- Dive tables
Dive Tables, Decompression Tables or Tables are printed cards or booklets that allow divers to determine for a particular dive profile and breathing gas, the
Decompression stop s required for that dive in order to avoiddecompression sickness .With dive tables, it is assumed that the
dive profile is a "square dive", meaning that the diver descends to maximum depth immediately and stays at the same depth until resurfacing (approximating a rectangular line when drawn in acoordinate system where one axis is depth and the other is duration). Some dive tables also assume physical condition or qualifications of the diver, e.g., Navy dive tables should not be used by recreational divers.More complex tables can take into account staged dives, dives performed at altitude, and decompression dives.
History
The knowledge of decompression and decompression sickness developed in the 19th century. The studies used sponge diver experiences as input. The first workable decompression table came available in 1908. [cite journal |last=Boycott |first=A. E. |coauthors=G. C. C. Damant, J. S. Haldane. |title=Prevention of compressed air illness |journal=J. Hygiene |volume=8 |pages=342–443 |date=1908 |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/7489 |accessdate=2008-08-06 ]
Common Decompression Tables
*
US Navy Tablescite book |authors=US Navy |title=US Navy Diving Manual, 6th revision |year=2006 |publisher=US Naval Sea Systems Command |location=United States |url=http://www.supsalv.org/00c3_publications.asp?destPage=00c3&pageID=3.9 |accessdate=2008-06-15 ]
*Bühlmann tables [cite book |title=Decompression-Decompression Sickness |last=Bühlmann |first=A. A. |year=1984 |publisher=Springer-Verlag |location=Berlin New York |isbn=0387133089 ] [cite book |title=Tauchmedizin |language=German |last=Bühlmann |first=A. A. |year=1995 |publisher=Springer-Verlag |location=Berlin |isbn=3540555811 ] [cite book |title=Tauchmedizin: Barotrauma Gasembolie Dekompression Dekompressionskrankheit |language=German |last=Bühlmann |first=A. A. |year=1992 |publisher=Springer-Verlag |location=Berlin |isbn=3540555811 ]
* BSAC 88 tables
*PADI tables: the recreational dive planner (RDP) [cite journal |author=Hamilton Jr RW, Rogers RE, Powell MR |title=Development and validation of no-stop decompression procedures for recreational diving: the DSAT recreational dive planner |publisher=Diving Science & Technology Corp. |location=Tarrytown, NY |date=1994 |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/4228 |accessdate=2008-06-15 ] and "the wheel"
* DCIEM tables
* French Navy 90 TablesAlternatives
* the
Dive computer - has the advantages of monitoring the actual dive, as opposed to the planned dive, and does not work on a "square profile" - it dynamically calculates the real profile of depth over time.
* bespoke tables generated by decompression software - represent a diver's specific dive plan andbreathing gas mixtures.
*Ratio deco is a simplified method for quickly determining the necessary decompression profile without the use of written tables or computers. It is taught in advanced diving courses held by GUE instructors. Ratio Deco relates to using a known set point of decompression obligation related to a specific depth and bottom time. The decompression obligation changes in set increments relative to the set point with changes in actual depth or bottom time.
* Decompression software such as [ [http://www.gue.com/ DecoPlanner, decompression simulation software] ] [ [http://www.gap-software.com/ GAP-software, decompression simulation software] ] , used to simulate decompression profiles with different gas mixtures.External links
* [http://www.ndc.noaa.gov/dp_forms.html Dive tables from the NOAA]
References
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