Using Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) to understand sea ice in the St. Lawrence Estuary

Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) is a method for measuring high-resolution strain of fiber optic cables that we have recently demonstrated to be a powerful way to understand ocean surface wave processes. However, opportunities to apply and test this novel technology in seasonally ice-covered areas (such as the Arctic) are limited, as there are few locations with existing seafloor fibers, and coastal Arctic logistics for a fiber deployment are challenging. In this project, we are partnering with colleagues on the BicWin experiment to test use of fiber optic cables to observe sea ice and ocean processes in the St. Lawrence Estuary.