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2
Abstract:
„Executive editing“ is an off hand change of calculated
entries in the printed / published versions of diving tables.
Usually, nowadays, the tables entries are calculated via an algorithm, written
in a high-level computer language, like „FORTRAN“ or „C“ and thus coded
into a piece of software.
The deviations from the automated, algorithmically generated values to a
printed / published table was called since Haldanes first air-diving table in
1907 „executive editing“. We compiled a list of documented statements in
chronological order to this effect. As well we detail a simple procedure to
unveil „executively edited“ table entries.
Introduction: slide # 3
Methods: slide # 3
Discussion & historical statements: slides # 4 13
References: slide # 14
Raw Data: slides # 15 19
3
Introduction:
„Executive editing“ as described above, is not so
un-common a feature of printed air-diving, nitrox- or heliox-tables.
The researchers motivation in doing so is a vast and
un-explored field. There could be, for e.g.:
just typing errors in copying the calculated result
miscalculations
the desire to produce numbers easy to memorize
achieve uniformity for a series of tables, and
easier implementation for procedures, esp. for military and C&R diving
for fear of liability in case of DCS: increased TTS, augmented SI, etc …
benchmarks or technical restrictions, say not to exceed a
maximal time-to-surface (TTS) or a fraction of Helium (fHe) or a pO2
and, and, and …
Methods:
We checked our library and the public available technical reports for
keywords like „typograpical error“, „executive editing“, „tweaking“, „empirical
modifications“, and the like …
4
Statements in chronological order; Haldane (1):
1935
Hawkings, Shilling and Hansen from the United States Navy (USN):
(Hawkings, J.A., Shilling, C.W., Hansen, R.A. A suggested change in
calculating decompression tables for diving, U.S. Nav. Med. Bul 1935; 33: 327
– 338 on p. 333):
„ Actually we find when we calculate many of Haldane’s tables (1922)
that he often goes to a ratio of 2.1 or even 2.3 to 1, but this is well within
the safety factor.”
5
Statements in chronological order; Haldane (2):
1945
In a publication from 1945 about „explosive decompression“ with more than
400 animals (mice, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits) we find the following
statement:
„ … it would seem that Haldane deliberately abbreviated the final
equilibration period
by 10 – 20 min…”
(Source: J. Physiol. (1945) A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF RAPID
'DECOMPRESSION' IN CERTAIN ANIMALS BY P. EGGLETON, S. R.
ELSDEN, J. FEGLER AND C. 0. HEBB)
6
Statements in chronological order; Haldane (3):
1969
In a research paper from the Submarine Base Groton, Conn. (NSMRI Report
No. 580, 1969: Decompression Patterns developed by an interdependent
Electric Analog, Gary P. Todd) we find on p.4 (citation):
“ … the original tables varied from 3,4 : 1 to 1,2 : 1 …“ .
1984
A very similiar, but more detailed, really in-depth analysis of 2 profiles on the
pages 233 – 242: it looks like that the supersaturation ratios, used to build the
tables, are varying from 2,5 : 1 to 1,7 : 1, as well during all the deco stages. In
clear words: from deco stage to deco stage these ratios have been changed
from „2:1“ to something differently!
Source: Shilling, C. W. Carlston, C.B. Mathias, R.A (1984) The Physicians's
Guide to Diving Medicine, Plenum Press, N.Y., ISBN-13: 978-1-4612-9663-8
7
Statements in chronological order; Haldane (4):
One explicit statement is from H. V. Hempleman in the same
publication on p. 233:
"One further important fact to be noted is that although the Haldane
decompression ratio of 2:1 is much discussed by everyone studying
this subject it was not used by Haldane for his calculations!”
1992
our friend Karl Huggins, of Catalina fame, put this in his famous workbook
(p. 2-6):
Huggins, Karl E. (1992) The Dynamics of Decompression, Workbook, 1st.
edition. Ann Arbor, Michigan
9
Statements in chronological order; USN (2):
Ed said as well during the 37th. UHMS workshop
“ Validation of Decompression Tables”, in 1987, p. 33:
“… in the end, however, empirical modifications were made to some
schedules in order to reduce the incidence of DCS. Thus, the current
Standard Air Tables cannot all be calculated directly from the
mathematical model initially used to program the UNIVAC.”
10
Statements in chronological order; USN (3):
2003:
Dr. Edward Deforest Thalmann on the USN tables
(source: citation from interview with Ed, transcribed there.)
„INTERVIEWER: Was that because some of them were manually adjusted?
DR. THALMANN: I think so. I think some were just manually adjusted.
They just went in and empirically added five minutes here and five
minutes there, yeah.”
Source, the complete book:
Naval Forces Under the Sea: The Rest of the Story;
2007, Best Publishing Company,ISBN-13: 978-1-930536-30-2, ISBN-10: 1-
930536-30-5
http://www.divetable.eu/BOOKS/113_Interviews.pdf
11
Statements in chronological order; USN (4):
2008 / 2009 from USN NEDU:
Quite topical examples from the USN air diving tables of 2008;
source: NEDU TR 09-05 / TA-8-20, p. 1:
„However, additional changes to the algorithm and parameters werde made
and selected computed schedules were edited manually to produce the final
Air Decompression Tables that apear in the U.S. Navy Diving Manual
Revision 6.“
Source: NEDU TR 09-05 / TA-8-20, p. 5:
„4.1. Executive Edits
The final tables contain a variety of executive edits to algorithmically-
computed entries“.
12
Statements in chronological order, C&R tables:
„Beck found several obvious transcription errors in the tables
which had gone unnoticed since Oceaneering transcribed the Divcon
tables, including … the 270 foot schedule,“ p. 755
Source:
Swann, Christopher (2007) The History of Oilfield Diving: an industrial
adventure. Oceanaut Press, Santa Barbara, CA, ISBN: 978-0-9797891-1-3
1997 OSHA Tables for Caisson-/Tunnel work:
„typographical errors“
Source: Kindwall, EP. Compressed air tunneling and caisson work
decompression procedures: development, problems, and solutions. Undersea
Hyperb. Med. 1997 Winter; 24(4): 337 – 345, p. 342.
13
Statements, historical & undated:
From “Papa Topside” (Capt. George Foote Bond, MC, USN)
himself, who “edited” the Heliox-saturation tables, calculated by
Bob Workman for the Genesis „E“ Project, from a TTS of 17 h to 26 h.
He did that at night during the actual decompression phase of the 3 NEDU
Aquanauts on August 1962, probably while smoking his pipe, along with 3
bourbon whiskeys… on p. 47 of:
Source: Siiteri, Helen A. (1993) Papa Topside, The Sealab Chronicles of
Capt. George F. Bond, USN; N I P, Annapolis, MD, ISBN 1-55750-795-3
SSOS (Sub Sea Oil Services): the printed air-tables have been modified with
the following safety factors:
storage depth + 0.3 Bar
descent time = exposition time
pO2 – 0.1 Bar
pN2 + 0.1 Bar
Source: priv. comm.
19
Raw Data;
procedure to unveil „executive editing“:
the iso-depth curves (slides # 17 & 18)
display the TTS, the time-to-surface,
versus bottom times for 4 widely used
& well-known air diving tables: the
NDTT 5th. ed., the USN 2018, the ZH-86
and the DIEM tables, pls. cf. Refs.
Slide # 17 is for the bottom depth of 33 m,
slide # 18 for 42 m, each with bottom
times from ca. 5 min to ca. 1 h.
If an iso-depth curve:
exhibits big jumps in the TTS
is strictly linear, and/or:
modulo 5 over bottom time
then it should be considered
as a more-probable-than-not candidate of „e e“.