GunLink 2000
On-Board Source Controller and Hydrophone Data Acquisition System
The GunLink 2000 is the Seamap On-Board Gun Controller and Hydrophone Acquisition System. It is expandable to control up to 256 guns and acquire data from up to 512 Near Field Hydrophones with 24 bit resolution at 0.1mS sampling.
Description
The system provides on-board firing control and sensor timing monitoring of up to 256 standard guns (128 GI guns) and is capable of receiving hydrophone data from up to 512 near field phones.
The GunLink 2000 comprises of a Host Computer, Timing Control Unit (TCU) and a number of Gun Control Units (GCU), each capable of controlling up to 16 guns. The TCU generates the system timing signals and interfaces with the seismic recording and navigation systems. Timing is derived from an internal GPS receiver and distributed to the GCU’s. Each GCU contains circuitry to monitor individual gun fire times, near field phone data, gun depth, air line pressure and solenoid coil current. The GCU also provides the firing pulse to each gun at the calculated time for a programmable period and voltage. The analog circuitry allows each near field phone and firing sensor to be monitored continuously using a 24 bit A/D converter sampling at 0.1mS thus providing increased gun firing accuracy and auto-fire detection.
The Host Computer runs the main operating and control software under the LINUX operating system and provides the main system control and display functions. The software has been designed to be both intuitive and simple to use, providing the operator with real time data and easily recognizable indications of deteriorating gun performance.