SPHINCS: A system for cataloguing and interpreting seabed photographs of nodules

SPHINCS (Seabed Photograph Interpretation and Cataloguing System) facilitates acquisition, storage, retrieval and processing of data from seabed photographs of manganese nodules. Data retrieved from seabed photographs include operational details (latitude, longitude, depth, film colour, status of operation), camera settings (aperture, altitude, area covered), observations on seabed features (microrelief, biota, rock exposure, sediment characteristics, seabed minerals) and measurement of various parameters of nodules (size, coverage, abundance). Visual observations are followed by estimation of dimensions of nodules with digitisers and by corrections based on empirical relationships determined from grab samples at the photographic sites. This permits interpretation of the thickness of sediment cover. The data are catalogued and stored in specially developed formats. The use of dBASE III + in SPHINCS allows easy retrieval and reference by users from various disciplines.