How does Uniswap v3’s logarithm library (TickMath.sol) work

I want to calculate logarithm of a non-standard base at low gas cost. First thought is to use change of base rule with log2() fixed point methods mentioned in this thread.

However Uniswap v3 core has custom code for log to the base √1.0001. It has assembly level optimizations which I'm trying to understand. However implementation is opaque and not well documented.

As per my understanding:

1. First find MSB: first set of assembly code probably does this. Why is r needed?
2. Use MSB to get log2: What does the second set of assembly do after log2 is found?
3. Change of base rule: What is the significance of 255738958999603826347141 in log_2 * 255738958999603826347141?
4. What is the significance of subtracting 3402992956809132418596140100660247210 for tickLow and adding 291339464771989622907027621153398088495 for tickHi?

TickMath.sol

    /// @notice Calculates the greatest tick value such that getRatioAtTick(tick) <= ratio
    /// @dev Throws in case sqrtPriceX96 < MIN_SQRT_RATIO, as MIN_SQRT_RATIO is the lowest value getRatioAtTick may
    /// ever return.
    /// @param sqrtPriceX96 The sqrt ratio for which to compute the tick as a Q64.96
    /// @return tick The greatest tick for which the ratio is less than or equal to the input ratio
    function getTickAtSqrtRatio(uint160 sqrtPriceX96) internal pure returns (int24 tick) {
        // second inequality must be < because the price can never reach the price at the max tick
        require(sqrtPriceX96 >= MIN_SQRT_RATIO && sqrtPriceX96 < MAX_SQRT_RATIO, 'R');
        uint256 ratio = uint256(sqrtPriceX96) << 32;

        uint256 r = ratio;
        uint256 msb = 0;

        assembly {
            let f := shl(7, gt(r, 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF))
            msb := or(msb, f)
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            let f := shl(6, gt(r, 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF))
            msb := or(msb, f)
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            let f := shl(5, gt(r, 0xFFFFFFFF))
            msb := or(msb, f)
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            let f := shl(4, gt(r, 0xFFFF))
            msb := or(msb, f)
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            let f := shl(3, gt(r, 0xFF))
            msb := or(msb, f)
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            let f := shl(2, gt(r, 0xF))
            msb := or(msb, f)
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            let f := shl(1, gt(r, 0x3))
            msb := or(msb, f)
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            let f := gt(r, 0x1)
            msb := or(msb, f)
        }

        if (msb >= 128) r = ratio >> (msb - 127);
        else r = ratio << (127 - msb);

        int256 log_2 = (int256(msb) - 128) << 64;

        assembly {
            r := shr(127, mul(r, r))
            let f := shr(128, r)
            log_2 := or(log_2, shl(63, f))
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            r := shr(127, mul(r, r))
            let f := shr(128, r)
            log_2 := or(log_2, shl(62, f))
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            r := shr(127, mul(r, r))
            let f := shr(128, r)
            log_2 := or(log_2, shl(61, f))
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            r := shr(127, mul(r, r))
            let f := shr(128, r)
            log_2 := or(log_2, shl(60, f))
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            r := shr(127, mul(r, r))
            let f := shr(128, r)
            log_2 := or(log_2, shl(59, f))
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            r := shr(127, mul(r, r))
            let f := shr(128, r)
            log_2 := or(log_2, shl(58, f))
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            r := shr(127, mul(r, r))
            let f := shr(128, r)
            log_2 := or(log_2, shl(57, f))
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            r := shr(127, mul(r, r))
            let f := shr(128, r)
            log_2 := or(log_2, shl(56, f))
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            r := shr(127, mul(r, r))
            let f := shr(128, r)
            log_2 := or(log_2, shl(55, f))
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            r := shr(127, mul(r, r))
            let f := shr(128, r)
            log_2 := or(log_2, shl(54, f))
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            r := shr(127, mul(r, r))
            let f := shr(128, r)
            log_2 := or(log_2, shl(53, f))
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            r := shr(127, mul(r, r))
            let f := shr(128, r)
            log_2 := or(log_2, shl(52, f))
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            r := shr(127, mul(r, r))
            let f := shr(128, r)
            log_2 := or(log_2, shl(51, f))
            r := shr(f, r)
        }
        assembly {
            r := shr(127, mul(r, r))
            let f := shr(128, r)
            log_2 := or(log_2, shl(50, f))
        }

        int256 log_sqrt10001 = log_2 * 255738958999603826347141; // 128.128 number

        int24 tickLow = int24((log_sqrt10001 - 3402992956809132418596140100660247210) >> 128);
        int24 tickHi = int24((log_sqrt10001 + 291339464771989622907027621153398088495) >> 128);

        tick = tickLow == tickHi ? tickLow : getSqrtRatioAtTick(tickHi) <= sqrtPriceX96 ? tickHi : tickLow;
    }