Compact Integrated Electric Field Detection System for Underwater Objects

There has been little use to date of electric (E) field sensors in DoD applications. However, as demonstrated by a well-adapted system such as the shark's, E-field sensing can be a very effective modality underwater, even in the very challenging littoral environment. Quantum Applied Science and Research, Inc. has a pioneered the development of a new class of E-field sensors and sensing systems for ground-based and airborne military applications. This technology utilizes capacitive (i.e. insulated) coupling to the E-field, which is particularly suited to operation underwater because it removes effects associated with water salinity and electrode degradation, and provides higher sensitivity. The program starting point is a new compact multiaxis E-field sensor system that has already been successfully flight-tested in the high noise, demanding environment of an aircraft wingpod. In the Phase I Program, we will define the system requirements, demonstrate performance of a conformal capacitive electrode at the 1 nV/Hz½ level in the laboratory, study further improvements, and produce a provisional system design that includes a very compact, low power, EM data processing system, recently delivered to another program. In the Phase I Option we will construct an improved preamplifier optimized for low noise performance underwater.