The acoustic transient recording buoy (ATRB): system description and initial measurement results

An acoustic transient recording buoy (ATRB) developed to provide improved dynamic range and recording capacity in a reconfigurable manner is described. This digital system can acquire and record up to 16 h of broadband wide dynamic range ( approximately=80 dB) acoustic data from eight hydrophones. A unique feature is the use of two inexpensive video cassette recorders to obtain up to 10 Gb of data storage capacity. The system is self-contained and capable of unattended bottom-moored operation. An experiment designed and conducted using a single ship and this system to obtain simultaneous measurements of sea surface forward scatter, propagation loss, and sea floor interaction is reported. Data obtained demonstrate the utility of this system for ocean acoustic experiments. Explosive charge source levels using direct path measurements agreed with previous measurements. Surface reflected data exhibited a frequency dependence attributed to sea surface swell and roughness.< >