Recent advances in acquisition design and fibre composition have led to an increasing number of fibre-optic sensing applications for both distributed and point sensor systems. In Earth sciences, these fibre-optic technologies are used to sample strain, temperature or chemicals in a great variety of environments such as boreholes, deep seas, at the surface and also in densely populated areas. In recent years, we have observed an explosion of pilot experiments leading to new applications and technological breakthroughs in many fields of Earth sciences.

The aim of this special issue is to gather and highlight different techniques, methods and applications these fibre-optic technologies offer to Earth sciences and to provide a broad perspective on recent and further developments (technical, numerical and methodological) in these new research fields. Contributions from all areas of applied geosciences (geochemistry, geophysics, geodesy, natural hazards, oceanography, soil science, geo-energy, civil and environmental engineering, volcanology, hydrology, glaciology, and many others) using fibre-optical cable sensing are welcome. We encourage including qualitative and quantitative case studies, embracing laboratory studies, large-scale field tests and modelling.