Potentials and Challenges of Cryoseismology with Fiber Optic Sensing in the High Arctic: A pilot experiment in Hornsund, Svalbard

TL;DR

This study explores the use of Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) with fiber-optic cables in the High Arctic, highlighting its potential and challenges for cryoseismological research through a multi-season experiment in Svalbard.

Contribution

It provides the first multi-season DAS deployment in the High Arctic, offering practical guidelines and demonstrating applications like detecting permafrost freezing and icequakes.

Findings

Successfully recorded cryospheric processes with DAS in Arctic conditions

Identified key logistical, environmental, and technical challenges

Demonstrated DAS's capability to detect permafrost freezing and icequakes

Abstract

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) has emerged as a promising tool for environmental and cryoseismological studies, yet its performance under the extreme conditions of the High Arctic remains poorly documented. Here we report on a multi-season DAS experiment conducted across tundra and glacier environments in Hornsund, Svalbard, using 9\,km of fiber-optic cable. The study combines a description of the deployment strategy, instrumentation, and operational constraints with an exploratory analysis of the recorded data to assess the types of cryospheric processes that can be captured with DAS. We document logistical, environmental, and technical challenges and provides guidelines for future experiments, including issues related to coupling, noise sources, cable integrity, and seasonal accessibility. Furthermore, we demonstrate how the dataset can be used for detecting permafrost freezing using noise interferometry, locating icequakes and calving events, as well as monitoring runoff from river-induced seismic noise. The experiment provides a field-based reference for the design and interpretation of future DAS studies in Arctic environments and highlights considerations relevant for long-term cryoseismological monitoring.