Inspection Day

George Kevorkian of Conam Inspection scrutinizes Alvin’s titanium personnel sphere, examining weldments during the submersible’s overhaul in February 2006 (click for a Windows Media movie). His tools included a magnifying lens, a flashlight, and a dye penetrant to determine the porosity of the titanium in selected areas. The 25-year-old, 2-inch thick titanium sphere is examined by professional inspectors every two years.
(Photo by Tom Kleindinst, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)