On January 28, 2025, a team of scientists, engineers, and marine operations crew from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) successfully deployed the  Geo-Sense instrument on the southern flank of Monterey Canyon, offshore Central California. Developed through the partnership of Sintela and MBARI, the system includes:

A low-power DAS interrogator, powered by a 30 kWh lithium battery

Marine-grade connectors

A 1 km armored fiber-optic sensing cable

Sintela’s ONYX™ nano-S : The Core of Geo-Sense

At the heart of Geo-Sense is Sintela’s ONYX™ nano-S, a compact, high-performance DAS interrogator optimized for marine environments. It delivers the sensitivity and power efficiency required for remote, long-duration deployments.

To withstand deep-sea conditions, the ONYX™ nano-S was enclosed within a MBARI designed 17in Ti pressure sphere for robust protection.

ONYX™ nano-S configured for marinization.

ONYX™ nano-S mounted inside a 17in Ti Pressure Sphere.

Real World Validation

Following deployment, Geo-Sense successfully retrieved data, confirming its ability to capture dynamic seafloor processes. This marks the first field validation of the system in a marine environment.

The 1km fiber-optic sensing cable played a crucial role in extending monitoring capabilities across the seafloor.

Geo-Sense system deployed on the seabed

Fiber-optic sensing cable used by Geo-Sense

Expanding Ocean Science Applications

The success of Geo-Sense marks a major advancement in fiber-optic sensing for ocean science, opening opportunities for:

Seafloor hazard detection – Early warning of seismic events and landslides
Coastal resilience monitoring – Assessing shoreline changes and climate impact
Deep-sea exploration – Cost-effective, scalable monitoring of remote environments

As DAS technology evolves, Geo-Sense and other Ocean Bottom Array (OBA) solutions will showcase how research-industry collaborations drive innovation. By harnessing fiber-optic sensing technology, MBARI and Sintela are advancing marine geophysical monitoring.