LAUSR

Abstract We propose a technique for determining whether mechanically transferable (MT) connectors are flooded. The proposed technique is based on the return loss measurements at several wavelengths using an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR). We define the effective return loss at the MT connector as the average of the return losses measured at several wavelengths. The effective return loss makes it possible to assess the state of the connector. We demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed technique through proof-of-principle experiments performed in a laboratory. This paper also reports the results of field environments and discusses the applicability of the proposed technique.