Optical fiber-based tsunami warning system using submarine telecommunication cables
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsZhongwen Zhan, Valey Kamalov
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Abstract
The invention describes a tsunami warning system utilizing properties of light in optical fibers within submarine telecommunication cables. Enhanced by microwave frequency modulation and High-Loss Loop Back (HLLB) techniques, this system measures photoelastic changes for more stable, long-period tsunami wave detection.
Claims19
A computer implemented method for detecting a tsunami, comprising, in a computer:
- receiving optical signals transmitted through a plurality of locations along a submarine telecommunication cable comprising optical fibers;
- determining, from a property of the optical signals at the different locations, changes in at least one property of the optical fibers spanning the different locations;
- and
- associating threshold changes in the at least one property of the optical fibers with detection of a tsunami wave above the locations in the telecommunication cable.
A system for detecting a tsunami, comprising:
- a computer implementing an algorithm at a tsunami warning center, the algorithm;
- receiving, from a receiver, electromagnetic signals transmitted from a transmitter through a plurality of locations along a submarine telecommunication cable comprising optical fibers;
- determining, from a property of the electromagnetic signals at the different locations, changes in at least one property of the optical fibers spanning the locations;
- and
- associating threshold changes in at least one property of the optical fibers with detection of a tsunami wave.
The system of claim 1, wherein the computer executes an application outputting an alarm signal when the computer associates the threshold changes with the detection of the tsunami wave and further comprising a communications network coupled to the system of claim 19, wherein the communication network transmits the alarm signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.