Southampton researchers to 'listen to' city using optical fibre cables
It's hoped the ground-breaking technology will help provide an early warning system for natural disasters
Last updated 11th Feb 2025
It's hoped the miles of optical fibre cables underneath Southampton could soon be used to help warn of flash floods and storm surges.
In a UK first, researchers from the University of Southampton and the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) will use a ground-breaking technology to 'listen' to them and capture their sounds and vibrations.
The new project, called SOUNDSCALE, aims to provide an 'early warning signal' for environmental hazards in marine cities.
It's being trialled in both Southampton and London.
How does it work?
The project centres around an emerging technology called Distributed Acoustic Sensing, or DAS.
DAS turns the optical fibres that support our telecommunications networks into delicate sensor arrays that detect vibrations, like sound or movements.
As light travels along a fibre optic cable, a small amount scatters back due to natural imperfections in the glass, called Rayleigh backscatter.
A vibration or disturbance anywhere along the length of the cable, such as from an earthquake, vehicle or even a footstep, influences this backscattered light.
DAS uses a highly sensitive instrument connected to one end of the fibre to detect these changes in the fibre’s ambient environment.
These are then processed by advanced algorithms to interpret the nature and location of the vibration.
Prof Mohammad Belal, a co-investigator on the project from the NOC, has been working on the development and use of distributed optical fibre sensors (DOFS), of which DAS is one example.
He says:
"The technology has come a long way from its initial use in the oil and gas sector to its more recent research in physical oceanography, seismic (marine and terrestrial) and infrastructure health monitoring.
"DAS can provide real-time insights into changing conditions that may signal impending environmental hazards such as flash floods, storm surges, or rising sea levels by continuously monitoring vibrations and disturbances in urban coastal environments.
“The technology could enhance flood warning systems by detecting underground water movements or shifting structural stresses, offering a new layer of data to complement traditional monitoring methods.
"This capability allows for earlier detection of unusual hydrodynamic activity, helping authorities to prepare and respond more effectively."
The team is planning to engage with citizens from both cities, through artistic exhibitions, policy workshops, and citizen panels that will help to steer the direction of further DAS research.
Prof Matt Ryan, co-investigator of the project and expert in public policy and democratic innovations from the University of Southampton says:
"Too often new technologies change our lives before the public and policymakers have had a chance to engage with them in a meaningful way and consider what guard rails might be needed.
"With DAS we want to integrate citizens directly in its development and implementation so they can prioritise and anticipate issues before it is too late to change direction."