This study models the expected seafloor strain signals that would be recorded by Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) from a passing tsunami. By simulating tsunami wave propagation and its interaction with the seafloor, we assess the potential of using existing telecom fiber optic cables for future tsunami early-warning systems, finding that the technology is sensitive enough to detect these critical signals.
This preprint has now been published in peer-reviewed form as Towards Tsunami Early-Warning with Distributed Acoustic Sensing: Expected Seafloor Strains Induced by Tsunamis, in Pure and Applied Geophysics (2026).
See the reviewed article here: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-026-03940-1
This research explores the potential of using seafloor fiber optic cables with Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) for tsunami early warning. We developed numerical models to simulate the strain that a tsunami wave would induce on a seafloor cable.
Our findings show that DAS is sensitive enough to detect these small deformations, providing a potential new method for real-time tsunami detection far from shore, which could significantly improve warning times.