Hydrophone group design for shallow towed applications

Abstract

A hydrophone group for shallow towed applications in less than 50 feet of ter. The hydrophone group has a series of hydrophones connected by relatively insensitive fiber optic interconnects. The individual hydrophones are sufficiently sensitive such that the interconnecting optical fiber does not introduce excessive noise. Each hydrophone is basically a sensing fiber wrapped around an air-backed mandrel. Each air-backed mandrel is formed of an extended solid frame substantially non-compliant along a longitudinal axis. The extended solid frame is provided with a channel around the periphery thereof. The channel extends substantially the entire length of the extended solid frame. A flexible outer covering surrounds the extended solid frame. The flexible outer covering is highly compliant in a radial direction extending from the longitudinal axis. The air-backed mandrel has a high frequency mechanical resonance. Each hydrophone is connected in a chain by a plurality of interconnects having a substantially lower sensitivity than each hydrophone.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.