Seminar: An Update on the SMART Cables Initiative for Observing the Ocean and Earth

Dr. Bruce Howe
Research Professor, Ocean and Resources Engineering
University of Hawaii at Mānoa

Location Information
**this seminar will be held both in person (Holmes Hall 243) and over Zoom**
Meeting ID: 961 6222 2366
Passcode: OREseminar
https://hawaii.zoom.us/j/96162222366

The Joint Task Force for Science Monitoring And Reliable Telecommunications (SMART) Subsea Cables is working to integrate environmental sensors (temperature, pressure, seismic acceleration) into submarine telecommunications cables. This will support climate and ocean observation, sea level monitoring, observations of Earth structure, tsunami and earthquake early warning and disaster risk reduction. We present an overview of the initiative and a description of ongoing projects, including: the InSea wet demonstration project off Sicily; progress towards installation of a cable connecting Vanuatu and New Caledonia; cable plans between islands of Indonesia; the CAM ring system connecting the Portuguese mainland, Azores and Madeira; a planned cable from New Zealand to the Chatham Islands; and a plan for a cable connecting Antarctica to New Zealand. These regional SMART pilot systems are the initial steps to trans-ocean and global implementation and will be influential in the final standards and policies that evolve. In addition to the diverse scientific and societal benefits, the telecommunications industry mission of societal connectivity will also benefit because environmental awareness improves both individual cable system integrity and the resilience of the overall global communications network. A few thoughts about the additional role cables can play in ocean observing beyond SMART and farther into the future are given.