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Diving with microbubble (MB) levels
8 Diving with microbubble (MB) levels
F
NOTE:
The following chapter deals with the characteristics of diving with microbubble (MB) levels.
Microbubbles are tiny bubbles that can build up inside a diver’s body during any dive and normally
dissipate naturally during an ascent and on the surface after a dive. Dives within no-stop time and
observance of decompression stops do not prevent the formation of microbubbles in the venous blood
circulation.
Dangerous microbubbles are those migrating into the arterial circulation. The reasons for the migration
from the venous blood circulation to the arterial circulation can be a great many microbubbles collecting
in the lungs. SUBGEAR has equipped XP-H dive computers with a new technology to protect from
microbubbles.
The diver chooses – according to his/her needs – an MB level and influences through it the level of
protection from microbubbles. Diving with MB levels requires additional ascent stops (level stops), the
ascent is slowed down and the body gets more time to desaturate. This works contrary to the formation
of the microbubbles and increases safety.
XP-H features 6 microbubble levels (L0-L5). Level L0 corresponds to SUBGEAR’s well-known
decompression model ZH-L8 ADT and does not require level stops due to microbubble formation.
Levels L1 to L5 offer additional protection from microbubble formation with level L5 offering the highest
protection.
Similar to the display of information during decompression dives or dives within no-stop time, XP-H
displays depth and duration of the first level stop as well as the total time of ascent as soon as the MB
no-stop time has run out. As the MB no-stop time is shorter than the ordinary no-stop time a diver will
be required to carry out a stop (level stop) sooner than a diver using level L0.
If a diver ignores a required level stop, XP-H will cascade to a lower MB level and the dive can not be
completed with the initially chosen MB level. E.g. if a diver sets level L4 on XP-H prior to the dive and
during the dive ignores the recommended stops XP-H will automatically adjust the setting to level L3
or lower.
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