In a first step, the WAVE concept has already been tested under realistic conditions to demonstrate the feasibility and possibilities of such a network on site. To this end, the initiative carried out a proof-of-concept experiment on the DESY/UHH campus in Bahrenfeld in May 2021, using, among other things, a 12.6 km long, existing and continuous strand of currently unused telecommunications fiber as a series of seismic sensors. The wave field was recorded at high resolution, with 1 m intervals along the entire length of the fiber. In the following, we summarize the development of this measurement campaign, and present a selection of initial observations.
Map of the DAS-fiber test track, seismometers and geophones
Map of the fiber test track in the proof of concept experiment at the Bahrenfeld Campus and in the tunnel of EuXFEL (yellow). In the northeast, the fiber runs through the ‘Max von Laue’ experimental hall and briefly follows the circular path of PETRA there. Other sensors (seismometers and geophones) are also shown on the map as blue triangles. Zoom in for more detail.