700 SE Becker Road, Suite 186, Port St. Lucie, FL 34984

Rebreathers Being Used For Scientific Research

Scuba technology, in general, has opened up the underwater environment to scientists in a way that no one in an earlier age could have imagined. Traditional open-circuit scuba gear has frequently been used in this field since it has been more widely available over the past many decades that underwater scientific research has been conducted. Increasingly, however, scientists are turning to closed-circuit rebreathers due to their numerous advantages.

Scientists Have More Time Onsite Underwater

Scientific diving is conducted by varied organizations and for numerous scientific purposes. Some of it is done by universities, which entails underwater research in the course of getting various degrees in subjects such as marine biology, marine chemistry and marine geology. Other underwater scientific research is done by governmental agencies, such as those responsible for pollution control, which will collect water as well as organic and inorganic material samples to check for contaminants. Whatever the reason for the research, scientists may need to spend as much time as scuba technology will allow to observe species or collect samples without having to constantly come up for air.

Rebreathers are the most effective way for scientists to gain this benefit. Because the air in a closed-circuit diving system is recirculated with the carbon dioxide removed by scrubbers, the use of the breathing gases is far more efficient than in an open-circuit system where most of the gas is just breathed out into the water and lost. The importance of observations in most scientific endeavors cannot be underestimated, and rebreathers give marine scientists more time to do this as well as to collect samples, place scientific measuring equipment or do anything else needed.

They Can Dive Deeper

With open-circuit diving equipment, the deeper you dive the faster you use up your breathing gases. Rebreathers greatly extend the time you can be at greater depths since they lack this drawback. This enables research scientists to reach deeper coral reefs and other marine environments that are at greater depths, so they can better measure the effect of the variable of depth on marine life or habitats. As an added benefit, closed-circuit rebreathers enable divers to come back up to the surface more quickly without decompression sickness than open-circuit systems thanks to their ability to take a more oxygen-rich mix of gas.

Rebreathers Enable Them to Blend in Better With the Environment

Because the gases are recycled in a closed-circuit system rather than expelled into the water, they don’t produce bubbles. Scientists who study rocks or coral underwater may not see this benefit, but those who study marine life certainly will. The bubbles of open-circuit systems can scare away all manner of underwater life, which makes a marine biologist’s life much harder.

Silent Diving Has the Training and Equipment Scientists Need

Silent Diving carries a full line of Inspiration rebreathers that represent the pinnacle of closed-circuit rebreather technology. They enable divers, whether research scientists or recreational divers, to explore the depths for longer periods of time, at greater depths and with minimal impact on the surrounding environment than traditional open-circuit diving equipment. Our equipment is available from our dealers in the Eastern and Western United States as well as Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. We also have top-rated diving instructors who can teach your private, educational or governmental organization’s scientists the ins and outs of diving in all types of marine environments. We put safety first at Silent Diving. We’ll make sure you have the ability to explore the frontier of the marine environment in confidence, so you can concentrate on your scientific studies and help advance the frontiers of knowledge.