A packing module includes a volumetrically efficient structure for separately retaining sensors and a cable of a sensor array. The packing module includes a tray that supports the sensors and a retaining leaf arrangement that extends outwardly from the tray to retain the cable on the tray. The retaining leaf arrangement includes a plurality of nested leaves that are spaced relative to each other. Packing the module includes placing the sensors separately and in succession on the tray and inserting a portion of the cable in the retaining leaf arrangement in between each placing of a sensor. The placement of a sensor and insertion of a portion of the cable occurs alternately until the entire sensor array is accommodated. Deployment of the sensor array may occur by alternately removing a sensor and a portion of the cable until the sensor array is displaced from the module.

A survey system including a multibeam echo sounder having a single projector array and a single hydrophone array constructs a multi-component message for ensonifying multiple fans and deconstructs a corresponding message echo for use in analyzing the returns from each fan.

A sonar survey system including a multibeam echo sounder using plural transmit projectors and plural receive hydrophones, wherein beams with associated magnitudes are received such that the largest magnitude beam(s) are identified as characterizing beam(s) and data associated with these characterizing beam(s) is used as a compressed characterization of the ensonified space.

A system is provided for imaging an underwater environment. The system includes a transducer assembly with at least one transmit transducer element and an array of receive transducer elements. Each receive transducer element is configured to receive sonar returns and form sonar return data. A sonar signal processor is configured to receive the sonar return data from each receive transducer element and generate sonar image data. The sonar return data from all of the receive transducer elements may be summed and used to form a high-definition 1D (e.g., time-based) sonar image. The sonar return data from only a subgroup may be summed and used to form a lower-definition 1D sonar image. In some systems, an array of series-connected transmit transducer elements can be used. The orientation of the emitting faces of the array may vary slightly to mimic a curved surface for increased beam coverage.

An underwater detection apparatus is provided which includes a transmission transducer, a reception transducer, and a motor. The transmission transducer transmits a transmission wave within a given fan-shaped transmission space, the fan-shaped transmission space having a first transmission width in a given first plane and a second transmission width in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane. The reception transducer receives, as a reception wave, a reflection wave of the transmission wave within a given fan-shaped reception space, the fan-shaped reception space having a first reception width in the first plane and a second reception width in the second plane, the second reception width being wider than the second transmission width, and in the second plane, the fan-shaped transmission space being within the fan-shaped reception space. The motor rotates the fan-shaped transmission space and the fan-shaped reception space.

A packed sensor line array system includes sensors mounted outboard of cable packs wrapped around a central mandrel. The system may have multiple rows (layers) of the sensors and cable packs, surrounded by a cannister. Cable retainers may be used to retain cable ends near sensors, to keep the cable ends out of the way of subsequent winding operations. The winding may be done in situ, with the mandrel mounted to a rotatable chuck that is rotated to wind the individual cable packs sequentially around the mandrel, with positioning of the sensors outboard of the windings occurring between the winding operations. A positionable indexing tool may be coupled to and moved along the mandrel, to define a space along the mandrel for each cable pack winding.

A survey system including a multibeam echo sounder and a beam selector for selecting beams with the largest amplitudes.

A survey system including a multibeam echo sounder having a single projector array and a single hydrophone array constructs a multi-signal message and deconstructs a corresponding multi-signal echo to substantially simultaneously perform multiple survey missions.

A survey system including a multibeam echo sounder having a single projector array and a single hydrophone array constructs a multi-component message for ensonifying multiple fans and deconstructs a corresponding message echo for use in analyzing the returns from each fan.

An omnidirectional antenna to equip a sonar, the antenna centered around a longitudinal axis and comprises an assembly of emission rings stacked along the longitudinal axis, each emission ring formed around the longitudinal axis. The emission rings are assembled in groups of ring, the antenna comprises at least two groups of rings and each group of rings comprises at least two rings, the inter-ring spacings between the rings of one and the same group and the inter-group spacings between two successive groups of rings chosen so as to optimize the emission bandwidth and the sound level.