AAUS - American Academy of Underwater Sciences

ABJ - Adjustable Buoyancy Jacket

ABT - Actual Bottom Time

ADT - Actual Dive Time

AGE - Arterial Gas Embolism

AMDT - Adjusted Maximum Dive Time

ANDI - American Nitrox Divers Incorporated

AOW - Advanced Open Water certification; second level of PADI certification

AP - Absolute Pressure

ASL - American Sign Language

ATEA - Amphibian Tank Escape Apparatus

ATA - Atmospheres Absolute

ATS - Atmospheres Absolute Over Sea Level (ie gauge pressure)

BC - Buoyancy Compensator

BCD - Buoyancy Compensator Device

BIBS - Built-In Breathing System

BPR - Back Pressure Regulator

BSAC - British Sub-Aqua Club

BT Bottom Time - The time from when you enter the water till you begin your ascent.

CCBA - Closed Circuit Breathing Apparatus

CNS - Central Nervous System

CPR - Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation

CPTD - Cumulative Pulmonary Toxic Dose

DAN - Diver's Alert Network

DCIEM - Defense and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine

DCS - Decompression Sickness

DCI - Decompression Illness

DEMA - Diving Equipment Manufacturers Association

DIN - Deutsches Institute fuer Normung

DM - Dive Master

DMAC - Diving Medical Advisory Committee

DO - Diving Officer

DPV - Diver Propulsion Vehicle

DSEA - Davis Submerged Escape Apparatus

DV - Demand Valve

EAD - Equivalent Air Depth

EAN - Enriched Air Nitrox

EANx - Enriched Air Nitrox

EAR - Expired Air Resuscitation

EATD - European Association of Technical Divers

EBS - Emergency Breathing System

ECC - External Cardiac Compression

ECU - Environmental Control Unit

END - Equivalent Narcotic Depth

FFDS - Federation Francais De Speleologie

FFM - Full Face Mask

FFW - Feet of Fresh Water

FGV - Free Gas Volume

FPS - Foot, Pound, Second (Imperial System)

FSW - Feet of Salt Water

FV - Floodable Volume

HP - High Pressure

HPNS - High Pressure Nervous Syndrome

HSA - Handicapped Scuba Association

IAND - International Association of Nitrox Divers

IANTD - International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers

IDEA - International Diving Educators Association

LAT - Lowest Astronomical Tide

LP - Low Pressure

MDT - Maximum Dive Time

MFW - Meters of Fresh Water

MGR - Mixed Gas Rebreather

MOD - Maximum Operating Depth

MSW - Meters of Salt Water

NACD - National Association for Cave Diving

NASDS - National Association of Scuba Diving Schools

NAUI - National Association of Underwater Instructors

NDC - National Diving Council

NDL - No Decompression Limit

NDO - National Diving Officer

NDSTC - Naval Dive and Salvage Training Center

NEDU - Naval Experimental Diving Unit

NERC - National Environment Research Council (UK)

NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NRMI - Naval Medical Research Unit

OTT - Oxygen Tolerance Test

OTU - Oxygen Toxicity Unit

OSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration (USA)

PADI - Professional Association of Diving Instructors

PDIC - Professional Diving Instructors Corporation

PFO - Patent Foramen Ovale

PP - Partial Pressure

PSI - Pounds per Square Inch

RDP - Recreational Dive Planner

RG - Repetitive Group

RMV - Respiratory Minute Volume

RNT - Residual Nitrogen Time

ROV - Remotely Operated Vehicle

RSTC - Recreational Scuba Training Committee

SAA - Sub-Aqua Association

SAELO - Supply Activated Exhaust Cut-Off Valve

SCBA - Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus; such as Firefighter use

SCUBA - Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus

SDC Submersible Decompression Chamber

SEBA - Submarine Escape Breathing Apparatus

SGA - Siebe Gorman Amphibian

SLAM - Scuba Lifesaving Accident Management

SI - Surface Interval

SIT - Surface Interval Time

SLJ - Surface Life Jacket

SPG - Submersible Pressure Gauge

SRT - Single Rope Technique

SSI - Scuba Schools International

TDT - Total Dive Time

TNT - Total Nitrogen Time

TOD - Theoretical Ocean Depth

UBA - Universal Breathing Apparatus

UASR - Underwater Association for Scientific Research (UK)

UBMS - Undersea Biomedical Society (USA)

UNCLOS - United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

UPTD - Unit Pulmonary Toxic Dose

USN - United States Navy

USOA - Underwater Society of America

VENTID - Vision Ears Nausea Twitching Irritation Dizziness

VGE - Venous Gas Embolism

YMCA - Young Men's Christian Association