The IbMa-CSV ocean station, located about 10 nautical miles south of Cape St. Vincent, has recently been upgraded with an acoustic array composed of five hydrophones. This new infrastructure will allow researchers to characterise ocean soundscapes, monitor underwater noise caused by human activity, and improve the detection and localisation of cetaceans in one of Europe’s richest marine biodiversity areas.
This upgrade builds on the work initiated in May 2025, when IbMa-CSV was redeployed off Sagres. That operation, coordinated by CCMAR and IPMA, ensured the maintenance and continuous operation of the station, reinforcing its role as a strategic ocean observation site.
A new dimension for research
The addition of hydrophones complements the station’s existing instrumentation, which includes a wave-powered vertical profiler (Wirewalker), an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP), and multi-instrumented landers. This state-of-the-art infrastructure already provides continuous data on currents, temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and chlorophyll a.
With the new acoustic component, it will be possible to:
- Detect and track cetaceans with greater accuracy;
- Monitor noise generated by maritime traffic, one of the main pressures on marine ecosystems;
- Assess ecosystem health through the study of underwater soundscapes.
European impact
IbMa-CSV is part of EMSO-ERIC (European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and water column Observatory), a pan-European network of marine observatories contributing to research on climate change, biodiversity, and natural hazards.
The development of this station strengthens Portugal’s role in advancing cutting-edge marine science and contributing to the conservation of Atlantic ecosystems.
