New-Generation Autonomous Geohydroacoustic Ice Buoy

The paper reports on the development, creation of experimental models, and field tests of new-generation geohydroacoustic measurement buoys designed to be used both independently for taking acoustic, seismic, hydroacoustic, and seismoacoustic measurements at sea or on land (including boreholes) and in combination with distributed ice-class antenna systems to monitor Arctic water areas covered in drift ice. The geohydroacoustic ice buoy is a finished autonomous information-measuring device that envisages application as exchangeable receiver modules—new-generation combined vector–scalar hydroacoustic (0.01–2.5 kHz) and wideband molecular-electronic (0.03–50 Hz) receivers—and as an authoring tool for digitizing the received information, writing to internal memory, and subsequent timely transmission of the obtained scientific data. The design basis of the information-measuring system is a 24-bit analog-to-digital converter that can record signals in a wide dynamic range, which allows measurements with analog wideband sensors in both passive and active modes. A distinguishing feature of the geohydroacoustic buoy is its integrated power elements, which allows reliable autonomous operation of the entire measurement system for several weeks. The results of long-term lab-stand tests performed at the geophysical observatory of the Geological Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences (GS RAS) in Obninsk demonstrated the high-tech capabilities of the new-generation geohydroacoustic buoys. Comparative analysis when measuring signals caused by microseismic noise and teleseismic earthquakes confirmed that the proposed measuring device is not inferior to its foreign counterparts in its key indicators.