Proposal of next-generation real-time seafloor globe monitoring cable-network

Abstract

A feasibility study on a new scientific submarine cable network of next generation around Japanese Islands is presented. The proposed cable network has a mesh-like topology covering a vast area and has many observation nodes with 50-km intervals. In observation nodes, various sensors can be installed, that are exchangeable for maintenance and replacement. The cable network supplies electric power to sensors and provides continuous and long-term data to researchers and agencies. It will be used in a vast research field in such as seismology, geodynamics, marine environmentology, ecology and biology. In this paper, topology of the cable network, structure of the observation node, optical data transmission system and power feeding system are described.