Ein fotoschlitten für biologische und geologische kartierungen des meeresbodens

A photosledge is described; it is 4 m long and 2 m wide and can be used also on an uneven sea bottom. In its foremost part a camera is mounted in a pressure sphere which has been tested for water depths down to 6,000 m. The camera system can hold 90 m of film; with an exposure size of 24x24 mm this accounts for 3,600 exposures. The time between 2 exposures may be varied from 1 to 10 sec and this allows to cover a distance of 2 to 20 nautical miles at a speed of 2 knots within 1 single mission. The photographic angle may be changed from vertical to horizontal. Best results have been obtained with angles of 30 and 45 degrees from the vertical. The electronic flash, with a power of 60 Wsec, is mounted below the camera. Successful work has been conducted in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea at depths between 40 and 50 m, on the continental slope off Portugal between depths of 140 and 240m, and on top of Great Meteor Seamount at depths between 280 and 350 m.