Edward D. Thalmann
Encyclopedia
Capt. Edward Deforest Thalmann, USN (ret.)
(b. April 3, 1945-d. July 24, 2004; age 59) was an American
hyperbaric medicine specialist who was principally responsible for developing the current United States Navy dive tables for mixed-gas
diving, which are based on his eponymous Thalmann Algorithm
(VVAL18). At the time of his death, Thalmann was serving as Assistant Medical Director of the Divers Alert Network
(DAN) and an Assistant Clinical Professor in Anesthesiology at Duke University
’s Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Environmental Physiology.
in 1962. He attended the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
, graduating in 1966 with a bachelor of science degree. He attended medical school at Georgetown University
in Washington, D.C. From 1970 to 1971, Dr. Thalmann was a surgical intern at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, Quebec. It was there that he met his future wife, a nursing student.
While on active duty, from 1975 to 1977, Dr. Thalmann conducted a two-year postdoctoral fellowship under the guidance of Claes Lundgren and Hermann Rahn
, at the State University of New York at Buffalo, studying the effects of immersion and breathing bag placement in rebreather
s on underwater exercise.
for a single deployment, from 1971 to 1972 before being posted as a research diving medical officer at the United States Navy Experimental Diving Unit
(NEDU) at the Washington Navy Yard
, where he was stationed until 1975.
Following his post-doctoral fellowship in Buffalo
, in 1977, Dr. Thalmann returned to NEDU, now located in Panama City, Florida
, as Assistant Senior Medical Officer, where he began developing new dive tables and mixed-gas diving techniques. While at NEDU, Thalmann created a number of unique and innovative underwater exercise devices, still in use today, intended to assist in gauging the underwater endurance of divers using various gas mixtures while performing physically demanding tasks.
In 1985, Dr. Thalmann, now the Senior Medical Officer at NEDU, was selected for the NATO Undersea Medicine Personnel Exchange Program and assigned to the Royal Navy Institute of Naval Medicine, Alverstoke
, United Kingdom
. There he continued development of a new decompression table and worked on improving undersea thermal protection garments. Upon the conclusion of his exchange tour in 1987, Thalmann returned to Bethesda to serve as the commander of the Naval Medical Research Institute's diving medicine and physiology research division.
at Duke's Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Environmental Physiology and later accepted a simultaneous position as the Assistant Medical Director of DAN in 1995.
Dr. Thalmann died on July 24, 2004 in Durham, due to congestive heart failure, at the age of 59. He was committed to the sea on August 31, 2004 with services conducted aboard USS Maryland
, an Ohio-class
submarine, off the coast of Kings Bay
, Georgia
at 30°57′00"N 79°53′30"W.
Using the concepts of maximum likelihood
as a theoretical foundation, Dr. Thalmann supervised hundreds of experimental dives to develop and verify a new set of decompression tables to protect divers. These tables were approved for use by the United States Navy and provide for much greater flexibility in depth and duration for safe diving and allow for the use of breathing gases other than air. This increased the operational capabilities of U.S. military divers, and the Thalmann Algorithm is being used by the United States Navy to develop diver-carried computers
to calculate safe individual time limits for complex dive of varying depth.
In addition, Dr. Thalmann’s theoretical work is being used to revise the standard United States Navy Decompression Tables employed for less complex dives using compressed air. This will eventually benefit future military divers as well as the thousands of civilian recreational diver
s, worldwide. Dr. Thalmann was also part of the team that developed the protocols used to protect U.S. astronaut
s from decompression sickness
when they leave the 1 atmosphere
environment of the International Space Station
for the lower atmospheric pressure in their space suits.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
(b. April 3, 1945-d. July 24, 2004; age 59) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hyperbaric medicine specialist who was principally responsible for developing the current United States Navy dive tables for mixed-gas
Breathing gas
Breathing gas is a mixture of gaseous chemical elements and compounds used for respiration.Air is the most common and only natural breathing gas...
diving, which are based on his eponymous Thalmann Algorithm
Thalmann Algorithm
The Thalmann Algorithm is a deterministic decompression model originally designed in 1980 to produce a decompression schedule for divers using the US Navy Mk15 rebreather.It was developed by Capt. Edward D...
(VVAL18). At the time of his death, Thalmann was serving as Assistant Medical Director of the Divers Alert Network
Divers Alert Network
The Divers Alert Network is a non-profit 501 organization devoted to assisting divers in need. The Research department conducts significant medical research on recreational scuba diving safety...
(DAN) and an Assistant Clinical Professor in Anesthesiology at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
’s Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Environmental Physiology.
Education
Thalmann graduated from Sayreville High School, Sayreville NJSayreville, New Jersey
Sayreville is a borough located on the Raritan River, near Raritan Bay in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 42,704....
in 1962. He attended the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
, graduating in 1966 with a bachelor of science degree. He attended medical school at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in Washington, D.C. From 1970 to 1971, Dr. Thalmann was a surgical intern at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, Quebec. It was there that he met his future wife, a nursing student.
While on active duty, from 1975 to 1977, Dr. Thalmann conducted a two-year postdoctoral fellowship under the guidance of Claes Lundgren and Hermann Rahn
Hermann Rahn
Hermann Rahn was an early leader in the field of environmental physiology. Starting out in the field of zoology with a PhD from University of Rochester , Rahn began teaching physiology at the University of Rochester in 1941. It was there that he partnered with Wallace O. Fenn to publish A...
, at the State University of New York at Buffalo, studying the effects of immersion and breathing bag placement in rebreather
Rebreather
A rebreather is a type of breathing set that provides a breathing gas containing oxygen and recycled exhaled gas. This recycling reduces the volume of breathing gas used, making a rebreather lighter and more compact than an open-circuit breathing set for the same duration in environments where...
s on underwater exercise.
Naval career
Dr. Thalmann served as Chief Medical Officer on board the ballistic missile submarine USS Thomas JeffersonUSS Thomas Jefferson (SSBN-618)
USS Thomas Jefferson , an nuclear-powered submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Thomas Jefferson , the third President of the United States...
for a single deployment, from 1971 to 1972 before being posted as a research diving medical officer at the United States Navy Experimental Diving Unit
United States Navy Experimental Diving Unit
The United States Navy Experimental Diving Unit is the primary source of diving and hyperbaric operational guidance for the US Navy...
(NEDU) at the Washington Navy Yard
Washington Navy Yard
The Washington Navy Yard is the former shipyard and ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy...
, where he was stationed until 1975.
Following his post-doctoral fellowship in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, in 1977, Dr. Thalmann returned to NEDU, now located in Panama City, Florida
Panama City, Florida
-Personal income:The median income for a household in the city was $31,572, and the median income for a family was $40,890. Males had a median income of $30,401 versus $21,431 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,830...
, as Assistant Senior Medical Officer, where he began developing new dive tables and mixed-gas diving techniques. While at NEDU, Thalmann created a number of unique and innovative underwater exercise devices, still in use today, intended to assist in gauging the underwater endurance of divers using various gas mixtures while performing physically demanding tasks.
In 1985, Dr. Thalmann, now the Senior Medical Officer at NEDU, was selected for the NATO Undersea Medicine Personnel Exchange Program and assigned to the Royal Navy Institute of Naval Medicine, Alverstoke
Alverstoke
Alverstoke is a parish in the borough of Gosport, Hampshire, England, that encompasses land stretching from Haslar to Stokes Bay. Alverstoke lies within half a mile of the shore of Stokes Bay and near the head of a creek which extends a mile westward from Portsmouth Harbour...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. There he continued development of a new decompression table and worked on improving undersea thermal protection garments. Upon the conclusion of his exchange tour in 1987, Thalmann returned to Bethesda to serve as the commander of the Naval Medical Research Institute's diving medicine and physiology research division.
Civilian career
Following his retirement from the Navy in 1993, Thalmann stayed on at NMRI as a senior scientist in decompression research. In July 1994 took a position in Durham, North CarolinaDurham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
at Duke's Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Environmental Physiology and later accepted a simultaneous position as the Assistant Medical Director of DAN in 1995.
Dr. Thalmann died on July 24, 2004 in Durham, due to congestive heart failure, at the age of 59. He was committed to the sea on August 31, 2004 with services conducted aboard USS Maryland
USS Maryland (SSBN-738)
USS Maryland is the 13th of 18 United States Navy ballistic missile submarines, and has been in commission since 1992. She is the fourth U.S...
, an Ohio-class
Ohio class submarine
The Ohio class is a class of nuclear-powered submarines used by the United States Navy. The United States has 18 Ohio-class submarines:...
submarine, off the coast of Kings Bay
Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay
Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay is a base of the United States Navy located adjacent to the town of St. Marys in Camden County, Georgia, in southeastern Georgia, and not far from Jacksonville, Florida. The Submarine Base is the U.S. Atlantic Fleet's home port for U.S. Navy Fleet ballistic missile...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
at 30°57′00"N 79°53′30"W.
Contributions to hyperbaric medicine
Dr. Thalmann's initial studies were aimed at developing a mathematical algorithm that reflected, as closely as possible, the science of gas exchange in human tissues and which could replace early 20th century Haldanean procedures that had been modified in the mid-20th century based largely on trial and error.Using the concepts of maximum likelihood
Maximum likelihood
In statistics, maximum-likelihood estimation is a method of estimating the parameters of a statistical model. When applied to a data set and given a statistical model, maximum-likelihood estimation provides estimates for the model's parameters....
as a theoretical foundation, Dr. Thalmann supervised hundreds of experimental dives to develop and verify a new set of decompression tables to protect divers. These tables were approved for use by the United States Navy and provide for much greater flexibility in depth and duration for safe diving and allow for the use of breathing gases other than air. This increased the operational capabilities of U.S. military divers, and the Thalmann Algorithm is being used by the United States Navy to develop diver-carried computers
Dive computer
A dive computer or decompression meter is a device used by a scuba diver to measure the time and depth of a dive so that a safe ascent profile can be calculated and displayed so that the diver can avoid decompression sickness.- Purpose :...
to calculate safe individual time limits for complex dive of varying depth.
In addition, Dr. Thalmann’s theoretical work is being used to revise the standard United States Navy Decompression Tables employed for less complex dives using compressed air. This will eventually benefit future military divers as well as the thousands of civilian recreational diver
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
s, worldwide. Dr. Thalmann was also part of the team that developed the protocols used to protect U.S. astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
s from decompression sickness
Decompression sickness
Decompression sickness describes a condition arising from dissolved gases coming out of solution into bubbles inside the body on depressurization...
when they leave the 1 atmosphere
Atmosphere (unit)
The standard atmosphere is an international reference pressure defined as 101325 Pa and formerly used as unit of pressure. For practical purposes it has been replaced by the bar which is 105 Pa...
environment of the International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
for the lower atmospheric pressure in their space suits.
Awards
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- Legion of MeritLegion of MeritThe Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
awarded in 1994 - Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious Service Medal (United States)The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...
awarded in 1985 - Navy Unit CommendationNavy Unit CommendationThe Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
- Navy and Marine Corps Meritorious Unit CommendationMeritorious Unit CommendationThe Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
with bronze service starService starA service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a United States military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service...
(2 awards) - National Defense Service MedalNational Defense Service MedalThe National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
with bronze service starService starA service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a United States military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service...
(2 awards) - Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze service starService starA service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a United States military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service...
(2 awards)
Submarine Medical insigniaSubmarine Medical insigniaThe Submarine Medical Insignia is a badge of the United States Navy which is presented to medical officers of the Navy Medical Corps who have received training and qualification in submarine warfare and medical expertise...- Diving Medical Officer badgeMaster Diver (United States Navy)The United States Navy Master Diver is the highest warfare qualification obtainable by a member of U.S. Navy diving community. A Master Diver has the most experience and knowledge on all aspects of diving and underwater salvage.-Designation:...
SSBN Deterrent Patrol insigniaSSBN Deterrent Patrol insigniaThe SSBN Deterrent Patrol Insignia is a uniform breast pin worn by officers and men of the United States Navy's submarine service who have completed strategic deterrent patrols in nuclear ballistic missile submarines...
Refereed Journals
Non-Refereed Journals and Reports
- Survanshi SS, Weathersby PK, Homer LD, Thalmann ED. Design of Dive Trials. In: Lang MA, Vann RD eds: AAUS Repetitive Dive Workshop. Costa Mesa, CA. American Academy of Underwater Scientists, 1992:287-292.
Book Chapters
- Thalmann, E.D., editor of Chapter 8: "Diving Medicine", in:
- Invited Reviewer for: "Treatment of decompression sickness", Chapter 13. In: