Test Stand Design and Evaluation of Depth Determination Accuracy of the HP³ Instruments

Abstract

This thesis discusses the accuracy of depth determination provided by the instruments of the Heat Flow and Physical Proerties Package (HP3 . The aim is to fulfill the given requirements for the Tether Length Monitor (TLM) and the Static Tilt Measurement Suite (STATIL) and provide a prediction of accuracy at different Mole angles to the gravity vector. This is done using the data from a previous test stand, analyzing it and conducting an error and uncertainty analysis. Furthermor e, based on these results, another test stand is designed to improve the accuracy. The requirements were fulfilled at all Mole angles using the data from the previous test stand. Additionally, the accuracy of depth determination beyond the required Mole angles could be determined. While these results had to be extrapolated to a depth of 5 m because of the design allowing a maximum depth of 2 m, another test stand was designed to make tests possible at the whole required depth. With the results of this test stand, the expected accuracy of depth determination will be identified reliably.