USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

William A Venezia

John J Holmes

Robert Andrew Wingo

Eric S Dykes

According to exemplary inventive practice, an ADCP system (including one or more acoustic Doppler current profilers) and a magnetometer system (including one or more magnetometers) are placed underwater. The ADCP system is used to obtain ADCP time series data. The magnetometer system is used to obtain magnetometer time series data. A computer performs computations with respect to input from the ADCP system and input from the magnetometer system. The computations include formulation of a least squares matrix to minimize a least squared error between the ADCP time series data and the magnetometer time series data. The present invention may be practiced, for instance, whereby a magnetometer is centrally located in relation to a triangular arrangement of three ADCPs, or whereby the ADCP system and the magnetometer system are co-located.

Underwater electromagnetic field measurement that factors in ocean dynamics

According to exemplary inventive practice, a deployment line connects a vessel to an anchor, and a tether connects a buoyant electronic unit to the same anchor. The buoyant electronic unit includes a syntactic foam sphere, and a computer and sensors that are housed in the sphere. The anchor and the buoyant electronic unit are discharged from the vessel and sink in the water. The deployment line mechanically detaches from the anchor when the anchor reaches bottom. The buoyant electronic unit stabilizes into an equilibrium position, tethered vertically and tautly to the anchor. Measurements pertaining to phenomena such as underwater electric potential, pressure, magnetic field, and acceleration are taken by the corresponding sensors and are processed by the computer. An electrical (e.g., acoustical) signal is transmitted to detach the tether from the anchor, whereupon the buoyant electronic unit rises to a retrievable position on the surface of the water.

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Stuart, FL, United States of America

William A Venezia