Our test sites

ATLAS will develop DAS monitoring across three test sites of different spatial scales, enabling the technology to be validated under a wide range of environmental and operational conditions while reflecting the diversity of the Atlantic Area. At the smallest scale, SMART Bay in Ireland provides a high-resolution coastal test site, where DAS measurements can be closely validated against existing oceanographic and acoustic instruments. The Aguçadoura site in Portugal represents a medium-scale deployment, extending monitoring further offshore and capturing a broader range of shipping activity and environmental variability. At the largest scale, the Canary Islands site, using submarine cables operated by CANALINK, enables long-range DAS monitoring over tens to hundreds of kilometres in a region characterised by intense maritime traffic, rich cetacean biodiversity, and significant seismic and volcanic activity.

SMARTBay Observatory,
Galway Bay, Ireland

 

  • Small scale, high resolution data

  • 5.3km submarine cable

  • 23m depth

 

INESCTECH,
Aguçadoura, Portugal

  • Medium scale, mid range depth and distance

  • 50km submarine cable

  • 50m depth

 

CANALINK,
Canary Islands, Spain

  • Large scale, profound depth and largest distance

  • Two submarine cables to be tested

  • 222km & 173km submarine cable

  • 2650m & 3,570m depth

Together, these sites form a complementary transnational test network spanning multiple EU Atlantic Area regions. By linking infrastructure and expertise across Ireland, Portugal, and Spain, ATLAS demonstrates the value of cross-border collaboration between European partners in addressing shared marine challenges. This coordinated approach strengthens ocean observation at the Atlantic scale, supports EU environmental and risk-prevention objectives, and sets the foundation for future expansion of DAS-based monitoring across European waters.