Alaska Communications says that it is working with the University of Michigan’s Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences to gather earthquake monitoring data using some of the service provider’s undersea fiber-optic cable.
The research is being led by University of Michigan Assistant Professor Ƶack Spica, who last week traveled with an unidentified graduate student to Alaska Communications’ landing station in Florence, OR. There, the two researchers attached a distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) interrogator to the submarine fiber cable. The DAS interrogator uses a light beam within the fiber to analyze seismic activity and report that data to the research team.
Professor Spica has performed similar tests using submarine cables in Japan and Spain as well as terrestrial fibers within urban areas for such research. “With the Cascadia subduction zone stretching along the pacific northwest coastline along Canada, this is in an ideal location for our team to gather seismic data,” Spica commented. “This research project will support continued learning about utilizing fiber for earthquake research, as well as learn how we can use this technology to provide early warning for tsunamis, which are often prompted by earthquakes.”
“With two subsea cables connecting Alaska to the Lower 48, we have substantial infrastructure to aid in research that can help our communities,” said Rick Benken, vice president, network strategy, engineering, and operations at Alaska Communications. “We’re excited to support University of Michigan in gaining important insights about earthquakes and tsunamis.”
More information about Spica’s work using fiber-optic cables can be found in “Michigan News.”
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