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Detail view of Camper.

Detail view of Camper.
Detail view of Camper.
Detail view of Camper.
Detail view of Camper.
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75370
Linder, Christopher
Detail view of Camper.
Still Image
09/11/2007
graphics/agave2/cl_20070801_agave07_camper_026.jpg
People on board discussed whether Puma and Jaguar, the sleek, free-swimming robotic vehicles with slick names that were used on this expedition, should be "she's" or "he's." But there was no debate about the camera and sampling vehicle known as Camper. It was an "it." It seemed a jumble of parts, but perhaps its most critical parts were its lights. After all, what good are cameras and samplers, if you can't see anything in the dark depths? Two of the vehicle's seven lights point downward to the deck (or seafloor). These are not the sort of bulbs you can pick up Wal-Mart. They had to be able to survive without imploding under the pressure at more than 4,000 meters (2.5 miles) beneath the ocean. They cost $10,000 to $20,000 a piece and are usually made to order. Some of the lights provided 200 watts, others 400 watts.
Photo by Chris Linder
© Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
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