Distributed optical fibre sensing for high space‐time resolution ocean velocity observations: A case study From a macrotidal channel

Spingys, Carl P.; Naveira Garabato, Alberto C.; Belal, Mohammad

Distributed optical fibre sensing for high space‐time resolution ocean velocity observations: A case study From a macrotidal channel

Spingys, Carl P.; Naveira Garabato, Alberto C.; Belal, Mohammad ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5175-3158. 2024 Distributed optical fibre sensing for high space‐time resolution ocean velocity observations: A case study From a macrotidal channel. Earth and Space Science, 11 (5). 10.1029/2023EA003315

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2023EA003315

Abstract/Summary

Despite significant recent technological advances, oceanographic observations on horizontal scales of meters to a few kilometres prove challenging. Exploiting legacy seafloor cables presents a disruptive prospect to address this gap, as it may provide low-cost sustained observations with high space-time resolution, enabled through novel opto-electronic interrogation of optical fibers within the cables. Here, we demonstrate this approach in a renewable tidal energy cable embedded within a region with a strong barotropic tide. By making remote measurements continuously over 12 hr, we obtain the distributed differential strain experienced by 2 km of offshore cable from a diverse range of oceanic flow processes, with an along-cable resolution of 2.04 m. We successfully identify: (a) nearshore wave breaking and its modulation by changes in water depth; (b) along-cable tidal velocity, shown to be linearly related to the differential strain; and (c) high-frequency motions consistent with 3-dimensional turbulent processes, either of natural origin or from flow-cable interaction. These inferences are supported by nearby conventional measurements of water depth and velocity.

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1029/2023EA003315

ISSN:

2333-5084

Date made live:

13 Jun 2024 14:47 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/537573