Distributed Temperature Sensing for Oceanographic Applications

Abstract

Distributed temperature sensing (DTS) uses Raman scatter from laser light pulsed through an optical fiber to observe temperature along a cable. Temperature resolution across broad scales (seconds to many months, and centimeters to kilometers) make DTS an attractive oceanographic tool. Although DTS is an established technology, oceanographic DTS observations are rare since significant deployment, calibration, and operational challenges exist in dynamic oceanographic environments. Here, results from an experiment designed to address likely oceanographic DTS configuration, calibration, and data processing challenges provide guidance for oceanographic DTS applications. Temperature error due to suboptimal calibration under difficult deployment conditions is quantified for several common scenarios. Alternative calibration, analysis, and deployment techniques that help mitigate this error and facilitate successful DTS application in dynamic ocean conditions are discussed.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Nov 01, 2020
Source ID
10.1175/jtech-d-20-0066.1

Entities

People

  • Andrew J. Lucas
  • Emma C. Reid
  • Gregory Sinnett
  • Ian Stokes
  • Kristen A. Davis
  • Madeleine E. Harvey
  • Sarah N. Giddings

Organizations

  • National Science Foundation
  • Office of Naval Research
  • University of California
  • University of California, San Diego

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Oceanography.
  • Optical Fiber Sensing and Electromagnetic Propagation.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy