Distributed optical fiber sensors

This critical review paper covers the field of distributed optical fiber sensors, where measurements may be taken along the length of a continuous section of optical fiber. Such a feature greatly increases the information that can be obtained from a single instrument and hence the cost per sensing point can be more acceptable. The review will not attempt to cover all methods, but will give a selection of some of the more interesting theoretical concepts, describe the current status of research and indicate where optical sensing methods are being applied in commercial instruments.