Photo Tour: Ocean Observatories Initiative Cable Installation

By ooistaff | July 11, 2011 |

The Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) program is installing the undersea cable that will link scientists and others on land to data streaming from an extensive array of next-generation sensors located in the ocean and on the seafloor, marking progress in construction of the first U.S. regional cabled ocean observatory. The Regional Scale Nodes (RSN) component of the OOI establishes an interactive network of ocean observing sensors, instruments, and moorings in the Northeast Pacific ocean connected by 900 kilometers (560 miles) of electro-optical cable and designed to operate continuously for 25 years. During the installation process, the fiber-optic cable is placed on the ocean floor by a commercial cable ship, the TE Subcom Dependable. Photos below show the progress made during this installation process, capturing the view from the vessels deck and fantail, as well as the intricate processes used by the crew to deploy cable. This work will continue through August. To read the full story on cable installation click here. To follow the installation progress visit the University of Washington RSN blog here.