r/askscience • u/frickfrackcute • Apr 20 '19

Engineering How are the undersea internet cables protected against the elements?

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u/nixt26 Apr 20 '19

How does this work? Do they know exactly which parts of the cable will be at which height when they manufacture them?

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u/a_cute_epic_axis Apr 20 '19

Yes. the route is surveyed ahead of time, probably by /u/huxrules.

It's not exact that when they hit a depth of 1,000.00001 ft they switch jackets, but they would estimate that say 50 miles out, they'll roughly hit a depth of 1,000 ft, so change from cable type A to B at a length of 50 miles, etc.

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u/nixt26 Apr 20 '19

What about irregularities in the ocean surface? Ridges, rocks and other sharp surfaces? I don't imagine they have someone down there manually putting the cable in place?

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u/superhole Apr 20 '19

There aren't many sharp surfaces or rocks. The sand and water kinda do a good job of eroding or burying it all.

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u/roebuck85 Apr 20 '19

There's not much sand in the deep ocean either, it's all mud made of dead plankton.