s variants have lower long-period noise and a
narrower tilt range of ±2.5° and are suitable for installations where the seismometer can be
manually levelled or placed on a level surface (in a vault or at the bottom of a suitably
prepared borehole).
Featuring low sensitivity to both tilt and temperature, Trillium Compact seismometers do not
require mass centring under normal operation. With the wide tilt range, levelling is simple
and If additional levelling is required, the seismometer can be levelled in seconds by
seating it in its optional levelling cradle, which corrects an uneven installation surface by
up to ±9º. See Appendix C “Levelling Cradle and Spike Kit” for more information.
The Trillium Compact has an integrated Web server that is accessible using a standard Web
browser and the RS-232 serial interface available on the connector. A desktop computer
with a serial port configured with serial-over-Internet-Protocol (SLIP) can be used to browse
into the Trillium Compact and configure optional features, check factory information or
state-of-health, and update firmware. Current generation Nanometrics digitizers support
this interface so users can access the Web-based features of the Trillium Compact
remotely, even with the unit in service.

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The symmetric triaxial arrangement of the sensing elements ensures uniformity between
vertical and horizontal outputs. The ability to remotely select either the raw (UVW) or
resulting horizontal-vertical (XYZ) outputs allows for the calibration of each axis separately.
For some studies, it may be preferable to use UVW mode instead of XYZ mode for recording
seismic data.
Trillium Compact is available in several variants to facilitate vault, surface, or buried
downhole deployments:
Model TC120-SV1 A surface vault seismometer in an aluminum enclosure with a
•14-pin MIL-C-26482 Series I connector
•bandwidth of -3 dB points at 120 s and 108 Hz
Model TC20-SV1 A surface vault seismometer in an aluminum enclosure with a
•14-pin MIL-C-26482 Series I connector
•bandwidth of -3 dB points at 20 s and 108 Hz
Model TC120-PH2 A posthole seismometer in a submersible stainless steel enclosure
that
•has a 16-pin marine-class connector
•is suitable to a depth of 300 m
•has a bandwidth of -3 dB points at 120 s and 108 Hz
Model TC20-PH2 A posthole seismometer in a submersible stainless steel enclosure
that
•has a 16-pin marine-class connector
•is suitable to a depth of 300 m
•has a bandwidth of -3 dB points at 20 s and 108 Hz
Model TC120-PH1 A surface vault or posthole seismometer in a stainless steel
enclosure that
•has a 14-pin MIL-C-26482 Series I connector
•is submersible to a depth of 50 m with the optional cable
waterproof shroud (see Table 1-1 “List of cables and
accessories” on page4),
•has a bandwidth of -3 dB points at 120 s and 108 Hz
Model TC20-PH1 A surface vault or posthole seismometer in a stainless steel
enclosure that
•has a 14-pin MIL-C-26482 Series I connector
•is submersible to a depth of 50 m with the optional cable
waterproof shroud (see Table 1-1 “List of cables and
accessories” on page4),
•has a bandwidth of -3 dB points at 20 s and 108 Hz

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1.2 Unpacking and Handling a Trillium Compact
The shipping box and packing for Trillium Compact seismometers have been designed and
tested to protect these seismometers against the impact of accidental drops during
hand-carrying and from vibration and shock during shipping. To maintain warranty
protection, Trillium Compact seismometers must always be transported in packaging
approved by Nanometrics. Save the original packaging and reuse it any time you are
transporting a Trillium Compact. If custom packaging is required for a particular
application, please consult Nanometrics (see Contacting Nanometrics on page81).
After delivering a Trillium Compact to its installation site, you can safely remove it from the
packaging or carrying case and handle it without any special precautions other than
taking care not to drop it or bang it against hard surfaces. Trillium Compact seismometers
do not require any mass lock mechanisms or mass centring. The seismometer is ready to
operate right out of the box and can tolerate normal handling with no degradation in
performance or service life.
1.3 Selecting a Site
There is no substitute for a geological survey when it comes to site selection. A survey
provides knowledge of the structures over which the seismometer will be installed. Where
possible, seismometers should be installed on bedrock and as far away as possible from
sources of cultural noise such as roads, dwellings, and tall structures.
Use the worksheet in Section 1.6 “Site Record” on page9 to record information about the
structure, cultural environs, and climatic conditions of the site, as well as information about
the type and length of the installation.
1.4 Cables and Accessories
Table 1-1 lists cables and accessories for the Trillium Compact that can be purchased
separately.
Table 1-1 List of cables and accessories
Name Part Number Description
Models TC120-SV1, TC20-SV1 (surface vault), TC120-PH1, and TC20-PH1 (surface vault or posthole)
Trillium Compact
Carrying Case /
Insulating Cover
16862 Dual-purpose enclosure that serves as both a carrying case
when transporting the Trillium Compact and as an insulating
cover.
As a carrying case, this enclosure provides cushioning
protection during transport.
When installed as an insulating cover, this enclosure
thermally insulates the seismometer and protects it from
external air currents.
See Appendix A, “Carrying Case” for information and
instructions on using this product to transport your Trillium
Compact.
See Chapter 3, “Performing a Surface Vault Installation” for
instructions on using this product as an insulating cover in an
installation.

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Foam Plug for
Trillium Compact
Carrying Case /
Insulating Cover
MEC16852R1 A foam plug specially designed for the carrying case. This
plug prevents movement of the Trillium Compact and
levelling cradle when a cable is not packed in the case.
Cable – Trillium
seismometer to
Nanometrics
digitizer
16777–3M
16777–5M
16777–10M
16777–15M
16777–25M
Double-shielded, ultra-flexible cable with Trillium Compact
right-angled connector on one end and Nanometrics
digitizer connector on the other end.
In addition to connecting the analog inputs, power, and
control line signals to the digitizing and data logging
features of the digitizer, this cable also provides access to
the Web interface of the seismometer through the Web
interface of the digitizer.
Standard cable lengths are 3 m, 5 m, 10 m, 15 m, and 25 m.
Custom cable lengths are available upon request.
Cable – Trillium
seismometer to
open end
16865–3M
16865–5M
16865–10M
16865–15M
16865–25M
Double-shielded, ultra-flexible cable with Trillium Compact
right-angled connector on one end and open-ended at the
other end for attaching the connector of a third-party
digitizer.
In addition to connecting the analog inputs, power, and
control line signals to the digitizing and data logging
features of the digitizer, this cable also provides access to
the Web interface of the seismometer through the Web
interface of the digitizer.
Standard cable lengths are 3 m, 5 m, 10 m, 15 m, and 25 m.
Custom cable lengths are available upon request.
Cable – Trillium
seismometer to
third party digitizer
Contact
Nanometrics
Double-shielded, ultra-flexible cable with Trillium Compact
right-angled connector on one end and a connector for a
common third party digitizer, such as a Q330 or REFTEK D130
on the other end.
Contact Nanometrics (see Contacting Nanometrics on
page81) for a full listing of cables with connectors to third
party digitizers.
Cable – Serial
communications
and power cable,
molded
16978–2M A cable that provides serial communications and power to
the Trillium Compact. The cable has a Trillium Compact
connector on one end and splits into two 2 m lengths. One
end of the cable split has a DB-9 serial connector that
connects to the serial port of a computer, and the other end
has a two-prong banana plug for power.
Standard cable length is 2 m.
Custom cable lengths are available upon request.
Table 1-1 List of cables and accessories
Name Part Number Description

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Foam Plug for
Trillium Compact
Carrying Case /
Insulating Cover
MEC16852R1 A foam plug specially designed for the carrying case. This
plug prevents movement of the Trillium Compact and
levelling cradle when a cable is not packed in the case.
Cable – Trillium
seismometer to
Nanometrics
digitizer
16777–3M
16777–5M
16777–10M
16777–15M
16777–25M
Double-shielded, ultra-flexible cable with Trillium Compact
right-angled connector on one end and Nanometrics
digitizer connector on the other end.
In addition to connecting the analog inputs, power, and
control line signals to the digitizing and data logging
features of the digitizer, this cable also provides access to
the Web interface of the seismometer through the Web
interface of the digitizer.
Standard cable lengths are 3 m, 5 m, 10 m, 15 m, and 25 m.
Custom cable lengths are available upon request.
Cable – Trillium
seismometer to
open end
16865–3M
16865–5M
16865–10M
16865–15M
16865–25M
Double-shielded, ultra-flexible cable with Trillium Compact
right-angled connector on one end and open-ended at the
other end for attaching the connector of a third-party
digitizer.
In addition to connecting the analog inputs, power, and
control line signals to the digitizing and data logging
features of the digitizer, this cable also provides access to
the Web interface of the seismometer through the Web
interface of the digitizer.
Standard cable lengths are 3 m, 5 m, 10 m, 15 m, and 25 m.
Custom cable lengths are available upon request.
Cable – Trillium
seismometer to
third party digitizer
Contact
Nanometrics
Double-shielded, ultra-flexible cable with Trillium Compact
right-angled connector on one end and a connector for a
common third party digitizer, such as a Q330 or REFTEK D130
on the other end.
Contact Nanometrics (see Contacting Nanometrics on
page81) for a full listing of cables with connectors to third
party digitizers.
Cable – Serial
communications
and power cable,
molded
16978–2M A cable that provides serial communications and power to
the Trillium Compact. The cable has a Trillium Compact
connector on one end and splits into two 2 m lengths. One
end of the cable split has a DB-9 serial connector that
connects to the serial port of a computer, and the other end
has a two-prong banana plug for power.
Standard cable length is 2 m.
Custom cable lengths are available upon request.
Table 1-1 List of cables and accessories
Name Part Number Description

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Models TC120-PH1 and TC20-PH1 (surface vault or posthole)
Cable – Trillium
Compact Posthole
Cable Waterproof
Shroud to
Nanometrics
Digitizer
17769-1M
17769-3M
17769-5M
17769-10M
17769-15M
17769-25M
17769-35M
17769-50M
A robust IP68 rated cable with a polyurethane jacket that is
suitable for buried deployments. The cable has a 14-pin
Trillium Compact connector on one end and the connector
for a Nanometrics digitizer on the other end. Ideal for
posthole installations, the waterproof shroud that covers the
Trillium Compact connector allows Trillium Compact model
numbers TC120-PH1 and TC20-PH1 to be submerged to
depths of up to 50 m for an indefinite period of time.
Standard cable lengths are 1 m, 3 m, 5 m, 10 m, 15 m, 25 m,
35 m, and 50 m.
See Appendix B, “Cable Waterproof Shroud” for information
and instructions on using this product to bring the unit rating
to IP68.
See Chapter 2, “Performing a Posthole Installation” for
instructions on installing model numbers TC120-PH1 and
TC20-PH1 as posthole seismometers.
Adjustable Feet Kit 17245 A kit including three adjustable locking feet that should be
used on model numbers TC120-PH1 and TC20-PH1 instead of
the default fixed studs in a surface vault installation.
Models TC120-PH2 and TC20-PH2 (posthole)
Cable – Trillium
Compact Posthole
to Nanometrics
Digitizer, Molded
17768-10M
17768-30M
A cable with a molded neoprene connector on one end
that connects to the Trillium Compact Posthole connector
and a connector on the other end for connecting to a
Nanometrics digitizer. The cable features a robust neoprene
cable jacket that is suitable for buried deployments.
In addition to connecting the analog inputs, power, and
control line signals to the digitizing and data logging
features of the digitizer, this cable also provides access to
the Web interface of the seismometer through the Web
interface of the digitizer.
Cable – Trillium
Compact Posthole
to Open End,
Molded
17356-5M
17356-10M
17356-30M
17356-70M
A cable with a molded neoprene connector on one end
that connects to the Trillium Compact Posthole connector
and is open-ended on the other end.
In addition to connecting the analog inputs, power, and
control line signals to the digitizing and data logging
features of the digitizer, this cable also provides access to
the Web interface of the seismometer through the Web
interface of the digitizer.
Models TC120-PH2, TC20-PH2 (posthole), TC120-PH1, and TC20-PH1 (surface vault or posthole)
Bubble Level MSC0225 For applications where precise levelling is required, the
bubble level is placed on top of the seismometer during
installation.
Table 1-1 List of cables and accessories
Name Part Number Description

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1.5 Technical Support and Maintenance
If you need technical support, please submit your request by email or fax. Include a full
explanation of the problem and any supporting information (such as the maximum mass
position reading, photographs of the site, operating input voltage and current) to help us
direct your request to the most knowledgeable person for reply. Before returning a unit for
repair, contact Nanometrics Technical Support (see Contacting Technical Support on
page81) to obtain an RMA number.
The mechanical and electronic elements of Trillium Compact have been designed to be
robust and reliable. The internal reverse-voltage protection and over-current protection
automatically resets when the fault is removed, so there are no fuses to replace.
1.5.1 Recording Your Serial Number and IP Address
Before installing your Trillium Compact, it is important to record both the serial number and
the IP address of the unit. Both numbers are provided on the unit label.
Keep this information readily available. You will need to reference the serial number when
contacting Technical Support. You will need the IP address of the unit to access the Web
interface. See Chapter 6 “Configuring Serial Communications” for more information.
All models
70 mm Spike Kit 17247 Spikes that attach to the base of the seismometer for
installations in soft soil.
Levelling Cradle 16863 Tripod deployment cradle for rapid levelling.
See Appendix C, “Levelling Cradle and Spike Kit” for
information and instructions for using this product.
Levelling Cradle
Spike Kit
16874 Kit containing three types of spikes that attach to the
levelling cradle. Use the spikes to stabilize the cradle in soil,
gravel, or sand.
See Appendix C, “Levelling Cradle and Spike Kit” for
information and instructions for using this product.
Table 1-1 List of cables and accessories
Name Part Number Description
If the IP address of the unit is not recorded, it can be calculated later using the serial number.
See Section 6.4 “Calculating the IP Address” on page36 for instruction.

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1.6 Site Record
Use the following table to record information about the site, including its structure, cultural
environs, and climatic conditions. This information will be helpful in identifying changes to
the site over time and for determining when mass recentring may be necessary due to
temperature change.
Table 1-2 Record of installation site details
Site name (full name / station code / network
code, for example, Yellowknife / YKN / CN):
Latitude:
Longitude:
Elevation:
Date of installation (mm/dd/yyyy):
Type of installation (for example, vault, surface,
buried, other):
Vault installation:
__________ Depth below surface (m)
__________ Height above sea level (m)
Posthole installation:
__________ Depth of hole (m)
__________ Depth to bedrock (m)
__________ Height above sea level (m)
__________ Orientation in hole (±°)
Length of installation:
Permanent or temporary:
If temporary, expected time frame
(mm/dd/yyyy to mm/dd/yyyy):
Ground surface type (for example, rock, soil,
sand, clay, other):
Distance to potential noise sources (km):
__________ Airport or air traffic
__________ Railway
__________ Roads
__________ Tall structures ________ Height (m)
__________ Trees ________Height (m)
__________ Dwellings
__________ Industrial site
__________ Others (describe):
Seasonal temperature ranges (°C):
________________ January 1 to March 31
________________ April 1 to June 30
________________ July 1 to September 30
________________ October 1 to December 31
Notes:

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Chapter 2
Performing a Posthole Installation
2.1 Installing a Trillium Compact Posthole
A Trillium Compact Posthole seismometer may be installed in an uncased or cased hole.
Units will self-level as long as the Trillium Compact Posthole is within ±2.5° for the 120 s model
or ±10° for the 20 s model of vertical, making site preparation simple.
Use the following steps to install a Trillium Compact Posthole in an uncased or cased hole:
1. Prepare the hole for the installation.
•Uncased hole
For an uncased hole, the hole should be a minimum of 1 m deep, and have a
diameter large enough to accommodate the seismometer, which has a diameter
of 97 mm. The minimum hole depth will allow the seismometer to be covered by
approximately 0.9 m (3 ft.) of fill once the installation is complete. This backfill
creates a buffer between the installation and the surface, shielding it from surface
activity and weather. In general, greater depth produces better results with all
other conditions being equal.
•Cased hole
For a cased hole, the hole diameter must be large enough to accommodate the
seismometer, which has a diameter of 97 mm.
A cased hole must be covered at the top to protect the seismometer from the
elements such as wind and rain. This cover must secure and stabilize the electrical
and lifting cables, allowing some slack to avoid strain on the seismometer.
2. Connect the cable to the seismometer and digitizer.
Nanometrics cable 17768-nM (where nis the length of the cable in metres) can be
used to connect a Trillium Compact Posthole to a Nanometrics digitizer. Alternatively,
if you are connecting your Trillium Compact Posthole to a third-party digitizer, you can
connect the digitizer’s connector to Nanometrics cable 17356-nM (where nis the
length of the cable in metres), or contact Nanometrics to inquire about the availability
of a cable for a specific digitizer (see Contacting Nanometrics on page81).
See Chapter 5, “Configuring Your System” for information on configuring your
Nanometrics digitizer for a Trillium Compact Posthole and also refer to the digitizer
manual.
(1) The contents of this chapter are applicable to Trillium Compact, model numbers TC120-PH2
and TC20-PH2, TC120-PH1, and TC20-PH1.
(2) For model numbers TC120-PH1 and TC20-PH1, the cable waterproof shroud will be required
to bring the unit to an IP68 rating for full submersion. See Table 1-1 “List of cables and
accessories” on page4. See Appendix B, “Cable Waterproof Shroud” for details on how to
install and use this cable assembly.

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3. Lower the seismometer into the hole and align it.
4. Level and stabilize the seismometer using an appropriate technique to ensure that the
seismometer is solidly coupled to the surrounding substrate and will not shift or move.
5. Power the seismometer.
6. Verify a level installation by checking that the mass positions are within an acceptable
range (at or very close to zero).
7. Close the hole using the appropriate method for the type of hole ensuring that the
cable is not under any strain.
8. Check the mass positions to verify that the unit is undisturbed.
2.2 Aligning a Trillium Compact Posthole to North
There are two typical methods for aligning a Trillium Compact Posthole to north. The
method used is usually determined by the depth of the hole where the unit is installed.
For shallow holes,
Align the north-south guide on the top of the pressure vessel to a surface line. See
Section 2.2.1 for details.
For deeper holes,
Correlate the output of the seismometer with that of a temporarily installed
surface-based seismometer that is aligned to true north in order to calculate their
relative orientation. See Section 2.2.2 for details.
2.2.1 Using a Surface Line
The surface line method of aligning a Trillium Compact Posthole to north can only be used
in shallow holes (usually 2 m or less) where the top of the seismometer pressure vessel is
visible and the unit can be turned by hand after being lowered into the hole.
To align a Trillium Compact Posthole to north with a surface line
1. Place a ruler or stake a line across the hole, aligning it to true north.
2. Turn the seismometer until the north-south guide on the top of the pressure vessel is
parallel to the line at the top of the hole.
The recommended practices for aligning a Trillium Compact Posthole vary based on the
depth of the hole where the unit is installed.
(1) For recommendations on aligning a Trillium Compact Posthole in a shallow hole of 2 m or
less, see 2.2.1 “Using a Surface Line” on page11.
(2) For recommendations on aligning a Trillium Compact Posthole in a deeper hole, see 2.2.2
“Using a Surface Seismometer” on page12.
If you are using a magnetic compass, account for the local magnetic declination when
making the line across the hole.