Tilt sensor for resolving left-right ambiguity in underwater acoustic detection systems

Abstract From the Canadian patent

A sensor for resolving the left-right ambiguity encountered in horizontal line hydrophone arrays consists of an orthogonal pair of dipole hydrophones, a monopole hydrophone and a tilt sensor, the tilt, sensor connecting the dipole hydrophones so as to provide a single dipole hydrophone which is always oriented horizontally. The tilt sensor consists of two variable capacitors made from hollow cylinders of high permittivity dielectric material, partially filled with a quantity of liquid mercury which forms the variable inner electrodes of the capacitors. The outer electrodes of the capacitors on the outside of, the cylinders, having a sinusoidally-shaped perimeter and being oriented at right …