An improved method for seismic moment tensor inversion of acoustic emissions through assessment of sensor coupling and sensitivity to incidence angle

• We propose ultrasonic calibration technique of acoustic emission sensors.
• Procedure useful when specimen and acoustic emission sensors are inside loading cell.
• Acoustic emission waveforms corrected for coupling quality and incidence angle.
• Full moment tensor inversion performed for Bentheim and Vosges sandstones.
• Ultrasonic calibration compared with hybrid moment tensor technique.