Panoramic Reconstruction of the Sea Floor Environment, Using Underwater Photography, Direct Observations, and Field Sketches

Abstract

Graphic illustration by a scientifically trained artist provides a panoramic view of the sea floor unobtainable directly by photography. Detailed photographs, direct observations, and field sketches are combined to produce a photographically documented hypsographic reconstruction of the sea floor. Dry submersible or diver traverses show only a sequence of closeup photographs because of the visibility limitations presented by the ocean environment. At present the large scale aspects of the topography are best developed from direct observations. The underwater photographs arranged in traverse sequence serve to refresh the memory and provide topographic, geologic, and biologic detail. The resulting detailed illustration gives a three dimensional composite panorama of the sea floor. This combined artist-photographic technique has been applied to: submarine cable routing, habitat emplacement, and geological and biological reconnaissance.