new products
date a standard oil-filled hose. Currently available in two shell sizes with 3 to 10 contact configurations as well as a single channel fiber optic version, this high specification and high integrity connector fits industry standard bulkhead interfaces and is available in alternative materials including Stainless Steel and Titanium and can be molded to many standard cables. Pressure rated to 10,000 psi, this new series is also suitable for a variety of other applications including underwater cameras and lights, diver communications, recreational submersibles, towed array cable systems, current meters, animal migration research and food processing equipment.
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Sonardyne Ranger USBL Tracks Jason to 4700m
A Ranger Wideband USBL (Ultra-Short BaseLine) acoustic positioning system from Sonardyne International reportedly performed well for the engineers from the Deep Submergence Laboratory of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) when it accurately tracked the Jason remotely operated vehicle (ROV) down to the seabed in 4,700 m of water, the manufacturer reported. The demonstration was carried out from onboard the R/V Thomas G Thompson in the Pacific Ocean off Hawaii where Woods Hole researchers regularly conduct deep ocean research cruises. Jason is a twobody ROV system designed and built by WHOI's Deep Submergence Laboratory. A 10 km (6 mile) fiber-optic umbilical delivers electrical power and commands from the ship through Medea and down to Jason, which then returns data and live video imagery. Medea serves as a shock absorber, buffering Jason from the movements of the ship, while providing lighting and a bird's eye view of the ROV during seafloor operations. On route to the trials site, a Sonardyne engineer had equipped Jason with an AvTrak 2 transceiver and Medea, with a directional Compatt 5 transponder. AvTrak 2 combines the functions of transponder, transceiver and telemetry link in one low power acoustic instrument that has been designed to meet the requirements of a variety of mission scenarios and vehicle types. Onboard the Thomas G Thompson, a Sonardyne 8023 Big Head surface transceiver, specifically developed for ultra-deep target tracking, was deployed on a temporary pole over the side of the vessel. During the deepwater dive to almost 5,000m, the Sonardyne system was reportedly able to achieve a positioning accuracy of 0.32% of slant range, or +/-15 meters, despite the temporary, relatively flexible, over-the-side pole. In addition, Jason's position could be updated at 1Hz despite the water depth which helped with visualization of the ROV's dynamics. AvTrak2 was installed on the ROV to demonstrate the unit's Wideband positioning and bi-directional wireless communications capability as if it were an AUV or manned submersible. This proved that data and commands could be reliably and easily sent from the USBL system on the vessel www.sonardyne.co.uk and back again using SMS (Sonardyne Messaging Service) in ultra deepwater.
56 MTR January/February 2009
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