High-Resolution Distributed Temperature Sensing for Hydrology Applications

Temperature is an important parameter in hydrologic systems that impacts the health and diversity of aquatic ecosystems, influences water chemistry, and is also a primary environmental variable in cold regions. The thermal and hydrologic regimes of landscapes are inextricably linked as water movement induces heat transfer and alters the distribution of energy. Conversely, temperature impacts the way that water is stored and routed in northern landscapes. Thus, water fluxes and pathways can be identified by measuring the spatial and temporal distribution of temperature in an environmental system. We are requesting a high-resolution, fibre-optic distributed temperature sensor for studying the thermal regimes of environmental systems (rivers, lakes, aquifers, ground, and coastlines) to better understand water movement in these settings. This system accurately measures temperature discretely along a long (ie. kilometers) fibre-optic cable. The proposed system has exciting capabilities that are presently not available in Canada, including a minimum 1 second measurement interval and a minimum 12.5 cm spatial resolution. This equipment will enable the applicants and their many Canadian collaborators to address important research questions such as improving methods for measuring soil moisture, managing mine waste, studying estuary temperature dynamics, and monitoring long-term, high-resolution aquifer and river temperatures.