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Basic Decompression Theory and Application and Reduced Gradient Bubble Model in Depth by Bruce Wienke
Basic Decompression Theory and Application and Reduced Gradient Bubble Model in Depth by Bruce Wienke
I settled down with a can of Guinness in one hand and the second edition of Bruce Wienke's Basic Decompression Theory and Application in the other. I soon realised that it is not that kind of book.
To follow it fully, it needs to be laid flat on the desk with paper and pencil ready to take notes and work through examples. I persevered with the lighter parts and skipped the heavier sections. At the lower level there is content most divers can understand, but it's still stodgy reading.
The book provides a comprehensive grounding on decompression theory and other bits of diving maths, with an understandable bias towards introducing RGBM, which brings me to the new Reduced Gradient Bubble Model in Depth, exactly what the title says it is. Basic Decompression Theory and Application is very mathematical and RGBM in Depth is even more so.
Bruce Wienke created RGBM, the advanced decompression model used on a number of extreme technical diving projects. RGBM is also gathering a fair following of everyday divers with its profiling of deep stops and in many cases a significant reduction in shallower stops. I can't think of anyone better qualified to write about deco theory.
There is something to be gained from these books for the casual reader, but there are lower-priced and more readable alternatives providing an overview of decompression models.
On the other hand, if you have appropriate degree-level mathematical skills and want to stretch your brain, these are the books for you.
Is there enough information to write decompression planning software? I honestly can't tell. Maybe I should come back to this review in a year or more, when I've had time to study the books and brush up on calculus.
John Liddiard
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Basic Decompression Theory and Application and Reduced Gradient Bubble Model in Depth by Bruce Wienke (Best Publishing, ISBN 1930536143). Hardback, 316pp / 96pp, £26.99 / £19.99
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