A precise and continuous monitoring system of the distance between the near-bottom instruments and the sea floor

A relatively simple and inexpensive distance monitoring system (DMS) was devised to monitor continuously and accurately the position of an underwater camera with an attached pinger relative to the sea floor. Although the precision graphic recorder (PGR) or precision depth recorder (PDR) have hitherto been used to record the pinger to bottom distance, these complicated and expensive instruments are not always expected on all vessels.This newly developed system, which measures with a counting timer the interval between the direct sound pulses generated by a pinger and the bottom echoes, yielded results equal to or better than that of the PGR. The distance information thus obtained was accurate within ±2.5% under good conditions (calm weather and flat and level topography) just above the sea bed. This system simplified the photographing operations and made it possible to obtain a precise and quantitative assessment of the epibenthic fauna with the use of a single camera.The DMS is also applicable for determining the precise location of a bottom water sampler, grab sampler, or other underwater oceanographic equipment as well as that of an underwater camera.A part of this research was supported by science research fund from the Ministry of Education.