KEY POINTS:
Dr Stephen Wroe and Dr Dan Huber are among a group of scientists studying the jaws of the great white shark in an attempt to determine its "bite force".
A 2.4m male shark, found dead in a net off New South Wales' Central Coast, has been CT-scanned and dissected to allow its dimensions to be uploaded into a computer model developed by researchers from the University of NSW and Newcastle University.
Dr Wroe, from the NSW university, said the model, which was in the early stages of development, would help scientists to understand how the shark's skull, jaw and muscles worked together.
Researchers would "crash test" the jaws and skull using different computer scenarios. "I want to have an understanding of how this very complicated piece of machinery works. It's quite a well-balanced machine, a really finely tuned device."
He said the results could have ramifications for beachgoers and people who worked in shark environments and could even be used to stop sharks damaging sonar equipment.
- AAP
