OOI Cabled Array
The Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) cabled array is a regional scale multidisciplinary cabled observatory that was installed in 2014 offshore central oregon. The observatory provides the power and bandwidth to support observations of geologic, oceanographic, chemical and biologic processes at sites on the Cascadia convergent margin and on Axial Seamount. The observatory provides an unprecedented capability to make continuous real-time observations of the seafloor and water column using tools that have traditionally been limited in the offshore environment to ship-based expeditions and short-duration deployments of autonomous instruments. The OOI cabled array hosts significant geophysical infrastructure including two broadband and three short-period seismometer and several seafloor pressure sensors on the subduction zone, that are capable of recording local and regional seismicity and large-magnitude seafloor deformation events. A sister cabled observatory, operated by Ocean Networks Canada powers similar instrumentation offshore Vancouver Island. Together these cabled observatories represent technological prototypes that should help inform and leverage designs for future ocean cabled infrastructure for hazards monitoring. However the relatively small footprint of both the OOI Cabled arrays and the ONC NEPTUNE array limit their current utility for earthquake or tsunami early warning.
OOI Cabled Array
