ETH wants to understand the interior of the moon with the help of optical fibers

(CONNECT) Researchers at ETH are investigating whether optical fibers could be used to monitor the moon over a wide area. These thin and very light fibers could be laid out on the lunar surface by a lunar vehicle. According to a press release, these cables function like thousands of tiny sensors that register every vibration caused by moonquakes, meteorite impacts or moon landings. The team for this study, led by ETH Professor Johan Robertsson, also includes international partners such as the Los Alamos National Laboratory in the US state of New Mexico.

The scientists are using Distributed Acoustic Sensing(DAS) technology for their study. A laser sends light pulses through a fiber optic cable. Tiny irregularities in the fiber scatter the light, which is recorded with a measuring device. Seismic waves change the scattering of light. The time delay of the signals shows where in the cable network the movement has occurred. On Earth, DAS technology is already being used to monitor earthquakes and landslides or to track the migration of whales in the oceans.

"Fiber optic sensor technology could greatly expand our understanding of the moon, its interior, its lava tubes, its landing sites and its water resources," Prof. Robertsson is quoted as saying. "We even think it is possible that we can use glass fibers on the moon to detect gravitational waves that excite the moon's intrinsic modes." Eigenmodes or vibration patterns are excited by seismic events such as earthquakes and provide information about the interior of the planet. According to the ETH Zurich team, the current research is part of a broader project to develop new sensor technologies. ce/mm