Transatlantic Cables

[mikey4444]

As a very young GPO apprentice, I was taken on a trip to see the Cableship Alert in Southampton.

But does anyone know how these huge cables manage to get across the mid-Atlantic trench ?

I was of the opinion that this trench is where fresh magma is occurring all the rime, and this would surely be injurious to the cables ?

[wolf63]

Does this help at all?

http://atlantic-cable.com/Cableships/index.htm

[mikey4444]

Thanks Wolfie, but I was interested in the process of laying cable of that trench, given the topography down there.

[wolf63]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/how-are-major-undersea-cables-laid-in-the-ocean-9993232.html

?

[mikey4444]

Thanks Wolfie....it says that these cables only last 10 years !

[EDDIE51]

I was thinking that with satellite technology , cables were almost obsolete now, but as the link explains that is not true.

[douglas9401]

Now I'm no expert undersea cable layer but if I was my first thought would be 'We need to examine the route that we're planning to go along and check for hazards, especially molten rock bubbling from the sea bed, potentially destroying equipment'.
I'd be tempted to deploy in stable areas of seabed.

Probably

[mikey4444]

Dougie...as I understand it, that trench runs right down the middle of the Atlantic, and you can actually visit the place in Iceland, where it comes to the surface.

So, to go the whole way across, the trench would be hard to avoid.

Its obviously doable...I was just wondering how.

[wolf63]

Does this fill in any gaps in your understanding?

https://www.quora.com/How-are-major-undersea-cables-laid-in-the-ocean

[mikey4444]

Thanks Wolfie....you have been extraordinarily helpful today !

[-Talbot-]

That's a great answer, Douglas, you mean do a ... well, like a survey rather than bang the cables randomly?

A bit like Micheal Barrymore's Strike it Lucky ... try to avoid the hot spots

!

[-Talbot-]

Bang *down* the cables

[douglas9401]

Again declaring a lack of expertise in things subsea, I don't know that this trench spews molten rock constantly for it's entire length otherwise the planet would split along this gaping wound like a larger than average Malteser being bitten into.
It's true. True I tell ya

[douglas9401]

And I'm not ignoring you Talbot, just distancing myself from anything to do with the hyperactive gameshow host and water.

[sapelesam]

So it's not a bunch of navvies holding their breath while they dig a trench.

[-Talbot-]

personally, I think you're onto something, Douglas.

[mikey4444]

Its all down Plate Tectronics ::::

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plate_tectonics#Continental_drift