Pressure-balanced seismic sensor package

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of optical components;

a sensor box, wherein the sensor box includes:

an interior to enclose the plurality of optical components;

a plurality of insertion pathways each comprising a hollow core and an opening through which fluidic materials can be inserted into the interior; and

a first plurality of screw fastener fittings; and

a lid for the sensor box, wherein the lid includes:

a plurality of seal screw fittings that match with the insertion pathways in the sensor box; and

a second plurality of screw fastener fittings that match with the first plurality of screw fastener fittings in the sensor box;

wherein the plurality of optical components, the sensor box and the lid form a pressure-balanced seismic sensor package.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lid is removable.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lid comprises a flexible component that is formed to contribute to a pressure-balance of the sensor box by an alteration of shape of the flexible component in response to a change in an external pressure.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the alteration of the shape of the flexible component comprises an alteration of a volume of the sensor box and the lid in response to the change in the external pressure.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, at operating depths, an internal pressure of the pressure-balanced seismic sensor package is substantially similar to an external pressure thereof.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the operating depth is at least 500 meters.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of optical components comprises at least one of an optical accelerometer configured to be pressure-tolerant and an optical splice shuttle configured not to be pressure-balanced.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the optical accelerometer is a three-axis optical accelerometer.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of optical components comprises interferometer optics configured not to be pressure-balanced.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the interferometer optics comprises a plurality of interferometers each of which is coupled to one of a plurality of seismic sensors.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor box is configured to be pressure-balanced in response to a change in an external pressure of water.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a groove formed in an upper surface of the sensor box that runs around a perimeter of the sensor box;

wherein the groove is filled with a sealing compound.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a mineral oil at least partially filling free space in the sensor box,

wherein the mineral oil has a temperature variant viscosity sufficient to mechanically constrain the plurality of optical components at an intended operating temperature.

14. A system, comprising:

a first part of a pressure-balanced seismic sensor package comprising a plurality of optical components enclosed in a sensor box, the sensor box comprising:

a first compartment enclosing an optical accelerometer having optical fibers configured to output optical signals from the optical accelerometer; and

a second compartment enclosing interferometer optics and an optical splice shuttle;

wherein the first compartment and the second compartment are separated by a dividing wall comprising a first tongue-and-groove arrangement on an upper edge of the dividing wall;

wherein the optical fibers pass through the matched tongue-and-groove-arrangement to connect with the optical splice shuttle; and

wherein the matched tongue-and-groove-arrangement is otherwise sealed between the first compartment and the second compartment:

a lid for the sensor box that includes at least one flexible component;

wherein the lid comprises a second tongue-and-groove arrangement on a bottom surface configured to match with the first tongue-and-groove arrangement on the upper edge of the dividing wall when the lid is attached to the sensor box; and

a second part of the pressure-balanced seismic sensor package comprising an optical hydrophone mechanically connected to the sensor box.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein:

a first flexible component is formed in a first portion of the lid over the first compartment; and

a second flexible component is formed in a second portion of the lid over the second compartment.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the lid is removable.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the optical splice shuttle is configured to:

input first optical signals via first optical fibers from the first part of the pressure-balanced seismic sensor package and the second part of the pressure-balanced seismic sensor package; and

output second optical signals via second optical fibers spliced to an optical cable.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the second compartment comprises a first sub-compartment for the interferometer optics separated from a second sub-compartment for the optical splice shuttle.

19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising:

optical fibers configured to output optical signals from the interferometer optics,

wherein the optical fibers exit the first sub-compartment to connect with the optical splice shuttle in the second sub-compartment.

20. The system of claim 14 , further comprising:

optical fibers configured to output optical signals from the optical hydrophone,

wherein the optical fibers transit through a port in the wall of the sensor box to connect with the optical splice shuttle, and

wherein the port is otherwise sealed.