USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Daniel L Baker

David N Strong

Vinson L Go

A system and method is disclosed for generating, propagating, and detecting light pulses for use with a fiber optic transducer array. The system preferably uses two pulses to provide fixed and relatively short interferometer path differences to thereby reduce coherent light noise. The system preferably uses a surface acoustic wave device for chirping the light pulses to thereby spread noise over a wider bandwidth so as to suppress noise. A coherent light source is preferably amplitude modulated to produce an initial pulse. In one embodiment, that initial pulse is chirped and split into two pulses. One of the two pulses is delayed while the other is frequency shifted. The two pulses are combined onto a single fiber optic path and applied to the fiber optic transducer array. After being acted on by the fiber optic transducer array, the two pulses are photodetected and processed to obtain the information about the physical phenomena to be detected.

Pulsed system and method for fiber optic sensor

A magnetic heading sensor alignment and roll reducing device is provided. A enerally cylindrical assembly has a first end and a second end. Each end has a plurality of grooves located equiangularly on a circle with the center thereof located at the cylindrical assembly's center longitudinal axis. Bearings, positioned at and supported by the first and second ends, support a magnetic heading sensor at either end thereof. The bearings provide the sensor with rotational freedom about the center longitudinal axis. A counterweight is affixed to the sensor such that its center of gravity and the sensor's center of gravity are located at a common axial loci. A plurality of longitudinal spring strips are provided to fit into corresponding ones of the grooves on the first and second ends of the cylindrical assembly. The spring strips cooperate with the inner surface of a tubular housing when the device is inserted therein. All materials used to construct the device are non-magnetic.

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Voluntown, CT, United States of America

Daniel L Baker