SUUNTO SPYDER User Manual

Page 81

WARNING!

THE USER SHOULD BE AWARE THAT ANY DIVE, INCLUDING ONES WITHIN

THE U.S. NAVY OR SPYDER LIMITS, DOES CARRY SOME RISK OF

DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS.

Compartments and Half Times
When you dive with the Spyder, it measures and displays depths and times as your

dive progresses. It shows you available no-decompression time and possible de-

compression required based upon the following five factors:
1. your present depth,

2. excess nitrogen absorbed during earlier portions of the dive,

3. residual nitrogen remaining from previous dives,

4. the no-decompression limits that apply to that depth,

5. the Altitude and Personal Adjustment Modes in use.
Back on the surface, the Spyder will continue to calculate the no-decompression

dive times available for various depths on the next dive. As the surface interval

increases, so does the available dive time for the next dive.
To perform these calculations, the Spyder continuously models the absorption and

release of excess nitrogen from theoretical compartments. Each compartment ab-

sorbs and releases nitrogen at a different rate. The compartments that absorb and

release nitrogen rapidly are believed to have a high tolerance for excess nitrogen,

whereas compartments that absorb and release nitrogen more slowly are believed

to be more sensitive.