Submarine Pressure Hull Collapse Durations Versus Human Reaction Time
As previously discussed, assuming a symmetry of the initial compression and expansion phases of the collapse of a submarine pressure hulls at great depth, values – as measured by the writer from acoustic data – were 0.15 seconds for THRESHER and 0.11 seconds for SCORPION.
As also previously discussed, those values assumed a symmetry that probably did not exist because the duration of the collapse phase should be truncated by the collapse event pressure wave encountering the compacting mass of hull and internal structures whereas the expansion phase terminates only when the pressure of that wave is overcome by the ambient pressure at the collapse depth. These circumstances suggest the compression phase is shorter than the expansion phase by an unknown amount.
The best assessments of the minimum human reaction time are provided by electronic measurement of the elapsed time between the firing of the starting gun at Olympic track events and the increase in foot-pressure on the “pedals” of a sprinter's starting blocks - in response to the gun. (FYI: the transducer that detects the gun signal is usually strapped to the gun which eliminates sound travel-time in air.)
For the 100m finals at the 2008 Olympics – the most recent event for which data is publicly available - the reaction times for the eight finalists are listed below. The range of reaction times for those runners during heats, quarterfinals and semifinals are provided in parens. (All values in seconds.)
Note: Reaction times of 0.1 or below are electronically recognized as a “false start” (lower than any possible human reaction time) for which the involved runner is disqualified.
As previously concluded - based, on cognitive plus optical integration times now confirmed by the above data - no one aboard either THRESHER or SCORPION were aware of the collapse events. They occurred too fast to be apprehended/reacted to.
