to monitor the process of infaunal recolonization on and adjacent 
to disposal mounds. 
REMOTS® photographs were taken with a Benthos Model 3731 
Sediment-Profile Camera (Benthos, Inc. North Falmouth, MA). The 
REMOTS® camera is designed to obtain in-situ profile photographs 
of the top 15-20 cm of sediment (Figure 2-2). Functioning like an 
inverted periscope, the camera consists of a wedge-shaped prism 
with a front face plate and a back mirror mounted at a 45 degree 
angle to reflect the cross-sectional photograph of the 
sediment-water interface up to the camera. The camera is mounted 
horizontally on top of the prism. The prism assembly is moved up 
and down by producing tension or slack on the winch wire. Tension 
on the wire keeps the prism in the up position. When the camera 
frame is lowered to the seafloor, slack on the wire allows the 
prism to vertically penetrate the seafloor. A piston ensures that 
the prism enters the bottom slowly and does not disturb the 
sediment-water interface. On impact with the bottom, a trigger 
activates a 13-second time delay on the shutter release; once the 
prism comes to rest in the sediment, a photo is taken. Because the 
sediment photographed is directly against the face plate, turbidity 
of the ambient seawater does not affect photograph quality. When 
the camera is raised, a wiper blade cleans off the faceplate; the 
film is advanced by a motor drive, the strobe is recharged, and the 
camera can be lowered for another photograph. 
The first of three REMOTS® surveys performed in 1985 
occurred in July (Figure 2-3). A total of 176 REMOTS® stations 
were sampled within the disposal site and a 500 meter peripheral 
boundary. Stations on the margins of the site were spaced at 200 
meter intervals, while stations within the site were 400 meters 
apart. A single REMOTS® photo was obtained at each station. The 
purposes of this REMOTS® survey were to describe the habitat 
quality and determine the distribution of dredged material along 
the margins of the disposal site, evaluate habitat variability and 
recolonization in the disposal site, and map habitat distributions. 
In addition, the July REMOTS® data were used to assist in the 
selection of a disposal point for future New London dredged 
material. Based on the results of the July cruise, an area in 
which a new disposal point might be selected was surveyed in 
August. This sampling grid consisted of a 5 X 5 matrix with 
stations spaced every 200 meters (Figure 2-3). Three replicate 
REMOTS® photographs were obtained at each station. The area was 
found to be a high kinetic environment which was not suitable as 
a containment area. More importantly, the area inadvertantly had 
been located outside the southwestern boundary of the New London 
Disposal Site and, therefore, was not considered further as a 
viable disposal point. In November 1985, another candidate 
disposal point (designated NL-85) was surveyed in the central 
eastern portion of the disposal site. This REMOTS® grid consisted 
of a 4 X 4 matrix with stations spaced at 300 meter intervals 
(Figure 2-3). Three replicate photographs were taken at each 
4 
