title: Automatic compensation by capillary gauge for altitude decompression.
abstract: According to simple theory, the indications of a capillary depth gauge are such that ascent rate and decompression-stop position are correct to give unaltered gammas (tissue overpressures) and a safe dive profile--independent of the density of the medium or of surface altitude--if position indications are used directly in a standard decompression table. The usual dial depth gauges must be doubly corrected for altitude but not medium before tables can be used, while distance-measuring systems should be corrected for both altitude and medium. The capillary-gauge dive profile is theoretically conservative when timed step decompression rather than continuous ascent is used if gamma increases with altitude.
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Boston University, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Mackay
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000531:Altitude; D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D004242:Diving / Q000502:physiology / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008365:Manometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012015:Reference Standards; D014159:Transducers / Q000592:standards*