In situ and laboratory geoacoustic measurements in soft mud and hard-packed sand sediments: Implications for high-frequency acoustic propagation and scattering

Near-surface sediment geoacoustic and physical properties were measured in gas-rich, muddy sediments of Eckernförde Bay, Baltic Sea, and in hard-packed, sandy sediments of the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Values of compressional and shear wave velocity are much lower in muddy compared to sandy sediments. The spatial and temporal variability of sediment physical and geoacoustic properties and, as a consequence, the scattering and propagation of high-frequency acoustic waves are primarily related to the presence and absence of free methane gas bubbles at the muddy site and to the abundance and distribution of shell material on sandy sediments.     

Study of A Geo-Acoustic Model of Gas-Bearing Sediment and Its Application in Sediment with Low Acoustic Veloctiy

A new geo-acoustic model for gas-bearing sediment is proposed based on the work of Dvorkin and Prasad, and Biot theory. Only five geophysical parameters: sediment mineral composition, free gas saturation, tortuosity (also known as the structure factor), permeability, and porosity, are considered in the model. A benefit of this model is that we need only five parameters instead of ten parameters in the Biot's formulas for acoustic velocity and attenuation calculation. Here the model is demonstrated with the in-situ experimental data collected from the Hangzhou Bay, China. The results of this study suggest that free gas content in sediment is the most critical condition resulting in a low acoustic velocity (compressional wave). The respective contributions of the other four parameters in the model are also discussed.     

Marine sediment acoustic measurement system

This paper describes a system that has been developed to measure compressional wave speed in cored marine sediments onboard ship. The structure enables one to secure an extruded core sample to its base and to move acoustic probes to a desired location, implant them to a specified depth into the sample and perform the measurement. The acoustic measurement system is a pulse-time delay system measuring time difference over a fixed path length and the temperature of the sediment. The time difference and temperature measurement systems are comprised of task oriented components and are housed in a single portable box. The system is adaptable to the various sample sizes obtained with the coring apparatus presently in use. Initial field tests indicate that ship motion has no effect on the system. Data collected from cores has been classified according to sediment type and displays good agreement with data presented by Hamilton (1970). The difference in compressional wave velocity, based on sediment type, for the two studies is 5 m per sec.     

Seismic Characterisation of Gas-rich Near Surface Sediments in the Arkona Basin, Baltic Sea

Gas in sediments has become an important subject of research for various reasons. It affects large areas of the sea floor where it is mainly produced. Gas and gas migration have a strong impact on the environmental situation as well as on sea floor stability. Furthermore, large research programs on gas hydrates have been initiated during the last 10 years in order to investigate their potential for future energy production and their climatic impact. These activities require the improvement of geophysical methods for reservoir investigations especially with respect to their physical properties and internal structures. Basic relationships between the physical properties and seismic parameters can be investigated in shallow marine areas as they are more easily accessible than hydrocarbon reservoirs. High-resolution seismic profiles from the Arkona Basin (SW Baltic Sea) show distinct ‘acoustic turbidity’ zones which indicate the presence of free gas in the near surface sediments. Total gas concentrations were determined from cores taken in the study area with mean concentrations of 46.5 ml/l wet sediment in non-acoustic turbidity zones and up to 106.1 ml/l in the basin centre with acoustic turbidity. The expression of gas bubbles on reflection seismic profiles has been investigated in two distinct frequency ranges using a boomer (600–2600 Hz) and an echosounder (38 kHz). A comparison of data from both seismic sources showed strong differences in displaying reflectors. Different compressional wave velocities were observed in acoustic turbidity zones between boomer and echosounder profiles. Furthermore, acoustic turbidity zones were differently characterised with respect to scattering and attenuation of seismic waves. This leads to the conclusion that seismic parameters become strongly frequency dependent due to the dynamic properties of gas bubbles.     

含天然气水合物沉积层的孔隙度特征及其反演方法

给出了含天然气水合物沉积层、含游离气沉积层孔隙度与地震波速度及波阻抗的关系,提出了确定性沿层孔隙度反演技术的方法。     

The Effects of Microstructure on Shear Properties of Shallow Marine Sediments

This study was undertaken to investigate the implication of geoacoustic behaviors in the shallow marine sediments associated with the changes in geotechnical index properties. Two piston cores (270 cm and 400 cm in core length) used in this study were recovered from stations 1 and 2, the western continental margin, the East Sea. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to illustrate the effects of microstructure on shear properties. The direct SEM observation of sediment fabrics is inevitable to understand the correlation of the changes in geoacoustic properties to the sediment structure. The consolidation of sediments by overburden stress resulting in the clay fabric alteration appears to play an important role in changing shear properties. Water contents and porosity of sediments gradually decreases with increasing depth, whereas wet bulk density shows a reverse trend. It is interesting to note that shear wave velocities increase rapidly from 8 to 20 m/s while compressional wave velocities significantly fluctuate, ranging from 1450 to 1550 m/s with depth. The fabric changes in sediment with increasing depth for example, uniform grain size and well oriented clay fabrics may cause the shear strength increase from 1 to 12 kPa. Shear wave velocity is, therefore, shown to be very sensitive to the changes in undrained strength for unconsolidated marine sediments. This correlation allows an in-situ estimation of shear stress in the subsurface from shear wave velocity data.     

海底表层沉积物声速特性研究进展与探讨

海底表层沉积物具有多相、多颗粒、多形态的组成结构,导致其声学特性复杂多样。通过分析压缩波速度和切变波速度特性的研究现状,指出有待于解决的科学问题和关键技术问题。在分析国内外有关海底沉积层声速特性研究基础上,提出采取系统、可控的实验测量手段解决当前测量存在的4点问题。综合分析了压缩波速度和切变波速度存在的统计回归关系和理论分析关系,探讨了当前地声反演、采样样品声学测量、原位声学测量3种方法存在的测量尺度、测量频率、测量状态等的差异,探讨建立不同测量方法和测量技术对测量结果进行统一性解释的方法,从而获得不同类型、不同区域的海底表层沉积物真实的声速特性。最后,从实验室声学测量、物理力学参数测量、流固耦合特性分析、原位测量及海底监测、采样测量与原位测量的误差分析及校正、海底大纵深声学测量6个方面提出技术需求,为提高声学探测海洋和海底的精度服务,推动海洋声学探测和海洋工程发展。     

In situ velocity profiles in gassy sediments: Kiel Bay

Acoustic behavior of gas-bearing sediments is significantly different from that of gas-free sediments. In situ velocity profiles and acoustic signal characteristics in gas-bearing sediments of the upper several meters of the sea floor in Kiel Bay are presented in this study. Observed velocities in gas-bearing sediments are both higher and lower than those of the gas-free sediments. Small amounts of gas appear to cause signal reverberation without much attenuation. whereas large amounts of gas cause substantial attenuation.     

海底沉积物实验室剪切波速度及其与沉积物的物理性质之间的关系

采用压电陶瓷弯曲元法和共振柱试验的方法对采自我国海域的一些典型海底浅表层沉积物样品进行了剪切波速测试,获得首批可信数据.两种方法所测得的剪切波速数据具有很好的一致性,且在数赫兹至数十千赫兹频段范围内剪切波速不具明显弥散性.剪切波速与沉积物类型关系密切,不同海区和不同类型海底沉积物的剪切波速有明显差异.近海较细颗粒沉积物粉砂的剪切波速在100m/s左右,细颗粒沉积物的剪切波速在100m/s以下;陆架较粗颗粒沉积物的剪切波速最大,超过100m/s;深海、半深海细颗粒沉积物的剪切波速最低,小于50m/s.剪切波速与含水量、密度、孔隙度、塑限和液限等沉积物物理参数之间具很好的相关性,反映了剪切波速和物理性质之间的密切关系.剪切波速与压缩波速呈正相关性,但在不同的波速范围剪切波速随压缩波速的变化有很大不同.     

The cause of the acoustically impenetrable,or turbid,character of Chesapeake Bay sediments

Many shallow water, fine-grained sediments are almost acoustically impenetrable to the energy from high resolution, low energy continuous seismic profilers. It has been alleged that this anomalous acoustic behavior is the result of interstitial gas bubbles that produce reverberation within the sediment, but no analyses were made until recently to test this hypothesis. Determinations of the compressibility of sediments from acoustically impenetrable, or turbid, zones and from contiguous zones of good penetration in Chesapeake Bay showed that the acoustically turbid sediments are several orders of magnitude more compressible than acoustically clear sediments of very similar grain size. The increased compressibility is a result of the presence of interstitial gas bubbles. Other acoustically turbid zones are produced by buried shell beds, and do not show an increase in compressibility.Contribution No. 181, Chesapeake Bay Institute, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md. 21218, U.S.A.     

Acoustic characters and distribution pattern of modern fine-grained deposits in a tide-dominated coastal bay: Jinhae Bay,Southeast Korea

Jinhae Bay, a semi-enclosed, tide-dominated coastal embayment on the southeastern coast of Korea, receives large amounts of sediment derived from the Nakdong River. The irregular surface of the acoustic basement is overlain by a modern sedimentary sequence up to 25 m thick, characterized by an acoustically semitransparent subbottom. Sediments, consisting mainly of terrigenous and bioturbated mud, accumulate at a rate of 2–5 mm/yr. About 21% of the suspended sediments discharged from the Nakdong River, that is approximately 1.0 × 10⁶ tons per year, accumulate in Jinhae Bay. Modern sedimentation began probably at about 5000 yr BP, when sea level approached its present level.     

Fluid flow and methane occurrences in the Disko Bugt area offshore West Greenland: indications for gas hydrates?

The present study is the first to directly address the issue of gas hydrates offshore West Greenland, where numerous occurrences of shallow hydrocarbons have been documented in the vicinity of Disko Bugt (Bay). Furthermore, decomposing gas hydrate has been implied to explain seabed features in this climate-sensitive area. The study is based on archive data and new (2011, 2012) shallow seismic and sediment core data. Archive seismic records crossing an elongated depression (20×35 km large, 575 m deep) on the inner shelf west of Disko Bugt (Bay) show a bottom simulating reflector (BSR) within faulted Mesozoic strata, consistent with the occurrence of gas hydrates. Moreover, the more recently acquired shallow seismic data reveal gas/fluid-related features in the overlying sediments, and geochemical data point to methane migration from a deeper-lying petroleum system. By contrast, hydrocarbon signatures within faulted Mesozoic strata below the strait known as the Vaigat can be inferred on archive seismics, but no BSR was visible. New seismic data provide evidence of various gas/fluid-releasing features in the overlying sediments. Flares were detected by the echo-sounder in July 2012, and cores contained ikaite and showed gas-releasing cracks and bubbles, all pointing to ongoing methane seepage in the strait. Observed seabed mounds also sustain gas seepages. For areas where crystalline bedrock is covered only by Pleistocene–Holocene deposits, methane was found only in the Egedesminde Dyb (Trough). There was a strong increase in methane concentration with depth, but no free gas. This is likely due to the formation of gas hydrate and the limited thickness of the sediment infill. Seabed depressions off Ilulissat Isfjord (Icefjord) previously inferred to express ongoing gas release from decomposing gas hydrate show no evidence of gas seepage, and are more likely a result of neo-tectonism.     

Geophysical ground-truthing experiments in Eckernförde Bay

During the 1994 Coastal Benthic Boundary Layer Project research cruise in Eckernförde Bay, multichannel digital seismic and electrical resistivity data were collected using surface- and bottom-towed arrays. Profiling with a bottom-towed sled yielded shear wave velocity and electrical resistivity data indicative of the structural strength of the sediment and of the properties of the pore space. Shear wave velocities for the gassy mud were, as expected, extremely low, ranging from < 10 m s^–1 at the surface to around 16 m s^–1 at 2 m. Variations in electrical properties were correlatable with lithological change. It is anticipated that analysis of reflection responses will provide significant additional geotechnical ground-truthing.     

海底松散沉积物声学性质原位测量实验研究

分析研究了国内外海底松散泥沙的声速和声衰减系数测量的研究现状,并据此研制了海底表层沉积物声速声衰减系数原位测量系统。利用原位测量系统分别在实验室和海滩对不同粒度的沉积物进行了测量分析,得到了不同粒度沉积物的声速和声衰减系数。数据分析表明,沉积物的声速和声衰减系数与沉积物的粒径有密切的关系,粒径越粗,声速越高,声衰减系数越大。通过沉积物声学性质研究,可以开发海底浅层沉积物声学性质原位测量技术,提高相关海洋调查的速度和效率。     

Complex sedimentation of the Holocene mud deposits in a ria-type coastal area,eastern Korea Strait

The innermost shelf of the eastern Korea Strait is a ria-type coastal sea comprising islands, intervening passageways and embayments. A detailed analysis of high-resolution (1−10 kHz) subbottom profiles and core sediments from this area reveals complicated depositional and distributional patterns of the Holocene mud deposits related to complex topography with varying supply of the adjacent Nakdong riverine sediments. Sediments from the Nakdong River were bifurcated around Gadeok Island, forming two proximal systems: Nakdong and western Gadeok systems. These proximal systems prograded offshore (southward) by active sediment supply from the Nakdong River in the early stage. Suspended sediments passing through the Nakdong system formed the distal (Gadeok Waterway and eastern Geoje) systems in the area between the northern Geoje and Gadeok islands. These distal systems show a northwestward (onshore) prograding tendency to Jinhae Bay, the biggest bay in the vicinity of the Nakdong estuary in which the Jinhae Bay system developed. In the late stage, a remarkable decrease of sediment supply from the Nakdong River has caused retrograding geometry of the two proximal systems. However, the most distal (Jinhae Bay) system has continuously prograded bayward due to the persistent supply of sediments resuspended by strong tidal currents from nearby distal (Gadeok Waterway and eastern Geoje) systems. These complex depositional features indicate that topography has an important influence on depositional developments of the Holocene mud deposits by controlling path and intensity of sediment dispersal and resuspension processes.     

在轴向应力-应变下海底沉积物声速及其变化

对南海南部海域海底浅表层沉积物短柱状样进行轴向应力-应变/声学测量,结果表明沉积物纵波声速有三种不同的变化结果:(1)声速从应变过程开始随应力-应变曲线变化,在最大应力时声速同时也是最大值,结束时可能高于或低于开始时的声速;(2)声速从应变过程开始逐渐减小,结束时是最小值;(3)声速从应变过程开始逐渐增大,最大值出现在结束时.这些结果与海底浅表层沉积物的物理力学性质、颗粒接触状态、颗粒的微结构等特征有关.研究结果可为深入认识南海南部各种海底沉积物作为承载界面的可靠性、声遥测遥感海底沉积物的工程力学性质等科学目的提供理论依据.     

Geoacoustic and physical properties of carbonate sediments of the Lower Florida Keys

 Near-surface sediment geoacoustic and physical properties were measured from a variety of unconsolidated carbonate sediments in the Lower Florida Keys. Surficial values of compressional and shear speed correlate with sediment physical properties and near-surface acoustic reflectivity. Highest speeds (shear 125–150 m s^-1; compressional 1670–1725 m s^-1) are from sandy sediments near Rebecca Shoal and lowest speeds (shear 40–65 m s^-1; compressional 1520–1570 m s^-1) are found in soft, silty sediments which collect in sediment ponds in the Southeast Channel of the Dry Tortugas. High compressional wave attenuation is attributed to scattering of acoustic waves from heterogeneity caused by accumulation of abundant shell material and other impedance discontinuities rather than high intrinsic attenuation. Compared to siliciclastic sediments, carbonate sediment shear wave speed is high for comparable values of sediment physical properties. Sediment fabric, rather than changes due to the effects of biogeochemical processes, is responsible for these differences.     

Comparison of high-resolution seismic profiles and the geoacoustic properties of Eckernförde Bay sediments

High-resolution seismic profiles of Eckernförde Bay and the adjacent Baltic Sea were collected, and the geoacoustic properties of sediments there were measured. Bulk densities averaged ~ 1.35 g cm^–3 and ranged from ~ 1.2 to ~ 1.7 g cm^–3. Compressional wave velocities in gas-free sediments averaged ~ 1460 m s^–1 and ranged from ~ 1425 to ~ 1555 m s^–1. In nongassy sediments, bulk density variations typically controlled changes of acoustic impedance. Impedance changes were usually too small and closely spaced to be resolved seismically, although, at certain sites, significant impedance changes are far apart enough that they correlate one-to-one with seismic reflectors. Where free gas is present, velocity decreases and wave energy is scattered, causing a prominent seismic reflector.     

A new automated nondestructive system for high resolution multi-sensor core logging of open sediment cores

 A new system for logging the geophysical properties of marine sediment cores allows both whole cores and split cores to be measured in a nondestructive fashion. The current sensor configuration measures compressional (P) wave velocity (500 kHz), bulk density (using gamma-ray attenuation), and magnetic susceptibility at user-defined sample intervals down the core. Split-core logging gives more reliable results than whole core logging as it mostly eliminates core-slumping effects that can lead to spurious results; it also gives higher resolution magnetic susceptibility readings. Received: 16 May 1997 / Revision received: 24 October 1997