Subsea cables turned into sensor arrays

According to the team, the technique could allow scientists to acquire continuous, real-time environmental data from the bottom of seas and oceans for the first time. The results are published in Science.

In a statement, Giuseppe Marra, principal research scientist, NPL said: “This new technique opens a new era for Earth monitoring by providing for the first time a feasible solution to the lack of environmental data from the bottom of seas and oceans. We can now harness existing underwater cables as a valuable tool for Earth sciences and beyond. This breakthrough is a perfect example of how ultra-stable optical frequency metrology can transition from the laboratory to improve our understanding of the world and also deliver tangible benefits to society.”

Installing and maintaining permanent ocean-floor sensors is challenging and expensive, so only a handful exist globally. This has left a gap in geophysical data, limiting scientists’ understanding of the Earth’s structure and its dynamic behaviour.