摘要 |
A system for automatically deploying a moored sensor array utilizing an elongated cylindrical container with a semispherical weighted nose which will assume a glide angle with respect to the horizontal and descend in a glide path. Cable to a surface buoy is dispensed from the container during the descent with sufficient scope (ratio of cable length to depth) to permit the surface buoy to move about in response to ocean currents without overstressing the cable. A sea anchor suspended from the buoy by an elastic member with extra length of cable between the suspended sea anchor and the buoy isolates wave motion of the buoy from the anchor on the ocean floor. Upon impact with the ocean floor, a switch in the nose of the container is closed to lock up the cable and eject an array package from the container. The array package contains buoyant material to cause it to float upwardly while paying out sensors attached along a length of cable packed in the array package.
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