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Anyone know exactly why it is that breathing 100% O2
at the surface sometimes cures minor type 1 hits, and helps
significantly with Type 2 hits?

I am assuming there's more to it than simply eliminating
the Nitrogen from the breathing mixture.

If so, this might have implications for normal deco,
as halftime-based models only consider the partial-pressure
of the dissolved N2 and He, not the partial pressure of 
inspired O2, which it would seem has beneficial effects on its 
own.

For example, if you combine your 10/20ft stops at 20ft,
using Buhlmann, you get no deco advantage, despite 
the elevated PO2 of 1.6 at 20ft.  Why?  on 100% O2,
your inspired PN2 and Phe are zero at any depth, so the algorithm 
effectively says it makes no difference what your PO2 
(or depth) is - the partial pressure of N2 and He can't fall 
below zero on the inspired side.

So naturally the question arises: is O2 at higher partial
pressures really only beneficial as a "filler" gas, as 
compartment-based models would suggest, or does it actively 
contribute to decompression?

-Will
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