Two subsea cables off Perth suffer ‘concerning’ damage. Lasers could help protect them
Australia’s access to the global internet depends on a surprisingly small number of undersea cables.
Two submarine cables off the coast of Perth experienced faults last weekend, raising concerns for Australia's digital infrastructure. SubCo CEO, Bevan Slattery, described the situation as "concerning" as these undersea cables serve as the backbone of the nation's digital connectivity. The cables, located within the Perth Submarine Cable Protection Zone, are crucial for connecting Australia to the rest of the world via fewer than two dozen undersea fibre optic cables, which transport over 95% of international internet traffic.
The affected cables, Indigo West and Indigo Central, link Perth to Sydney, Jakarta, and Singapore. These cables, made up of multiple strands of thin, structured glass optical fibres, can transmit data at rates exceeding 20 terabits per second. The damage, a "shunt fault", could be due to various causes, including accidental interference from anchors or trawler nets, or possibly deliberate acts.
The most practical solution to safeguard these cables is the use of Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), a laser technology that detects vibrations and changes in the environment surrounding the fibre optic cables. If DAS had been present on the affected cables, the responsible vessel could have been identified almost immediately.
This technology not only aids in cable protection but can also monitor environmental conditions, detect seismic activities, and provide early tsunami warnings. By integrating DAS into existing fibre optic cables, Australia can enhance the resilience of its national infrastructure, ensuring faster, safer, and more reliable communications networks.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
