2007 Ground Water Summit

Monday, April 30, 2007 : 1:20 p.m.

Using Fiber-Optic Distributed Temperature Sensors to Monitor Ground Water and Surface Water Processes and Interaction

John W. Lane Jr., Ph.D., U.S. Geological Survey

A new fiber-optic distributed temperature sensor (FO-DTS) based on laser backscatter technology allows for high-resolution, real-time monitoring of temperature along the entire length of an optical fiber. Commercially available FO-DTS technology can achieve spatial resolution of less than 1 meter and thermal resolution of less than 0.1 degree Celsius, at sub-minute measurement intervals. Measurements are taken along one or more standard or reinforced telecommunications fiber-optic cables, which serve as distributed thermal sensors with hundreds to thousands of data points acquired over lengths of up to tens of kilometers.

In the spring of 2006, the U.S. Geological Survey, Office of Ground Water, Branch of Geophysics began a six-month FO-DTS technology demonstration and evaluation project. Results are presented from several FO-DTS pilot studies, at the 100-meter to kilometer scales. Study goals include mapping submarine ground-water discharge, identification of gaining stream reaches, and inference of transmissive fractures in boreholes. For each project, additional hydrologic, chemical, or geophysical data are used to help confirm interpretations based on the fiber-optic temperature monitoring results. 

John W. Lane Jr., Ph.D., U.S. Geological Survey John W. Lane, Jr. is the Chief of the Branch of Geophysics, of the U.S. Geological Survey's Office of Ground Water. He has worked for the USGS since 1988. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Connecticut in 1990 and 1996, respectively, and his Ph.D. from Columbia University in 2005. He has published articles in Ground Water, J. Environmental and Engineering Geophysics, J. Applied Geophysics, Hydrogeology Journal, Geophysical Research Letters, and Geophysics. He is a member of NGWA, AGU, EEGS, MGLS, and Engineers without Borders. He is a past associate editor of the J. of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics, and a past vice president of the Minerals and Geotechnical Logging Society. His current research focuses on the application of geophysical methods to monitoring hydrologic processes and characterizing aquifer properties.


The 2007 Ground Water Summit