Fiber optic cables run across the oceans to provide Internet coverage to the continents. Did you know that they can detect earthquakes or monitor whales?
Fiber optics has changed our lives. Thanks to it, the economy has been partially digitized, new forms of entertainment have emerged, education has changed or, of course, it has led to the creation of new jobs. All this, moreover, in just a few decades. Who was going to tell us that the Internet that is available today is like this thanks to the presence of cables that run through the oceans over thousands of miles? This technology has brought about serious advances in society.
Even so, it is important to bear in mind that this fiber optic network may have uses other than the simple connection model between different continents. Did you know that thanks to this technology it is possible to breathe out groups of whales or, furthermore, detect earthquakes? These are additional functionalities that allow the use of these proposals to be extended. We are facing a curious way of understanding the life that exists in the oceans and, in addition, being able to know first-hand if a tectonic plate movement is taking place.
Let us see, therefore, how it is possible to carry out studies of the migratory behavior of whales or how these cables can be able to detect seismic movements. It should be noted, in relation to the latter, that an earthquake in the water can lead to tsunamis on the closest coasts, so its relevance can be maximum. This is a key element that must be taken into account due to its potential danger.
Why fiber optic cables can anticipate earthquakes or track whale activity
Due to the high number of kilometers of cable that are under water, it is necessary to establish a series of units in charge of their control and protection. This has technologies that can additionally perform extra work. Among this, it is worth noting the possibility of monitoring the performance of whales located in the surroundings. Distributed acoustic sensing is the method used to track cetaceans. According to the study carried out by Frontiers, this technology makes it possible to follow groups of specimens in the Arctic.
Fiber optic cable in the ocean allows connecting continents to the Internet. Image: Data Center Dynamics
It is important to keep in mind that conducting studies in the middle of the ocean it is a very expensive activity in which there are many costs involved. Being able to have the necessary information remotely simplifies the work a lot. It is, therefore, an incentive to carry out more research work without having to go directly to the site through an expedition worth weeks. Not to mention hydrophones, the technology used in these cases. Thanks to them, it is only possible to cover distances of 10 to 20 kilometers.
Now, what to say about the possibility of detecting earthquakes with possible consequences in the medium term? Seismic activity in a conflict area is completely normal. However, there are many large earthquakes that occur thousands of kilometers from any population center. In a place like the arctic, this can have great implications for water movements that may occur. The last great tsunami ended in a nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan. And the previous one ended the lives of thousands of people in Southeast Asia.
Thanks to the incorporation of different types of sensors, it is possible to detection of any small movement. This is a good way to understand to what extent we are faced with a differential technology in terms of detecting movements of tectonic plates. Considering the role of this innovation in the oceans, what other possible applications could be installed around fiber optic cables?