In deep water, below the photic zone, still and video
imaging of the seabed requires artificial lighting. Light absorption
and backscatter caused by typical seawater components,
such as dissolved organic matter, plankton, and inorganic particles,
often limit the artificially lit area to a few square meters.
To obtain high-resolution photographic data of larger seabed
areas, a series of images can be compiled into a photo mosaic.
Image mosaics are easier to interpret, communicate, and
exhibit than video footage or a series of images, because the
individual image frames in a photo mosaic are naturally represented
in a spatial context.
