 The spermaceti organs may also help adjust the whale 's buoyancy . It is hypothesized that before the whale dives , cold water enters the organ , and it is likely that the blood vessels constrict , reducing blood flow , and , hence , temperature . The wax therefore solidifies and reduces in volume . The increase in specific density generates a down force of about 392 newtons ( 88 lbf ) and allows the whale to dive with less effort . During the hunt , oxygen consumption , together with blood vessel dilation , produces heat and melts the spermaceti , increasing its buoyancy and enabling easy surfacing . However , more recent work has found many problems with this theory including the lack of anatomical structures for the actual heat exchange . 
