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Streamer Depth Control Birds

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By Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center April 8, 2021

The Geospace Navigator bird is a streamer depth control device, used with a high-resolution seismic system to regulate and record the depth of the streamer.

People wearing safety gear standing on a ship and setting up gear.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
The Geospace Navigator bird is a streamer depth control device, used with a high-resolution seismic system to regulate and record the depth of the streamer.

The Geospace Navigator bird is a streamer depth control device that can be used to regulate and record the depth of the streamer. They have a depth accuracy of +/- 0.15 m and are used with a bird float.

Specifications

  • Manufacturer: Geospace Technologies

  • Model: Navigator Bird

  • Weight: 5 lbs in water

  • Dimensions: 42 inches long x 30.4 inch wingspan

  • Power Requirements: Lithium batteries

Operational Characteristics

  • Minimum Operational Depth:

  • Maximum Operational Depth: 35 m

  • Limitations: Require lithium batteries which may be difficult to ship

Can only be used on streamer sections with a bird coil

Additional Equipment Required

  • Birds mount on the streamer using collars.  These collars must be attached next to the location of the bird coil.

  • They can be used in conjunction with a float tube that provides additional positive buoyancy

  • A controller PC running the depth control software

Complementary Systems

Used in conjunction with a streamer and a marine seismic sound source.

 

Photograph of a long, skinny, metal instrument with fins, and its float of the same length, being attached to a thick cable.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Seismic reflection streamer with depth control bird and its float attached.
People wearing safety gear standing on a ship and setting up gear.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Attaching the white bird float to the streamer.
People wearing safety gear standing on a ship and setting up gear.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Attaching the orange depth-control bird to the streamer.

See the multichannel seismic system for a comprehensive description. Also, check out the PCMSC Marine Facility (MarFac) web site for more information about field gear.

link
Photo of equipment sitting on the deck of a boat which is docked, and it's sleeting or snowing.

High-Resolution Multichannel Seismic System

Description of the high-resolution multichannel seismic system at the Marine Facility (MarFac) of the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, for seafloor mapping
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
link

High-Resolution Multichannel Seismic System

Description of the high-resolution multichannel seismic system at the Marine Facility (MarFac) of the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, for seafloor mapping
Learn More
link
Photo looking up at a man wearing safety gear and cold weather clothing holding a big drill with puffy white clouds in the sky.

PCMSC MarFac Field Equipment and Capabilities

Learn about the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Marine Facility’s vast array of field equipment, sampling devices, and mapping systems, and our capabilities. Our engineers, designers, mechanics, and technicians have also designed and developed some of the specialized field equipment we use in field operations in the nearshore, in the deep sea, and on land.
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
link

PCMSC MarFac Field Equipment and Capabilities

Learn about the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Marine Facility’s vast array of field equipment, sampling devices, and mapping systems, and our capabilities. Our engineers, designers, mechanics, and technicians have also designed and developed some of the specialized field equipment we use in field operations in the nearshore, in the deep sea, and on land.
Learn More
link
A large truck is parked near the wall of a building with a boat on the attached boat trailer.

PCMSC Marine Facility (MarFac)

Learn about the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Marine Facility, or MarFac
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
link

PCMSC Marine Facility (MarFac)

Learn about the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Marine Facility, or MarFac
Learn More

The Geospace Navigator bird is a streamer depth control device, used with a high-resolution seismic system to regulate and record the depth of the streamer.

People wearing safety gear standing on a ship and setting up gear.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
The Geospace Navigator bird is a streamer depth control device, used with a high-resolution seismic system to regulate and record the depth of the streamer.

The Geospace Navigator bird is a streamer depth control device that can be used to regulate and record the depth of the streamer. They have a depth accuracy of +/- 0.15 m and are used with a bird float.

Specifications

  • Manufacturer: Geospace Technologies

  • Model: Navigator Bird

  • Weight: 5 lbs in water

  • Dimensions: 42 inches long x 30.4 inch wingspan

  • Power Requirements: Lithium batteries

Operational Characteristics

  • Minimum Operational Depth:

  • Maximum Operational Depth: 35 m

  • Limitations: Require lithium batteries which may be difficult to ship

Can only be used on streamer sections with a bird coil

Additional Equipment Required

  • Birds mount on the streamer using collars.  These collars must be attached next to the location of the bird coil.

  • They can be used in conjunction with a float tube that provides additional positive buoyancy

  • A controller PC running the depth control software

Complementary Systems

Used in conjunction with a streamer and a marine seismic sound source.

 

Photograph of a long, skinny, metal instrument with fins, and its float of the same length, being attached to a thick cable.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Seismic reflection streamer with depth control bird and its float attached.
People wearing safety gear standing on a ship and setting up gear.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Attaching the white bird float to the streamer.
People wearing safety gear standing on a ship and setting up gear.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Attaching the orange depth-control bird to the streamer.

See the multichannel seismic system for a comprehensive description. Also, check out the PCMSC Marine Facility (MarFac) web site for more information about field gear.

link
Photo of equipment sitting on the deck of a boat which is docked, and it's sleeting or snowing.

High-Resolution Multichannel Seismic System

Description of the high-resolution multichannel seismic system at the Marine Facility (MarFac) of the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, for seafloor mapping
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
link

High-Resolution Multichannel Seismic System

Description of the high-resolution multichannel seismic system at the Marine Facility (MarFac) of the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, for seafloor mapping
Learn More
link
Photo looking up at a man wearing safety gear and cold weather clothing holding a big drill with puffy white clouds in the sky.

PCMSC MarFac Field Equipment and Capabilities

Learn about the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Marine Facility’s vast array of field equipment, sampling devices, and mapping systems, and our capabilities. Our engineers, designers, mechanics, and technicians have also designed and developed some of the specialized field equipment we use in field operations in the nearshore, in the deep sea, and on land.
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
link

PCMSC MarFac Field Equipment and Capabilities

Learn about the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Marine Facility’s vast array of field equipment, sampling devices, and mapping systems, and our capabilities. Our engineers, designers, mechanics, and technicians have also designed and developed some of the specialized field equipment we use in field operations in the nearshore, in the deep sea, and on land.
Learn More
link
A large truck is parked near the wall of a building with a boat on the attached boat trailer.

PCMSC Marine Facility (MarFac)

Learn about the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Marine Facility, or MarFac
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
link

PCMSC Marine Facility (MarFac)

Learn about the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Marine Facility, or MarFac
Learn More
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