Streamer cable

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the following detailed desription and corresponding figures, like reference numerals indicate like components, wherein FIG.
1 generally illustrates a ship 10 towing a streamer cable 12 through a body of water 14.
Streamer cable 12 may be of any desired length up to 3 kilometers or more.
The length of the streamer cable 12 may be changed by adding or subtracting cable sections 16 interconnected to each other by connectors 18.
The distal end of the streamer cable 12, with respect to the ship 10, may have a positioning buoy 20 coupled thereto by a length of cable 22 so that the location of the cable end may be determined visually or by radar.
The proximal or near end of the streamer cable may be connected to the ship 10 by a lead-in cable section 24, which in turn is operably connected to a recording and control unit 26.
FIG.
2 is an isometric view of a streamer cable segment 28 from any one of the cable sections 16.
Segment 28 is shown in quarter section to reveal the interior components.
In one embodiment of the instant invention, each cable section 16 may be comprised of a tubular outer jacket 30 enclosing a unitary foam-core 32.
It is prefered that core 32 have an open-cell construction with approximately 30 cells per linear inch and extruded as a single piece.
The core 32 may be made from polyuethane having a specific gravity substantially equal to 0.
9 grams per cube centimeter (gm/cm.
sup.
3), but other plastics may be used having essentially the same properties.
The transverse shape of the core may vary but FIG.
2 illustrates generally a cylindrical shape having an axial hole 34 and three off-axial holes 36 running the length of the member.
The holes are preferably cut into the core 32 during the extrusion process.
A cylindrical plug 38 cut from the axial hole 34 remains therein while the off-axial cylindrical pieces may be removed.
Defined along the exterior of core 32 may be a plurality of longitudinal channels 40 equidistant from each other