Between two thrusters at different depths, which one is expected to be more prone to cavitation when both generate the same thrust?

Cavitation is a phenomenon that occurs when the pressure in a fluid drops below its vapor pressure, leading to the formation of vapor bubbles that can collapse and cause damage to the equipment. The depth of the thruster influences the ambient pressure experienced by the thruster, which in turn affects the likelihood of cavitation occurring.

When considering two thrusters generating the same thrust, the one at the lesser depth is more susceptible to cavitation. This is because as the depth decreases, the ambient pressure surrounding the thruster also decreases. If the thrust created by the thruster exceeds the local pressure conditions, there is a higher chance of the pressure dropping to the vapor pressure of the fluid, allowing for cavitation to occur.

Therefore, since the thruster at the lesser depth operates under lower ambient pressure conditions, it is more prone to cavitation compared to the thruster situated at a greater depth, where the increased ambient pressure helps prevent the pressure from falling below the vapor threshold during operation.