Calibration of hydrophones and electroacoustic transducers: A contribution to the OES standards initiative

Underwater acoustic measurements are made to provide validation and qualification for a wide range of applications and developments in the off-shore industry, oceanography, defense, fisheries, and geophysics. However, measurements are only meaningful if they are performed in a technically sound manner and if they can be related to common standards of measurement. In this paper, a summary is given of the existing standards for hydrophones and electroacoustic transducers used in underwater acoustics. A description is given of how primary standards are currently realized and disseminated, how they are validated by international comparisons, and of new developments which may lead to the next generation of standards. A report is also given of the status of recent developments in specification standards, for example, within the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Finally, a description is provided of the current initiative within the Oceanic Engineering Society (OES) to compile and disseminate information on standards, protocols, quality assurance (QA) procedures, and best practices that are important in ocean engineering.