Deep Long Life Passive Sonobuoy Sensor System

An air-launched passive long-life A-size sonobuoy with a vertical sensor array designed for the low frequency band from 5 to 500 Hz and located near the bottom in the deep ocean will be developed. The sonobuoy will be deployed for a period of up to two weeks and will take advantage of the Reliable Acoustic Path conditions that occur when the sound velocity at depth exceeds the maximum sound velocity in the vicinity of the upper edge of the deep sound channel, as well as the lower acoustic ambient that is found below this critical depth. The Phase I effort will develop approaches, and perform modeling and simulation activities to evaluate prospective designs associated with the sensor type(s), array, telemetry, packaging, deployment and self-noise remediation within the overall architecture of an A-size sonobuoy. Analytic computer models of alternative designs will be evaluated, and where appropriate, laboratory models will be fabricated to measure the appropriate parameters to assess the performance of various design alternatives. A final design will be recommended for prototype fabrication and demonstration in Phase II.