Varying Permeability Model

The Varying Permeability Model, Variable Permeability Model or VPM is an algorithm that is used to calculate the decompression stops needed for a particular dive profile. It was developed by D.E. Yount and others for use in professional diving and recreational diving. It was developed to model laboratory observations of bubble formation and growth in both inanimate and in vivo systems exposed to pressure.^[1] In 1986, this model was applied by researchers at the University of Hawaii to calculate diving decompression tables.

The VPM presumes that microscopic bubble nuclei always exist in water and tissues that contain water. Any nuclei larger than a specific "critical" size, which is related to the maximum dive depth (exposure pressure), will grow upon decompression (when the diver ascends again). The VPM aims to minimize the total volume of these growing bubbles by keeping the external pressure large, and the inspired inert gas partial pressures low during decompression.

VPM model description articles:

• VPM Explained by Corrado Bonuccelli. An illustrated, easy to follow description of VPM principles and operation.
• VPM for Dummies by Kevin Watts. This article, published in both English and French in the International Cave Diving Magazine Plongeesout, provides divers a good working understanding of VPM.

See also

• Decompression (diving)
• Reduced Gradient Bubble Model
• Bühlmann tables

Bibliography

This bibliography list was compiled by E.B. Maiken and E.C. Baker as reference material for the V-Planner web site in 2002.

Primary Modeling References

• Yount, D.E. and Hoffman, D.C. 1984. Decompression theory: A dynamic critical-volume hypothesis. In: Bachrach A.J. and Matzen, M.M. eds. Underwater physiology VIII: Proceedings of the eighth symposium on underwater physiology. Undersea Medical Society, Bethesda, 131-146.
• Yount, D.E.; Hoffman, D.C. (1986). "On the use of a bubble formation model to calculate diving tables.". Aviat Space Environ Med. 57 (2): 149–156. ISSN 0095-6562. PMID 3954703. 
• Yount, D.E. and Hoffman, D.C. 1989. On the use of a bubble formation model to calculate nitrogen and helium diving tables. In: Paganelli, C.V. and Farhi, L.E. eds. Physiological functions in special environments. Springer-Verlag, New York, 95-108.
• Yount, D.E., Maiken, E.B., and Baker, E.C. 2000. Implications of the Varying Permeability Model for Reverse Dive Profiles. In: Lang, M.A. and Lehner, C.E. (eds.). Proceedings of the Reverse Dive Profiles Workshop. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. pp. 29–61.

VPM Research and Development References

• D'Arrigo, J.S. (1978). "Improved method for studying the surface chemistry of bubble formation.". Aviat Space Environ Med. 49 (2): 358–361. ISSN 0095-6562. PMID 637789. 
• Kunkle, T.D. 1979. Bubble nucleation in supersaturated fluids. Univ. of Hawaii Sea Grant Technical Report UNIHI-SEAGRANT-TR-80-01. Pp. 108.
• Paganelli, C.V.; Strauss, R.H.; Yount, D.E. (1978). "Bubble formation within decompressed hen's eggs". Aviat Space Environ Med. 48 (1): 48–49. ISSN 0095-6562. PMID 831713. 
• Strauss, R.H. (1974). "Bubble formation in gelatin: Implications for prevention of decompression sickness". Undersea Biomed. Res. 1 (2): 169–174. ISSN 0093-5387. OCLC 2068005. PMID 4469188. Retrieved 2008-04-16. 
• Strauss, R.H.; Kunkle, T.D. (1974). "Isobaric bubble growth: A consequence of altering atmospheric gas". Science 186 (4162): 443–444. doi:10.1126/science.186.4162.443. ISSN 0193-4511. OCLC 5206521. PMID 4413996. Retrieved 2008-04-16. 
• Yount, D.E.; Kunkle, T.D. (1975). "Gas nucleation in the vicinity of solid hydrophobic spheres". Journal of Applied Physics 46 (10): 4484–4486. doi:10.1063/1.321381. ISSN 0021-8979. Retrieved 2008-04-16. 
• Yount, D.E.; Strauss, R.H. (1976). "Bubble formation in gelatin: A model for decompression sickness". Journal of Applied Physics 47 (11): 5081–5089. doi:10.1063/1.322469. ISSN 0021-8979. Retrieved 2008-04-16. 
• Yount, D.E.; Kunkle, T.D.; D'Arrigo, J.S.; Ingle, F.W.; Yeung, C.M.; Beckman, E.L. (1977). "Stabilization of gas cavitation nuclei by surface-active compounds". Aviat Space Environ Med. 48 (3): 185–191. ISSN 0095-6562. PMID 856151. 
• Yount, D.E. (1979). "Skins of varying permeability: a stabilization mechanism for gas cavitation nuclei". J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 65 (6): 1429–1439. doi:10.1121/1.382930. ISSN 1520-8524. Retrieved 2008-04-16. 
• Yount, D.E.; Yeung, C.M.; Ingle, F.W. (1979). "Determination of the radii of gas cavitation nuclei by filtering gelatin". J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 65 (6): 1440–1450. doi:10.1121/1.382905. ISSN 1520-8524. Retrieved 2008-04-16. 
• Yount, D.E. (1979). "Application of a bubble formation model to decompression sickness in rats and humans". Aviat Space Environ Med. 50 (1): 44–50. ISSN 0095-6562. PMID 217330. 
• Yount, D.E. 1979. Multiple inert-gas bubble disease: a review of the theory. In: Lambertsen, C.J. and Bornmann, R.C. eds. Isobaric Inert Gas Counterdiffusion Workshop. Undersea Medical Society, Bethesda, 90-125.
• Yount, D.E.; Lally, D.A. (1980). "On the use of oxygen to facilitate decompression". Aviat Space Environ Med. 51 (6): 544–550. ISSN 0095-6562. PMID 6774706. 
• Yount, D.E. (1981). "Application of a bubble formation model to decompression sickness in fingerling salmon". Undersea Biomed. Res. 8 (4): 199–208. ISSN 0093-5387. OCLC 2068005. PMID 7324253. Retrieved 2008-04-16. 
• Yount, D.E.; Yeung, C.M. (1981). "Bubble formation in supersaturated gelatin: a further investigation of gas cavitation nuclei". J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 69 (3): 702–708. doi:10.1121/1.385567. ISSN 1520-8524. Retrieved 2008-04-16. 
• Yount, D.E. (1982). "On the evolution, generation, and regeneration of gas cavitation nuclei". J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 71 (6): 1473–1481. doi:10.1121/1.387845. ISSN 1520-8524. Retrieved 2008-04-16. 
• Yount, D.E. and Hoffman, D.C. 1983. On the use of a cavitation model to calculate diving tables. In: Hoyt, J.W., ed. Cavitation and multiphase flow forum-1983. New York: American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 65-68. ISSN: 9993289434
• Yount, D.E. (1983). "A model for microbubble fission in surfactant solutions". J. Colloid and Interface Science 91 (2): 349–360. doi:10.1016/0021-9797(83)90347-8. ISSN 0021-9797. 
• Yount, D.E.; Gillary, E.W.; Hoffman, D.C. (1984). "A microscopic investigation of bubble formation nuclei". J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 76 (5): 1511–1521. doi:10.1121/1.391434. ISSN 1520-8524. Retrieved 2008-04-16. 
• Yount, D.E. (1997). "On the elastic properties of the interfaces that stabilize gas cavitation nuclei". J. Colloid and Interface Science 193 (1): 50–59. doi:10.1006/jcis.1997.5048. ISSN 0021-9797. PMID 9299088. 

VPM Dive Planning Software

• Ultimate Planner VPM-B, VPM-B/U, VPM-B (Dec-12), VPM-B/U (Dec-12), ZHL-B, ZHL-C, ZHL-D, GF and GF/U
• MultiDeco VPM-B & VPM-B/E, VPM-B/FBO, ZHL-B, ZHL-C, GF, and GFS
• V-Planner VPM-B & VPM-B/E, VPM-B/FBO
• DecoPlanner VPM-B
• HLPlanner VPM-B
• JDeco VPM-B
• PalmVPM VPM
• DivePlan VPM
• Baltic Deco Planner VPM-B

VPM Dive computers

• V-Planner Live VPM-B & VPM-B/E
• MultiDeco-X1 VPM-B & VPM-B/E, VPM-B/FBO, ZHL-C, GF, and GFS
• MultiDeco-DR5 VPM-B & VPM-B/E, VPM-B/FBO, ZHL-C, GF, and GFS
• Shearwater Research Predator and Petrel models GF, VPM-B plus GFS

References

External links

• VPM web site
• VPM development time line

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