In-situ Corrosion Studies on Wrecked Aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy in Chuuk Lagoon, Federated States of Micronesia

Abstract

A preliminary in-situ corrosion survey of the submerged Japanese WWII aircraft in Chuuk Lagoon, in the Federated States of Micronesia, has provided information on the way in which the wrecks interact with the marine environment. The aircraft are characterised by a lack of encrusting marine organisms and are clearly identifiable. The values of pH and the corrosion potentials vary with depth and the voltage depends on the composition of the underlying metal alloys. It is possible that with additional data from these non-destructive methods techniques it will be possible to provide marine archaeologists with appropriate diagnostic tools.

Delivering the Deep: Maritime archaeology for the 21st century: selected papers from IKUWA 7

“…As reported by Macleod (2016), sheet aluminium does not attract marine growth in the same way iron and steel do. Nevertheless, when exposed to tidal streams, currents, abrasion through sediment movement and highly destructive seabed activity, these wrecks are at high risk and become highly fragile very quickly (North and Macleod 1987;Macleod 2006).…”

Sustainable Management of Underwater Cultural Heritage: The Route from Discovery to Engagement—Open Issues in the Mediterranean

“…Identifying the way WW I and II vessels act in the marine environment is important for both their preservation and protection of their surrounding environment, since these are made of low-carbon steel or aluminum, which rapidly corrodes in saline water depending on the burial environment, and many contain tons of fuel [50,51]. Repercussions of climate change, e.g., increasing temperatures and acidity of the marine environment, can worsen their stability.…”

“…All management plans have a common perception as to the role of local people as the most important site managers, while getting support by those who have vested interests [66]. Since the 1980s there have been many surveys of WW II UCH sites in the Pacific, including corrosion studies of the wrecks in order for the time of collapse of the structures to be estimated; and spillage of their fuel to be assessed for grasping potential environmental impacts [50,51]. Other safety (e.g., danger of unexploded ordnance) and ethical (e.g., site is a maritime grave) issues have been dealt with by enlisting some WW II UCH sites in protected zones, where public access is not allowed without permit [8].…”

Fouling communities and degradation of archeological metals in the coastal sea of the Southwestern Gulf of Mexico

“…Ships and fleets that sailed from Spain to La Havana and Veracruz through the Campeche Bank were wrecked around this area owing to the presence of coral reef keys and banks, combined with the impact of natural phenomena such as tropical storms and hurricanes. Evaluations in situ of diverse metallic artifacts lying on the sea floor near the coast of Campeche (MacLeod 1995(MacLeod , 2002(MacLeod , 2006 have shown that high percentages of the iron or brass artifacts of archeological value remain almost intact. The biological presence of micro-and macroorganisms is crucial in the natural preservation of these artifacts (North & MacLeod 1987;Tilmant 1993;Amer et al 2004;Cullimore & Johnston 2008;Leino et al 2011).…”