THE RIB STRUCTURE OF THE ARK.

At the rear (stern) of the ship, there is material that has the shape of a massive rib, which is attached to the central keelson. On the composite resistivity image below, which is superimposed onto a photograph of the Ark, the rib shaped material and keelson are both displayed as a blue colour. 

A contour map of the resistivity image, shows that the contour lines pack tightly around the boundary of the rib shape. This indicates that a very sudden change in material properties exists at this boundary between the rib shape material, and the material that is attached to the outside edge of the rib.

When a 3d view of the resistivity image of the rib shaped material, is combined with a photograph of the ship that is taken from the same angle, the position of the rib at the back of the ship can be seen, as well as another rib further towards the middle of the ship. The massive size of the rib shaped material which surrounds the inner hull structure, and the central keelson, are both proportional with the overall size of the ship.

Where the rib shaped structure remains in its original position within the areas of the hull that are still intact, the rib shaped material is seen to be symmetrical on both sides of the vessel.

The inner and outer surfaces of the rib shaped material have a semi-circular profile. The resistivity of this material increases towards the inside edge of the rib, which is consistent with a material such as timber that has a varying degree of either moisture, or petrification within it.

Petrification is the process of mineral replacement of the original material, with the minerals from the surrounding mud that it is embedded in. The surface of the material which is exposed to the petrifying process will naturally begin to petrify first. However the parts of the timber that are more protected, remain in their original form for longer. 

The different levels of mineral replacement throughout the material is just one possibility for the variation that is seen in the electrical resistivity of the material, which does not seem to be affected by depth. 

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