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MarSensing Lda.

Marine Sensing and Underwater Acoustic Technologies

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Projects and References

Over the past years MarSensing Lda. has engaged in a variety of multi-disciplinary projects in Underwater Acoustics with focus on technological development, in-situ measurements, signal processing and scientific research.


Project ACUINOVA

Underwater acoustic moniting of a large-scale aquaculture

This project consisted in carrying on an Underwater Noise Monitoring Programme as part of the EIA within the inland large-scale aquaculture plant owned by ACUINOVA S.A. at Praia de Mira, Portugal. The aquaculture plant is supplied with ocean water pumped in from a shaft connected with two underwater tunnels with extremities approximately 2.5 km away from the beach, and returned to sea through two other underwater tunnels with extremities approximately 1 km away from the beach. This monitoring programme aimed at monitoring the noise that may be produced by the intake and returns at the tunnels’ extremities. This monitoring programme also included baseline noise and construction noise monitoring. One of the innovative aspects in this study, was the employment of the digitalHyd SR-1 Autonomous Underwater Acoustic Recorder, developed by MarSensing Lda., as a cost and operational effective device to perform acoustic recordings.

This study has also included field calibration for acoustic modelling purposes: an acoustic projector and the SR-1 autonomous hydrophone were used in transect transmission loss measurements. The collected acoustic data was then inverted for seafloor properties such as compressional speeds, densities, and wave attenuation. As a result, a physical model for acoustic propation modelling was made available.

Project PICO WEAM

Consulting in Underwater Noise of a Wave Energy Device

The Wave Energy Acoustic Monitoring (WEAM) Project (2007-2010), coordinated by the Wave Energy Centre (WavEC), aimed at the study of methodologies for monitoring noise generated by wave energy devices.

MarSensing has provided consultancy in this project, by supporting the WavEC in research activities related with underwater noise and test planning. Experimental work was supported by noise data collected at the Pico Oscillating Water Column (OWC) plant with a digitalHyd SR-1 autonomous recorder provided by MarSensing.

Figure References OWC Pico Power Plant Gallery

Project SURGE

Consulting in Underwater Noise of a Wave Energy Device

The SURGE Project is an FP7 project that aims at the deployment of a wave energy converter of type Waveroller near Peniche, off the West Coast of Portugal. This project provides funds carrying out a study on the operational noise generated by this type of device. MarSensing is providing consultancy in this project, planning and executing foreseen activities related to noise monitoring of the Waveroller device. So far, baseline noise recordings prior to deployment of the waveroller have been carried out.

Figure References WaveRoller® AW-Energy

Project SeaGrass

Technical support and equipment

The Seagrass Workshop sea trial took place in a very shallow water area in front of STARESO (Station the recherches sous-marines et oceanographiques), Punta la Revellata, Gulf of Calvi, Corsica from 10 to 19 October 2011, in the framework of the Action ES0906 (Seagrass productivity: from genes to ecosystem management) supported by the FP7 Programme COST (European Cooperation in the Field of Scientic and Technical Research). During this multidisciplinary workshop the participating groups have sampled the Posidonia oceanica field using different methods in order to characterize the seagras individuals and the whole community. MarSensing has provided automouns acoustic recorders used in an experiment consisting in continuous acoustic transmissions. The collected data will support a study on the influence of oxygen production in the acoustic propagation.

For further information go to the SeaGrass Sea-Trial webpage.

SCORE Project (2017-2019)

Noise monitoring and study

SCORE is a project coordinated by CIMA/University of Algarve, that proposes to test for the first time a floatable tidal energy converter (TEC) on Portuguese waters, the Evopod 1:10th scale prototype from OceanFlow Energy (OE). The innovative aspect of TEC testing in Portugal lies with the unique morphological characteristics associated with the device deployment site at Ria Formosa, a coastal lagoon protected by a multi-inlet barrier system located in southern Portugal (Algarve Region). Ria Formosa can be used as representative of the vast majority of shallow coastal areas where TECs can be used in the future.
Reduced amount of information exists on how cumulative effects of multiple devices will impact the near and far-field flow and sediment transport patterns from array deployments, and other environmental aspects. Among several environmental impacts to be studied, underwater noise in the deployment site will be surveyed, in order to establish the baseline of that area, and and to assess the operational noise possibly radiated by the TEC used in the actual project.

For further information go to the SCORE webpage.

iNOVPESCA (2018-2021)

Noise monitoring and study

INOVPESCA is a MAR2020 project coordinated by the Fisheries, Biodiversity and Conservation Group of the CCMAR / University of Algarve. The objective is to assess the level of problems associated with the interactions of cetaceans and other protected species (sea turtles and birds) with the Algarvian coastal fisheries while trying to solve these problems by testing new mitigation methods. The assessment of cetacean interactions with fisheries includes Passive Acoustic Monitoring in an attempt to understand how these interactions take place.

For further information go to the INOVPESCA facebook page.

SUB-ECO Acoustic Surveillance System (2016-2019)

Noise monitoring and study

The SUB-ECO project aims to develop an acoustic surveillance system, off the Portuguese mainland, using the MONIZEE network and the operational capacity to predict ocean circulation implemented at the Hydrographic Institute. The aim is to consolidate the skills in the field of underwater acoustics in the construction of a noise monitoring network along the Portuguese continental margin and the integration of passive hydrophones in the MONIZEE multi-parameter buoys network. Starting date: October 1st, 2015. Partnership: PT Navy IH (Coordinator), Esquadron 601 (Air Force), CISMIL, MARSENSING and CINTAL. (Funded by the National Ministry of Defense.)

For further information go to the webpage at the Portuguese Hidrographic Institiute.

Partners

MarSensing Lda. works together with CRIA which is the regional centre for the inovation in the Algarve and CINTAL - Centro de Investigacao Tecnologica do Algarve, both are located at the University of Algarve, Portugal.
   

Publications and Presentations


2022
  • [DOI] S. M. Jesus, C. Soares, M. Romagosa, I. Cascão, R. Duarte, F. Zabel and M. A. Silva. A Methodology for Shipping Noise Field Calibration and Excess Noise Estimation: the Azores Case Study, J. Mar. Sci. Eng. (JMSE), Nov. 2022.
2021
  • [DOI] R. Duarte, G. Spadoni, C. Soares and S. M. Jesus. Anthropogenic noise predictions for light seismic survey off the SW Portuguese coast. IEEE/MTS Global Oceans'2021. Oct. 2021.
2020
  • [DOI] C.Soares, A. Pacheco, F. Zabel, E. González-Gorbeña and C. Sequeira. Baseline assessment of underwater noise in the Ria Formosa. Marine Pollution Bulletin. Jan. 2020.
  • [DOI] C.Soares, R. Duarte, M. A. Silva, M. Romagosa and S. M. Jesus. Shipping noise in the Azores: a threat to the Faial-Pico cetacean community ?, Int. Conf. on Underwater Acoustics - ICUA'2020. Sep. 2020.
  • [DOI] R. Sabara, C. Soares, F. Zabel, J.V. Oliveira and S. M. Jesus. Automatic acoustic target detection and classification off the coast of Portugal. IEEE/MTS Global OCEANS'2020. Oct. 2020.
  • [DOI] C. Soares, R. Duarte, F. Zabel, M. Silva and S. M. Jesus. Shipping noise predictions from AIS in the Faial-Pico area, Azores archipelago. IEEE/MTS Global OCEANS'2020. Oct. 2020.

2018
  • [PDF] P.Santos, P.Felisberto, S.M.Jesus, F.Zabel and A.Matos. Azimuth angle estimation using a Dual Accelerometer Vector Sensor with active and passive underwater signals, SENSORCOMM'2018, Venice, Italy, Sep, 2018.
  • [DOI] M.M.Marques, M.Gatta. M.Barreto, V.Lobo, A.Matos, B.Ferreira, P.Santos, P.Felisberto, S.M.Jesus, F.Zabel, R.Mendonça and F.Marques. Assessment of a shallow water area in the Tagus estuary using Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (or AUV's), vector-sensors, Unmanned Surface Vehicles, and Quadcopters – REX’17, MTS/IEEE/OES Oceans'2018, Kobe, Japan, May, 2018.
  • [DOI] P.Felisberto, P.Santos, F.Zabel, S.M.Jesus, and L.Sebastião. AUV mounted vector-sensor for seismic surveying, MTS/IEEE/OES Oceans'2018, Kobe, Japan, May, 2018.
  • [DOI] A.Pacheco, E.Gorbeña, T.A.Plomaritis, E.Garel, J.M.S.Gonçalves, L.Bentes, P.Monteiro, C.M.L.Afonso, F.Oliveira, C.Soares, F.Zabel and C.Sequeira. Deployment characterization of a floatable tidal energy converter on a tidal channel, Ria Formosa, Portugal, Energy, Volume 158, 1 September 2018, Pages 89-104.

2017
  • [] S.M.Jesus, C.Soares and FZabel. Target detection in a AIS modeled shipping noise field off the west coast of Portugal, Underwater Acoustic Conference and Exhibition - UACE'2017, Skyathos, Greece, September, 2017.
  • [DOI] S.M.Jesus, C.Soares and FZabel. Shipping noise field calibration via source inversion, IEEE MTS/OES Oceans'2017, Aberdeen (UK), Jun, 2017.

2016
  • [Presentation] S.M.Jesus, F.Zabel and C.Soares. MSFD D11 in Portugal: status and perspectives, Serenade 2016, ENSTA, Brest, France, October, 2016.
  • [Link] P Felisberto, O Rodríguez, P Santos, F.Zabel and S.M.Jesus. Using passive acoustics for monitoring seagrass beds, Oceans'16 MTS/IEEE Conference, Monterey, California, USA, 19-23 September, 2016.

2015
  • [PDF] P.Monteiro, L.Bentes, F.Oliveira, F.Zabel and J.Gonçalves. Spatial distribution of fishing activity from the southern Portugal purse-seine fleet based on Automatic Identification System (AIS), ICES Anual Science Conference 2015, Copenhagen, Denmark, 21-25 September, 2015.
  • [PDF] C.Soares, F.Zabel and S.M.Jesus. A shipping noise prediction tool, Oceans'15 MTS/IEEE Conference, Genova, Italy, 18-21 May, 2015.
  • [DOI] P.Felisberto, S.M.Jesus, F.Zabel, R.Santos, J.Silva, S.Gobert, S.Beer, M.Björk, S.Mazzuca, G.Procaccini, J.W.Runcie, W.Champenois, A.Borges. Acoustic monitoring of O2 production of a seagrass meadow, Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and EcologyVolume 464, March 2015, Pages 75-87.
    http://reflexions.ulg.ac.be/en/ListeningPosidonia [2015/03/25]

2014
  • [PDF] P.Felisberto, O.Rodriguez, P.Santos, F.Zabel and S.M.Jesus. Variability of ambient noise over a seagrass bed, Oceans'14 MTS/IEEE Conference, St. John's, NL, Canada, 14-19 September, 2014.
  • [PDF] C.Soares, E.Cruz, F.Zabel and A.Moura. Environmental inversion with an autonomous hydrophone in a wave energy device deployment site, Underwater Acoustics (UA2014), Rhodes, GR, Greece, 22-27 June, 2014.
  • [PDF] P.Felisberto, F.Zabel, O.Rodriguez, P.Santos, S.M.Jesus, W.Champenois, A.V.Borges and R.Santos. Correlation between the acoustic noise field measured in a Posidonia Oceanica bed and the photosynthetic activity, GHER Colloquium on Low Oxygen environments in marine, estuarine and fresh waters, Liege, BE, Belgium, 5-9 May, 2014.
  • [Presentation] A.Maglio, M.Bouzidi, C.Soares, F.Zabel, G.Pavan, Y.Souami. Mapping shipping noise in the Pelagos Sanctuary (French Part) through acoustic modelling to assess potential impacts on marine mammals, European Cetacean Society 28th Annual Conference ECS2014, Liege, BE, Belgium, 5-9 Abril, 2014.
  • [PDF] P.Felisberto, F.Zabel, O.Rodriguez, P.Santos, S.M.Jesus, W.Champenois, A.V.Borges and R.Santos. Using active and passive acoustics to assess O2 production of a Posidonia Oceanica meadow, Workshop Seagrasses in Europe: Threats, Responses and Management, Olhão, PT, Portugal, 4-6 March, 2014.

2013
  • [PDF] A.Silva, A.Matos, C.Soares, J.Alves, J.Valente, F.Zabel, H.Cabral, N.Abreu, N.Cruz, R.Almeida, R.Ferreira, S.Ijaz and V.Lobo Measuring underwater noise with high endurance surface and underwater autonomous vehicles, Oceans'13 MTS/IEEE Conference, San Diego, US, Unites States, 23-27 September, 2013.

2012
  • [PDF] C.Soares, S.Patrício, F.Zabel and A.Moura. Baseline Measurement of Underwater Noise Under the SURGE Project, 11th European Conference on Underwater Acoustics (ECUA), Edinburgh, Scotland, 2-6 July, 2012.
  • [Presentation] S.Patrício, C.Soares. Analysis of underwater noise data from the Pico Wave Power Plant as a complementary tool to analyse operational phenomena, 11th European Conference on Underwater Acoustics (ECUA), Edinburgh, Scotland, 2-6 July, 2012.
  • [Abstract] P.Felisberto, F.Zabel, C.Martins and S.M.Jesus. Acoustic monitoring of the oxygen production of a seagrass meadow, 11th European Conference on Underwater Acoustics (ECUA), Edinburgh, Scotland, 2-6 July, 2012.
  • [PDF] S.M. Jesus, C.Soares, F.Zabel and A.Silva. Marine Strategy Framework Directive - Descritor 11 - Ruído Ambiente Submarino, Report for Agência Nacional do Ambiente, Faro, Portugal, 5 Jun, 2012.

2011
  • [PDF] C.Soares, F.Zabel, C.Martins and A.Silva. On the applications of a compact autonomous acoustic recorder, Oceans 2011, Santander, Spain, 6-9 Jun, 2011.

2010
  • [PDF] C.Soares, F.Zabel and C.Martins. An acoustic inversion technique using a single autonomous hydrophone: Experimental results, Internoise 2010, Lisbon, Portugal, 13-16 Jun, 2010.