2026
4.
Radeta, Marko; Behboodi, Zahra; Zekovic, Vladimir; etc,; Pestana, João; Vieira, Dinarte; Almeida, Sílvia; Dias, Morgado; Clode, João Canning; Caldeira, Rui; Relvas, Paulo; Vasiljevic, Antonio
MARS Lander: Georeferencing Landing and Pop Points of Untethered Ocean Monitoring Systems using Fundamental Physics Journal Article
In: Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, pp. 104650, 2026, ISSN: 0967-0637.
@article{RADETA2026104650,
title = {MARS Lander: Georeferencing Landing and Pop Points of Untethered Ocean Monitoring Systems using Fundamental Physics},
author = {Marko Radeta and Zahra Behboodi and Vladimir Zekovic and etc and João Pestana and Dinarte Vieira and Sílvia Almeida and Morgado Dias and João Canning Clode and Rui Caldeira and Paulo Relvas and Antonio Vasiljevic},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967063726000038},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2026.104650},
issn = {0967-0637},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-01-20},
urldate = {2026-01-01},
journal = {Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers},
pages = {104650},
abstract = {Subsurface observations are crucial for understanding the ocean's role in Earth’s climate and for refining climate models. However, existing aquatic monitoring systems that allow such insights remain complex and costly due to their high demands for deployment, sampling, and recapture. Since low-cost, easy-to-deploy deep-sea landers are scarce, and with the aim of facilitating more subsurface observations, this study provides a simple method for georeferencing small-sized untethered landers. Their underwater trajectories are modelled with fundamental physics, dead reckoning, lander geometry, and numerical simulations. Using free fall, upthrust, and ocean current dynamics, the proposed approach estimates their underwater trajectories, including landing (at the seabed) and pop (at the sea surface) points. The method relies on the lander's physical characteristics, including its vertical and horizontal cross-sectional areas, to calculate the drag force coefficients used to determine its trajectories during descent and ascent through the water column. Ocean currents' magnitudes are modelled using Ekman’s exponential decay down to 90 m of the water column, while the depths until 900 m are modelled from prior ADCP surveys by varying ocean current headings with depth between -20 and 20 degrees. Surface ocean and wind current headings are modelled with open datasets from satellite telemetry. Lander's velocity, displacement, and dive time to the landing and pop points, including the total radial excursion and uncertainty in heading, are analytically derived, numerically calculated, and empirically assessed a-posteriori until 90 m, yielding a ∼38 m radial excursion (40% error) against the obtained GNSS coordinates in field deployment, and 33 degrees in heading uncertainty during a 138-second excursion. Additional random walk simulations are shown for full ocean depth obtaining radial excursion of 1,038 m with 278 min total dive time. This approach is generalizable to any subsurface aquatic monitoring systems targeting deployments with diverse payloads from smaller sea vessels, not requiring cranes, radio, GNSS, or acoustic telemetry. Since it accounts for key nature factors, our method provides special benefits in planning and optimizing deployments. Additional discussion focuses on the method's practicality for full ocean depth deployments.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Subsurface observations are crucial for understanding the ocean's role in Earth’s climate and for refining climate models. However, existing aquatic monitoring systems that allow such insights remain complex and costly due to their high demands for deployment, sampling, and recapture. Since low-cost, easy-to-deploy deep-sea landers are scarce, and with the aim of facilitating more subsurface observations, this study provides a simple method for georeferencing small-sized untethered landers. Their underwater trajectories are modelled with fundamental physics, dead reckoning, lander geometry, and numerical simulations. Using free fall, upthrust, and ocean current dynamics, the proposed approach estimates their underwater trajectories, including landing (at the seabed) and pop (at the sea surface) points. The method relies on the lander's physical characteristics, including its vertical and horizontal cross-sectional areas, to calculate the drag force coefficients used to determine its trajectories during descent and ascent through the water column. Ocean currents' magnitudes are modelled using Ekman’s exponential decay down to 90 m of the water column, while the depths until 900 m are modelled from prior ADCP surveys by varying ocean current headings with depth between -20 and 20 degrees. Surface ocean and wind current headings are modelled with open datasets from satellite telemetry. Lander's velocity, displacement, and dive time to the landing and pop points, including the total radial excursion and uncertainty in heading, are analytically derived, numerically calculated, and empirically assessed a-posteriori until 90 m, yielding a ∼38 m radial excursion (40% error) against the obtained GNSS coordinates in field deployment, and 33 degrees in heading uncertainty during a 138-second excursion. Additional random walk simulations are shown for full ocean depth obtaining radial excursion of 1,038 m with 278 min total dive time. This approach is generalizable to any subsurface aquatic monitoring systems targeting deployments with diverse payloads from smaller sea vessels, not requiring cranes, radio, GNSS, or acoustic telemetry. Since it accounts for key nature factors, our method provides special benefits in planning and optimizing deployments. Additional discussion focuses on the method's practicality for full ocean depth deployments.
2025
3.
Radeta, Marko; Monteiro, João Gama; Pestana, João; Vieira, Dinarte; Abreu, Pedro; Silva, Rodrigo; Schäfer, Susanne; Ramalhosa, Patrício; etc,; Canning-Clode, João
MARS: Programmable multipurpose auto-release system for aquatic observations Journal Article
In: Limnology and Oceanography: Methods, vol. n/a, no. n/a, 2025.
@article{https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10688,
title = {MARS: Programmable multipurpose auto-release system for aquatic observations},
author = {Marko Radeta and João Gama Monteiro and João Pestana and Dinarte Vieira and Pedro Abreu and Rodrigo Silva and Susanne Schäfer and Patrício Ramalhosa and etc and João Canning-Clode},
url = {https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/lom3.10688},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10688},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-04-25},
journal = {Limnology and Oceanography: Methods},
volume = {n/a},
number = {n/a},
abstract = {Abstract Aquatic biodiversity assessments are often labor-intensive due to the large size of the equipment and the complex logistics of sea vessel operations. Traditional drift and drop cameras are typically tethered to the surface, causing cable and line clutter on sea vessels. At the same time, landers rely on auto-release mechanisms that use costly acoustic signals or inaccurate galvanic reactions. We introduce a reusable, novel, and low-cost Multipurpose Auto-Release System, a versatile and programmable solution for diverse payloads and applications in shallow and mesophotic waters. Building on existing drop-cam and Baited Remote Underwater Video System techniques, we enhance them with natural ballasts and an electronically controlled timed-release mechanism, which is programmed via a smartphone app using Near Field Communication. Our technique allows tetherless retrieval from small sea vessels at the sea surface. This innovation simplifies aquatic monitoring logistics by eliminating the need for surface buoys or equipment retrieval from the seabed during each deployment. Our approach also advances benthic and deep-sea marine biodiversity assessments by enabling easy systems deployment and recapture without pingers. We validated the system through 10 seawater tests, reaching depths of 278 m, accumulating 6 h of submerged data collection, and 17 d during continuous water immersion. We provide a detailed guide for building this robust, reusable, user-friendly tool for diverse aquatic monitoring assessments. Additionally, we share key lessons learned, paving the way toward more democratized, customizable, and widely accessible applications capable of reaching the deepest seas.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Abstract Aquatic biodiversity assessments are often labor-intensive due to the large size of the equipment and the complex logistics of sea vessel operations. Traditional drift and drop cameras are typically tethered to the surface, causing cable and line clutter on sea vessels. At the same time, landers rely on auto-release mechanisms that use costly acoustic signals or inaccurate galvanic reactions. We introduce a reusable, novel, and low-cost Multipurpose Auto-Release System, a versatile and programmable solution for diverse payloads and applications in shallow and mesophotic waters. Building on existing drop-cam and Baited Remote Underwater Video System techniques, we enhance them with natural ballasts and an electronically controlled timed-release mechanism, which is programmed via a smartphone app using Near Field Communication. Our technique allows tetherless retrieval from small sea vessels at the sea surface. This innovation simplifies aquatic monitoring logistics by eliminating the need for surface buoys or equipment retrieval from the seabed during each deployment. Our approach also advances benthic and deep-sea marine biodiversity assessments by enabling easy systems deployment and recapture without pingers. We validated the system through 10 seawater tests, reaching depths of 278 m, accumulating 6 h of submerged data collection, and 17 d during continuous water immersion. We provide a detailed guide for building this robust, reusable, user-friendly tool for diverse aquatic monitoring assessments. Additionally, we share key lessons learned, paving the way toward more democratized, customizable, and widely accessible applications capable of reaching the deepest seas.
2024
2.
Canning-Clode, João; Gizzi, Francesca; Braga-Henriques, Andreia; etc,; Monteiro, João G.
A pioneering longterm experiment on mesophotic macrofouling communities in the North Atlantic Journal Article
In: Communications Biology, vol. 7, no. 1618, 2024, ISSN: 2399-3642.
@article{nokey,
title = {A pioneering longterm experiment on mesophotic macrofouling communities in the North Atlantic},
author = {João Canning-Clode and Francesca Gizzi and Andreia Braga-Henriques and etc and João G. Monteiro},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-07249-4},
issn = {2399-3642},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-12-04},
journal = {Communications Biology},
volume = {7},
number = {1618},
abstract = {The mesophotic zone represents one of our planet’s largest and least explored biomes. An increasing number of studies evidence the importance of macrofouling species in marine ecosystems, but information on these communities and the factors influencing their structures at mesophotic depths remain poor. This lack of understanding limits our ability to predict anthropogenic impacts or conduct restoration operations in the mesophotic and the lower boundary of the euphotic zones. In this study, we performed a 24-month experiment in a natural environment to investigate three factors influencing the macrobenthic community structure of the mesophotic and the euphotic lower boundary: depth, substrate orientation and substrate material. Using a manned submersible, several recruitment panels of two different materials were deployed at 100, 200 and 400 meters in vertical and horizontal positions. All three factors contributed to structuring the macrofouling communities, but depth and substrate orientation displayed the strongest effects. This study not only advances our understanding of lower boundary euphotic and mesophotic macrofouling communities but also establishes a foundation for future research and restoration efforts of mesophotic environments in the Madeira archipelago, where mesophotic habitats are among the least studied marine habitats in the Northeast Atlantic.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The mesophotic zone represents one of our planet’s largest and least explored biomes. An increasing number of studies evidence the importance of macrofouling species in marine ecosystems, but information on these communities and the factors influencing their structures at mesophotic depths remain poor. This lack of understanding limits our ability to predict anthropogenic impacts or conduct restoration operations in the mesophotic and the lower boundary of the euphotic zones. In this study, we performed a 24-month experiment in a natural environment to investigate three factors influencing the macrobenthic community structure of the mesophotic and the euphotic lower boundary: depth, substrate orientation and substrate material. Using a manned submersible, several recruitment panels of two different materials were deployed at 100, 200 and 400 meters in vertical and horizontal positions. All three factors contributed to structuring the macrofouling communities, but depth and substrate orientation displayed the strongest effects. This study not only advances our understanding of lower boundary euphotic and mesophotic macrofouling communities but also establishes a foundation for future research and restoration efforts of mesophotic environments in the Madeira archipelago, where mesophotic habitats are among the least studied marine habitats in the Northeast Atlantic.
1.
Canning-Clode, João; Esson, Diane
A beacon for deep-sea research Journal Article
In: Oceanographic Magazine: Spotlight on Madeira, pp. 34-35, 2024, ISSN: 2516-5941.
@article{nokey,
title = {A beacon for deep-sea research},
author = {João Canning-Clode and Diane Esson},
editor = {Nane Steinhoff},
url = {https://oceanographicmagazine.com/features/madeira-a-beacon-for-deep-sea-research/},
issn = {2516-5941},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-11-01},
journal = {Oceanographic Magazine: Spotlight on Madeira},
pages = {34-35},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}