Patent ID: 7590028

Claim:
A faired seabed seismic cable comprising: (a) a cable having an exterior surface, the cable comprising a stress member in combination with one or more signal communication channels, and a plurality of seismic receiver units selected from the group consisting of: i) receiver clusters fastened to the cable at desired intervals, each cluster including at least two multi-axial, gimbal-supported seismic receivers symmetrically mounted about the axis of the cable; and ii) receiver housings comprising connecting means for connecting the housing to the cable, and a base that is substantially flat and having a maximum extent parallel to the cable substantially equal to a maximum extent perpendicular to the cable; and (b) a plurality of fairing elements on the cable, each comprising flexible strips of material having length much greater than their width and thickness, each having a first and distal ends, each able to extend transversely of the cable under influence of a flowing current from a previously limp, non-extended relaxed position and orient themselves with the current, altering flow patterns around the cable, making the flow patterns more laminar.