Instrument: Camera

camera sled: Nikon Coolpix 990 digital still camera modified with a programmable intervalometer and computer interface software designed by Engage Technologies. The camera was housed in a deep-sea titanium housing and was coupled to a Benthos model 382 strobe (on loan from the National Undersea Research Center at the University of Connecticut). The camera was aimed perpendicular to the sled at a height of 1m with a downward angle of 35 degrees. In that position the camera viewed a total area of 10 m2 and an effective illuminated area determined to be 6.6 m2. This was determined using a grid subdivided into 0.01 m2 squares placed horizontally on the sea bed in front of the camera. The system was programmed to take photographs every 15 sec; at a speed of 2 knots a photograph was taken approximately every 14m, a 30 minute tow resulting in about 120 images.