Imaging the Lung Under Pressure

Abstract

This study was undertaken to improve our understanding of the mechanical properties of the respiratory system for a range of diving mammals to improve our ability to predict gas exchange during diving. Our long term aim is to determine the alveolar collapse depth and the pressure where gas exchange cease in marine mammals. We hypothesized that differences in the anatomy of the respiratory system result in significant species differences in collapse depth. Understanding how pressure affects gas exchange is vital to understand how diving mammals manage inert and metabolic gases during breath-hold diving.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 30, 2011
Accession Number
ADA598684

Entities

People

  • Andreas Fahlman
  • Darlene Ketten
  • Michael J Moore
  • Peter Tyack

Organizations

  • Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Animals
  • Chambers
  • Collapse
  • Crush Depths
  • Diving
  • Elastic Properties
  • High Resolution
  • Internal Pressure
  • Mammals
  • Marine Mammals
  • Mathematical Models
  • Mechanical Properties
  • Odontocetes
  • Physical Properties
  • Respiratory System
  • Structural Properties
  • X-Ray Computed Tomography

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics.
  • Marine Mammal Biology
  • Molecular Photonics/Laser Physics