Marine seismic streamer employing variable aperture flow through spacers

Abstract

A fluid filled marine seismic streamer employs a plurality of hydrophones spaced apart along its length to detect seismic reflection signals from subsurface formations below a water layer. A plurality of fluid blocking members are also spaced apart along the length of the streamer. A plurality of flow through spacers having varying flow through apertures are positioned between each hydrophone adjacent to a fluid blocking member that generates pressure pulses in the fill fluid of significant magnitude to be detected by such hydrophone. The size of the flow through apertures of such spacers progressively increases in a direction leading from the fluid blocking member toward the hydrophone.