Help for Novel

[Rich Keller]

Woooo this is getting specific... I'm having trouble following certain things but I'll reread everything a thousand times . For the actual consequences of the decompression accident, I kind of "need" her to become paralyzed from the waist down. I read it was possible in decompression incidents, and it makes a lot of sense to me, considering she could get brain damage in any part of her brain. I just hope a suit like the ones we're talking about doesn't take away that possibility. But if those suits do allow them to go back to the surface then I have a real problem, this just can't happen in the story. They are pretty creative down there, so if propellers or a cable were the only thing they'd need, they'd find a way. I'd lock them up inside the shelter, but that would take away a lot of the fun of having them go out and see some nasty creates try and bite their head off

What you are talking about is a CNS hit (Central Nerves System). That is when nitrogen bubbles form in the central nerves system, this can happen anywhere in the CNS, so if the bubble forms in the spine she could be paralyzed from the waist down without sustaining any brain damage. For more technical information you can go to this site and download a free copy of the US Navy Divers Manual Diving, all about diving.: Technical service manuals for ScubaPro regulators . If you have no basic knowledge of diving though it might seem like reading instructions in another language. Another resource you should try is Commercial Oil Field Diving by Nicholas Zinkowski, you would probably find this much easier to digest.

 

[Grenouille]

Thanks very much for the sources, I will check that out. As for the other person asking what gas would be used to keep the pressure ambient, I think that's where the book being science fiction can accept some elements that maybe another book wouldn't. Like an "invented" gas, although I do agree I'd need to have an idea of what it's supposed to be. But can't it just be regular oxygen and Co2 but it's the way the shelter is built and the material, that makes the pressure okay inside?

 

[gekodivebali]

Look at human physiological limits if you want to understand why the gas content is as important as the depth.
You can also just say that they evolved over billions of years and do not have the same needs as today's living creatures...

 

[Diver0001]

Thanks very much for the sources, I will check that out. As for the other person asking what gas would be used to keep the pressure ambient, I think that's where the book being science fiction can accept some elements that maybe another book wouldn't. Like an "invented" gas, although I do agree I'd need to have an idea of what it's supposed to be. But can't it just be regular oxygen and Co2 but it's the way the shelter is built and the material, that makes the pressure okay inside?

I think if you were to invent a gas that it would have to be

- inert
- would have to have either a very small molecular size or it would have to break down into components that the body could absorb or metabolize
- it would need to be non-narcotic under pressure

All of those things are problems that can play a role to one degree or another with current breathing gasses for scuba diving.

So if you invent a gas then I could imagine it being something difficult/expensive to manufacture and hard to come by. Maybe in combination with a catalyst like some kind of drug or nanite technology your divers have to take it would break down into components that the body could absorb, basically eliminating decompression sickness and allowing for safe long stints under water.

The twist could be that some kind of accident causes the special breathing gas supply to be compromised whereby your divers need to innovate and use other gasses to survive, but they then have problems like that they can't surface because of decompression sickness, the gasses cause narcosis and/or problems with oxygen toxicity which impairs their ability to solve problems and to function in general. This could be where the physical fitness of the heroine plays a role in keeping her alive and allows her to make some kind of leap of faith or perform some task that the others couldn that helps to buy them enough time to out of trouble. Of course, the heroine must die in the process. After all she's a heroine, not a super-hero

That's just a little fantasy spinning based on your idea of a fictive gas. Maybe you can use that.

R..

 

[Grenouille]

Thank you. We try to keep the scifi down and not have anything crazy, inventing a gas seems pretty scifiish, but maybe... stop trying to kill my girl, though!

 

[Rich Keller]

Thank you. We try to keep the scifi down and not have anything crazy, inventing a gas seems pretty scifiish, but maybe... stop trying to kill my girl, though!

You might consider an oxygenated liquid instead of a gas. We all started out breathing liquid for the first 9 months. Experimentation has been done on that but I have no idea how far that has progressed. Another resource you might want to look into for specific questions is the US Navy Experimental Diving Unit 850-230-3100.

 

[Diver0001]

Apparently the oxygenated liquid works with mice. I think they were having trouble finding human volunteers for testing

I don't think he can use it though since they already used that idea in "the Abyss" and the last thing you would want if for people to say your book was like that horrible movie.

R..

 

[Grenouille]

Haha ok thanks. Just out of curiosity though, mind telling me why you consider it a "horrible" movie? I plan on rewatching it, but I saw it as a kid and enjoyed it a lot. Is it because it's unrealistic, because it's James Cameron, or because you just don't like the writing/acting or what have you?

 

[eponym]

You might consider an oxygenated liquid instead of a gas. We all started out breathing liquid for the first 9 months. Experimentation has been done on that but I have no idea how far that has progressed. Another resource you might want to look into for specific questions is the US Navy Experimental Diving Unit 850-230-3100.

Actually, the fetus does not breathe in the womb. The fetus gets all of its oxygen and nutrients through the placenta and umbilical cord.

Fetal lungs are not fully functional, and are not even able to fully expand until after birth. A fetus may make "breathing" motions in utero, possibly as a way to develop diaphragm muscles and other necessary skills prior to birth. But fetal lungs do not process amniotic fluid.

 

[gekodivebali]

I thought Abyss was quite good. Actually when you watch it with your eyes from 2013 you think it's quite advanced for the time. I guess the Alien species being unsure whether mankind was worth saving was too much for some. Same people must have hated the Fifth Element...

---------- Post added April 20th, 2013 at 06:20 PM ----------

Oh and watch the Director's Cut, not the short, edited version which makes no sense