Saturation Diving
How is it possible for Aquarius scientists to stay underwater for such long periods?
During the late 1950’s and early 1960’s the U.S. Navy conducted research based on the hypothesis that a diver’s tissues would become saturated with nitrogen and inert gases at a given depth in approximately 24 hours and would absorb no more of these gases as long as the diver remained at that depth. Their research confirmed the hypothesis and they found that once the diver’s tissues were saturated, the diver could remain at that depth for long periods with no increase in the time necessary for decompression (the time it requires for the gases dissolved in the tissues to leave).
This discovery makes it possible for scientists who wish to carry out extended research on the coral reef to stay at depth for extended periods as long as they have a suitable habitat. That’s where Aquarius comes into the picture. The pressure inside Aquarius allows the scientists on a particular mission to stay underwater for several days to several weeks to conduct their research.
After scientists have completed their mission and are ready to return to the surface, they must undergo decompression, a time in which the pressure inside Aquarius is slowly returned to the pressure at the surface. This requires 16 — 17 hours. This allows the nitrogen and other gases dissolved in their tissues to slowly come out of solution and leave as they exhale.
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Lesson design by Lucas Gillispie.