A hydrophone is a microphone designed to be used underwater for recording or listening to underwater sounds. Since sound travels 4.3 times faster in water than in air, a sound wave in water exerts a pressure 60 times that exerted by a wave of the same amplitude in air. In addition, multiple hydrophones arranged in an array facilitates localizing and
tracking sound sources underwater.
The Four-Channel Hydrophone Array is an acoustic system consisting of four small hydrophone elements integrated on a Seaglider and a four channel recorder inside a pressure housing. The array consists of 2 hydrophone elements on the wings, an element on the nose, and an element next to the glider’s antenna. The pressure housing fits inside the wet payload compartment of the Seaglider.
Key Specifications of Four-Channel Hydrophone Array
- Linear Range: 1Hz to 100kHz ± 2 dB
- Receiving Sensitivity: -208dBV re 1 μPa (40μV / Pascal)
- Hydrophone Element Size: 12mm x 40mm (D x L)
- System Max Depth: 300m
- Overall Power: 2W
The system is currently capable of recording 128GB of acoustic data. Expansion of a few terabytes coming soon.