Portuguese 
DAS Technology Transforms Cable Prat, Connecting Arica to Puerto Montt, into an Extensive Sensor Network Capable of Recording Earthquake-Induced Deformations and Supporting Future Early Warning Systems in Earthquake-Prone Chile
Fiber optic cables installed on the ocean floor to transport data are gaining a secondary function in Chile: detecting earthquakes. The technology transforms long stretches of the submarine network into sensors capable of recording minor deformations caused by seismic waves.
The system utilizes DAS technology, short for Distributed Acoustic Sensing, applied to the Cable Prat, a submarine network connecting various points across Chile from Arica to Puerto Montt.
Instead of installing separate seismic sensors along this distance, researchers leverage the existing fiber optics.
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A device sends light signals through the cable and monitors small changes in the behavior of that light.
When an earthquake occurs, seismic waves move the ground and can cause minimal deformations in the fiber.
These changes interfere with the light signal and generate data that researchers can analyze.
In practice, a cable designed for internet transmission also serves as an extensive monitoring line for the Earth’s movements.
Kilometers of Fiber Cables Can Function as a Continuous Sensor Network
One of the advantages highlighted for DAS is precisely the size of the available infrastructure. Traditional systems rely on instruments installed at specific locations, while fiber optics allow monitoring changes along extensive stretches of the cable.
This feature is particularly significant in Chile, a country located in a region of intense seismic activity due to the convergence of tectonic plates.
The presence of cables in the ocean also expands observational possibilities. Many earthquakes originate in maritime areas, and the underwater infrastructure can detect movements related to these events before their stronger effects reach specific regions on land.
The recorded data allows for identifying the occurrence of tremors and studying their characteristics based on the changes detected in the fiber.
Technology Can Help Gain Seconds Before the Stronger Waves Arrive
Another application being studied is the use of this information in early warning systems. The proposal is to quickly detect an earthquake and capitalize on the interval between its identification and the arrival of more intense seismic waves to specific areas.
Even a few seconds can be valuable for implementing safety protocols or shutting down specific systems before the strongest part of the tremor arrives.
The technology is not only being observed in underwater structures. The University of Concepción has also announced tests with DAS within its own campus.
With this, a network originally installed to transport digital information gains an additional use: monitoring small movements of the terrain.
In the Chilean case, kilometers of fiber optics can transform into a continuous seismic observation network, making use of infrastructure that is already in place.
Sources Used: base material provided, including information on Cable Prat, DAS technology, and the tests announced by the University of Concepción.
