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

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.
© 2006 The Author.