TIME-INTERVAL PHOTOGRAPHY OF LITTORAL PHENOMENA

Abstract

The collection of most data on littoral phenomena usually is based on the requirement of personnel and equipment actually being on-site for specific periods of time. An approach to minimize this requirement involves the use of a photographic technique, using time-interval cinematography. Two such systems have been used at sites in California; Point Mugu and Newport Beach. This method incorporates commercially available 16 mm motion picture cameras with automatic lenses, remotely programmed to shoot selected lengths of film at predetermined periods during a day, everyday. At Point Mugu the camera, housed in a weatherproof enclosure mounted atop an existing 100-foot tower, records shoreline conditions, wave characteristics and existing weather twice a day for a period of 20 seconds per exposure. The cameras are normally serviced on a weekly basis but are capable of longer unattended operation. To date this method has provided data which on preliminary anaylsis has revealed it to be of significant value for the purposes intended.