Distributed sensor interrogators: Acoustic, Strain and Temperature

Traditional methods of subsurface monitoring are restricted in either time or space. Spot measurements record continuously but lack spatial resolution. Campaign measurements capture high spatial resolution data at a single point in time. Distributed Sensing (DS) is a brand-new technology for environmental research that does not rely upon individual sensors but utilises optical fibre. DS methods will become increasingly used to analyse systems on a new range of scales - the high spatial resolution allows for microscopic-scale studies; the length of cables enables large-scale investigations.

The University of East Anglia has acquired funding for a system that includes distributed acoustic sensor (DAS), distributed strain sensor (DSS) and distributed temperature sensor (DTS). DAS to record high-frequency ground motion associated with natural sources such as earthquakes and active sources for exploration, DSS to record slower ground deformation from sources such as tectonic slip, glacial rebound and erosional processes, and DTS to capture temperature profiles and variations in the subsurface. Thus, DiSTANS (Distributed Strain, Temperature and Acoustic seNsing Suite) will contribute to answering many challenging questions related to the subsurface, and their control on the surface environment. Hence, DiSTANS will be deployed in a range of potentially hazardous environments.