Fiber optics opens window on stream dynamics

A new approach to monitoring surface waters using distributed fiber optic temperature sensing is presented, allowing resolutions of temperature of 0.01 degrees C every meter along a fiber optic cable of up to 10,000 m in length. We illustrate the potential of this approach by quantifying both stream temperature dynamics and groundwater inflows to the Maisbich, a first-order stream in Luxembourg ( 49 degrees 47'N, 6 degrees 02'E). The technique provides a very rich dataset, which may be of interest to many types of environmental research, notably that of stream ecosystems.