Equations for predicting diver regional skin temperatures as a function of mean skin temperature.

A series of linear algebraic equations have been derived from those of Kerslake (Flying Personnel Research Committee Memo 213, R.A.F. Institute of Aviation Medicine, 1964) for predicting the regional skin temperatures of a quasi-euthermic diver having pronounced vasoconstriction. The equations were developed by numerically analyzing twelve regional skin temperatures recorded from five resting subjects exposed to a hyperbaric chamber environment of 20 degrees C, 95% helium, and 5% oxygen pressurized to the equivalent of 200 msw (650 fsw). The independent variable of the basic correlation is an arbitrarily defined mean skin temperature; the empirical equations were developed for the purpose of assisting a designer in estimating regional supplementary heating requirements for a diver wearing a thermal protection garment of known composition. The developed equations were authenticated by comparing the predicted normalized regional temperature with the respective experimental normalized temperature obtained from several set of physiological data collected during the evaluation of the Naval Coastal System Center's diver thermal protecting garment (DTP). The results of these comparisons of nondimensionalized temperatures indicated that the derived correlations should accurately predict the skin temperature of the principal regions as a function of mean skin temperature with a normal error of no more than 15%.