USS ARIZONA MEMORIAL Submerged Cultural Resources Study: USS
Arizona and Pearl Harbor National Historic Landmark Chapter IV:
Biofouling And Corrosion Study Results: Summary and
Recommendations 1. Biofouling has created a uniform layer of
stable hard fouling that covers most of the hull and
superstructure remnants of USS ARIZONA. That layer maintains
anoxic conditions near the exterior steel surfaces and
encourages formation of stable black and grey iron oxides.
Corrosion products on hull showed a moderate trend toward
decreasing thickness as water depth increased. 2. Most rapid
corrosion has occurred on superstructure surfaces located about
6 feet above and below sea level. In this high-oxygen and high-
water motion zone, corrosion has caused extensive deterioration
and exfoliation of steel surfaces. 3. Application of protective
coatings (such as epoxy paints) to surfaces in the high-
corrosion zone would probably not be practical because of their
advanced state of deterioration. Proper prepainting preparation