The Effect of Breathing Elevated CO2 Gas Mixtures on Tracking Performance, Blood Pressure, and Subjective Tolerance at 1Gz
Abstract
The addition of small concentrations (5-10%) of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the breathing gas has been identified as a possible technique to increase Gz tolerance for pilots. Eight subjects participated in an experiment to examine tracking performance, physiological parameters, and subjective tolerance when breathing the four following gas mixtures: air; 100% O2; 2.5% CO2 and 97.5% O2; and 3.5% CO2 and 96.5% O2. Tracking performance was not significantly different when breathing any of these four gas mixtures. Learning, which continued to occur throughout the experiment, was inhibited when the subjects were breathing the 3.5% CO2 mixture. When using either of the CO2 mixtures there was a significant increase in relative respiratory volume and a modest increase in systolic (11 mm Hg) and diastolic (6 mm Hg) blood pressure. One subject, when breathing 3.5% CO2, aborted the run after 12 minutes because of air hunger. Keywords: Tracking Performance; Gz Tolerance; Respiratory Rate; and Blood Pressure.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1986
- Accession Number
- ADA165974
Entities
People
- Charles D. Goodyear
- Daniel W. Repperger
- John W. Frazier
- Lloyd D. Tripp
- Robert E. Van Patten
- Thomas G. Shriver