Subsea Cable Engineering
The High-Pressure Global Backbone
The Physicality of the Cloud
A subsea cable is surprisingly thin—about the size of a soda can near the shore (where it needs heavy armoring) and as thin as a garden hose in the deep ocean.
Subsea Cable Cross-Section
High-Pressure Armoring Engineering
Hover over the layers to see their metallurgical purpose. Subsea cables are armored to resist 8,000 PSI of deep ocean pressure.
The Constant Current Loop
Subsea repeaters are powered in series. The CLS at one end provides a high positive voltage, and the other end provides a negative voltage, creating a constant current loop (typically ~1 Amp) that uses the ocean as a return path (Sea Earth).
Laying the Line
Cables aren't just 'dropped.' They are carefully mapped to avoid hydrothermal vents and mountains. In shallow water, a 'Sea Plow' buries them under the sand to protect them from fishing trawlers and anchors—the leading cause of cable damage.
Conclusion
Subsea engineering is the ultimate marriage of optics, high-voltage physics, and marine logistics. Without these hidden lines, the global internet would be reduced to a collection of isolated regional networks.