Camera plunges to the depths

DECEMBER 12, 2008--An underwater camera has plunged to record-breaking depths below the surface of the North Sea. Claimed to be the only camera of its kind in the world, the eHoloCam is a 3-D holographic camera used to capture images of underwater organisms and living particles to provide scientists with a greater understanding of marine life. The camera produced the deepest hologram ever to be recorded, traveling 450 m below the surface of the North Sea, when it was deployed by the RV Scotia, a research vessel owned by the Fisheries Research Services Marine Laboratory. The camera records holograms of tiny subsea organisms such as plankton that hold crucial indicators and clues to increase the understanding of oceans and the impact on our global environment. Detailed holographic images of these organisms, which range in size from a few microns to several millimeters, are essential for the marine biology community, providing vital information which would otherwise be difficult or impossible to extract. For more information, go to: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mediareleases/release.php?id=1496