Patent ID: 8578771

Claim:
A gravity gradiometer system comprising: a gravity gradiometer instrument (GGI) comprising at least one accelerometer disposed on an instrument package; a stabilization coupler having three rotational degrees of freedom, the stabilization coupler arranged centrally relative to said instrument package to provide rotation of said GGI along a spin axis orthogonal to a center of said stabilization coupler, said stabilization coupler comprising: a bearing plate coupled on a first side to an interior portion of the instrument package and configured to provide one rotational degree of freedom through rotation of said GGI along a spin axis orthogonal to a center of said bearing plate; and a universal joint coupled to a second side of said bearing plate, said universal joint having a first rotational axis orthogonal to said spin axis and a second rotational axis orthogonal to said spin axis and said first rotational axis and thereby providing two rotational degrees of freedom; wherein said universal joint and said bearing plate are located substantially at a center of said instrument package.