How 1.5 million km of undersea internet cables can double up as an earthquake and tsunami warning system

By Marc-Andre Gutscher, Directeur de Recherche CNRS, géophysique marine, Université de Bretagne occidentale

Forecasting earthquakes presents a serious challenge on land, but in the oceans that cover around 70% of the Earth’s surface it is all but impossible. However, the vast network of undersea cables that crisscross the world’s seas could soon change this. As well as transmitting data around the planet, they can also monitor the tectonic movements that cause earthquakes and tsunamis.

The “Fibre Optic Cable Use for Seafloor” project (FOCUS) has demonstrated how we can use existing fibre-optic…

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