Studies into the detection of buried objects (particularly optical fibres) in saturated sediment. Part 1: background

Abstract

Damaged submarine fibre optic telecommunication cables have, in the past, been
located by the use of remotely operated underwater vehicles. These are fitted with
sensors which have the capability to detect the metal shielding in the metallic cores
used in cable technology. However, it is anticipated that the next generation of cables
will have a much reduced metal content, their strength being derived from synthetic
materials such as aramid fibres. Such structures will have greatly reduced contrast for
detection by both electromagnetic and acoustic radiations transmitted from an
underwater vehicle, to then propagate through the seabed and scatter off the cable.
The detection of such cables will require new approaches.
This report is the first in a series of five written in support of the article “The
detection by sonar of difficult targets (including centimetre-scale plastic objects and
optical fibres) buried in saturated sediment” by T G Leighton and R C P Evans,
written for a Special Issue of Applied Acoustics which contains articles on the topic of
the detection of objects buried in marine sediment. Further support material can be
found at http://www.isvr.soton.ac.uk/FDAG/uaua/target_in_sand.HTM.

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Identifiers

ORCID for T.G. Leighton: orcid.org/0000-0002-1649-8750

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