DEEP-SEA DETECTIVES: Maritime Mysteries and Forensic Science

A Russian nuclear-powered submarine, armed with rocket-propelled torpedoes, sinks in the icy water of the Bering Sea, far above the Arctic Circle. Was the cause an explosion? Did it strike some massive, unidentified underwater object? Was it rammed by an American spy sub, as the Russians first suspected? Perhaps it was sabotaged by terrorists? Deep-sea investigators, armed with new forensic technologies, hunt for the answers. An American trawler sinks without warning southwest of Alaska. Only the captain and one crewman manage to get off - their bodies are found floating, chilled to death. Sonar locates the missing ship, and ROV's take hundreds of images for evidence. What was the cause of the tragedy? In Deep-Sea Detectives, the first book about underwater forensics, Peter R. Limburg explores these and other fascinating cases in clear, engaging language. Technology, science, history, sea lore, heroism, corruption, and intrigue are set in a fascinating and richly detailed framework. Some of the cases are as prosaic as simple human error; others are far more complex; some involve outright criminality. Through the lens of the newest technologies, Limburg unravels the questions of past underwater tragedies, sheds light on how to avoid future disasters and reveals the truths behind the submerged mysteries of the sea. Peter R. Limburg has been a successful freelance writer for over thirty years. This is his 21st book. He lives in North Castle, New York.