32-element TDM optical hydrophone array

This paper describes the design and development of an optical hydrophone array for a seabed application. Optical hydrophones have been under development in a number of countries as alternatives to piezoelectric based sensors, and the technology has now reached the stage where arrays with significant numbers of sensors can be constructed and deployed in realistic environments. The array described in this paper is being constructed under a collaboration between the Research Agency in the UK and TNO/TPD in the Netherlands. The system is modular in from and comprises up to 32 hydrophone elements in a time division multiplexed reflectometric architecture. The array has been designed to act as a testbed for different hydrophone technologies and to explore their use in an at-sea trial. ©2003 Copyright SPIE.