Distortion effects in primary calibration of low-frequency accelerometers

According to ISO 16063-11 (1999), at frequencies below 1600 Hz primary calibration of accelerometers may employ two methods: fringe counting or sine approximation. During a recent intercomparison (APMP.AUV.V-S1) small but systematic differences were found between the results obtained by using these two methods, and by the use of different amplifier modes to drive the shaker at frequencies between 0.5 Hz and 20 Hz. The influences of distortion and noise on the two methods are explored. The results and a discussion of the differences are presented in this paper.