Section outline


  • The SUBMERSE project aims to repurpose existing seabed optical communication infrastructures for environmental and geophysical monitoring with cost-efficient methods. One of these innovative applications is based on the measurement of polarization variations.

    SOP-based fiber sensing is a powerful, non-invasive, and scalable tool for detecting physical changes in the environment. When coupled with the right instrumentation and proper data processing, it enables real-time event detection, including seismic activity.

    This training session provides both a theoretical foundation and a practical application of SOP-based sensing in optical fibers by:

    • introducing you to the State of Polarization (SOP) as a parameter that can reflect physical phenomena (e.g., strain, temperature) affecting optical fiber;
    • explaining the physics and measurement techniques of SOP using polarimeters like the PM1000;
    • demonstrating how SOP changes can be used to detect real-world events, such as earthquakes, using both high-end and simplified sensing systems.