Experimental investigation of the thin fiber-optic hydrophone array based on fiber Bragg gratings

The paper presents the results of experimental investigations of the fiber optic hydrophone array consisting of six sensors, placed in one thin sensitive cable. Sensors were formed by pairs of Bragg gratings spaced 1.5 m apart and recorded in a birefringent optical fiber with the elliptical stressed coating. To form an extended sensor array the optical fiber was additionally covered with a silicone material RTV655 and protective coatings. Experimental investigations of the array showed that fiber-optic sensors pressure sensitivity increases as the acoustic frequency decreases at average value from −169.4 dB re rad/uPa at 495 Hz to −143.7 dB re rad/uPa at 40 Hz. The minimum detectable pressure was at average value from 53 mPa/√Hz at 495 Hz to 8.3 mPa/√Hz at 40 Hz. The obtained results might be used for developing and producing long thin hydroacoustic arrays for geophysical investigations and other hydroacoustic applications.