Compact Integrated Electric Field Detection System

The littoral environment is key for modern DoD applications. Certain marine animals, such as sharks and rays, utilize weak E-field sensing very effectively in this area, which led to the investigation of whether E-field sensors could provide detection and characterization information about surface and underwater targets in this challenging sensing environment. In Phase I, QUASAR Federal Systems proved the feasibility of developing a state-of-the-art underwater E-field sensing system using innovative electrode construction methods and our world-leading expertise in EM sensing related electronics and signal processing that would equal or better the performance of these animals in the littoral sensing domain. In Phase II, we propose to build on our Phase I work by constructing an underwater electrode optimized for form factor, to design an associated amplifier, design and build a system to fit into an A-sized package, and then design and test the system in both the lab and the open ocean. We believe it is feasible to reach a sensitivity level of 1 nV/m/Hz½ in the short axis of the system.