Measurement of sound-speed gradients in deep-ocean sediments usingl_{1}deconvolution techniques

A method is described for measuring the sound speed and the sound-speed gradient of surficial sea floor sediment from bottom-reflected signals recorded in marine seismic experiments. The technique makes use of the ocean-bottom impulse responses that are deconvolved from the data by means of a novel curve-fitting algorithm based on thel_{1}norm (least absolute value) criterion. The algorithm constructs the impulse response by extracting spikes one at a time in a manner that causes thel_{1}error to decrease by the maximum amount possible as each spike is chosen. Thel_{1}curve-fitting approach is a completely general strategy for deconvolution, and our algorithm can be used with data obtained from any type of marine seismic source. Since our experiments have been carried out with small explosive charges, we have also developed a method for estimating the bubble-pulse wavelet directly from the recorded bottom-reflected signal. In this paper, thel_{1}algorithm is used to deconvolve impulse responses for data obtained in an experiment in the Alaskan Abyssal Plain. The sediment-sound-speed gradient determined from these results is typical of other values reported for turbidite abyssal plains where the surficial sediments are composed of unconsolidated silty deposits.     

Tsunami detectability using open-ocean bottom pressure fluctuations

Rationale for the measurement of open-ocean tsunami signatures are presented, and available pertinent data are reviewed. Models for tsunami signature and background noise are proposed in order to synthesize an optimum tsunami receiver. Using these models, the minimum tsunami amplitude (in cm) to yield the probability of correct tsunami detectionP_{D} = 0.999and probability of false alarmP_{F} = 10^{-3}is found to be0.718/sqrt{f_{0}}, wheref_{0}is the tsunami dominant frequency (in cycles/h). A realizable receiver is proposed and its performance is evaluated using actual tsunami signatures. It is demonstrated that the detection of a tsunami with an average amplitude as small as 0.7 cm is possible for theP_{D}andP_{F}as above. Simulation results using synthesized background noise are shown. Tidal effects on the receiver performance also are considered and are found negligible for a certain range of the receiver parameters, resulting in a considerable reduction of the signal processing required.     

Morphology,Trace, and Rare Earth Elements of Detrital Zircon of Kayamkulam,Thottappally Placers,South West India—Implications for Provenance

Detrital zircon crystals from beach and were subjected to morphology and Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) analysis to assess the efficacy of the zircon composition as a provenance indicator. The inclusions of rutile and sillimanite in the lattice of the zircon support metamorphic growth. Zircon grains from relatively dry alkalic and igneous rocks tend to be dominated by {100} and {101} forms, whereas those from aluminous to calc-alkaline rocks exhibit various combinations of forms, with a predominance of {211}, and those from water-rich granites and pegmatites tend to have {110} and {101} as their dominant forms. Prismatic faces develop from zircon mainly due to the temperature of the crystallisation, but the pyramidal faces were linked to chemical factors. Light group Rare Earth Element (LREE) is enriched relative to Heavy group Rare Earth Element (HREE) in zircon. It shows significant negative anomalies in Eu, Co, Rb, and Cs and positive anomalies in V, Zn, Sr, Y, Nb, and Ba. The negative anomaly of Eu is maybe due to the redox condition operative at the time of zircon crystallisation from magma, where most of the Eu could be in Eu²⁺ state. The ratio of the Zr/Hf in detrital zircon shows a range of values between 6.56 and 6.25%. This supports the idea of the role ascribed to mafic rocks for the parentage of southwest coastal placer deposits.     

The electrical conductivity of weight diluted and concentrated standard seawater as a function of salinity and temperature

The ratiosR_{s,t,o}of electrical conductivity of seawater samples of precisely known salinity to standard seawater at the same temperature have been measured over a wide range of salinities from 0 to42permilS and over the full range of oceanic temperatures from -2 to35degC. The samples withS<35permilwere prepared by accurate weight dilution of standard seawater with distilled water. High salinity samples were prepared by fast evaporation of standard seawater and subsequent weight dilution into the already determined <35permilrange. An equation was derived which expresses the S versusR_{s,t,o}relationship very precisely from1-42permiland at all temperatures, i.e.,S = f_{1}(R_{s,t,o}) + f_{2}(R_{s, t,o},t) =Sigma_{n=0}^{5} a_{n}R^{n/2}+ frac{Delta t}{1+kDelta t} Sigma_{n=0}^{5} b_{n}R^{n/2}whereDelta t = t-15degC,R = R_{s, t.o}; only the first termf_{1}is required at15degC. The effeet of temperature on the electrical conductivity of standard seawater was also measured. The ratior_{t}of the conductivity at temperaturetto the conductivity at15degC (C_{35,t, o}/C_{35,15,o}) is very aeenrately expressed by a fourth degree equation int. i.e,r_{t}=Sigma_{n=0}^{4} c_{n}t^{n}These two equations are sufficient for all salinity determinations at normal atmospheric pressure.     

The extension of the Practical Salinity Scale 1978 to low salinities

The Practical Salinity Scale (PSS) 1978 is defined only for salinities within the range 2-42. We have investigated the relationship between mass-determined salinity, electrical conductivity, and temperature for salinities between 0 and 2 with the aim of developing an extension to the Practical Salinity Scale 1978. The paper presents our data, on the basis of which the following correction is proposed to extend the validity of the equations defining the scale to the entire 0-42 range:S=summin{i=0}max{5} (a_{i}+b_{i}f(t))R_{t}^{i/2}-frac{a_{0}}{1 + 1.5x + x^{2}}-frac{b_{0}f(t)}{1+y^{1/2} + y + y^{3/2}}wheref(t)=frac{(t-15)}{1 + k(t-15)x=400R_{t}y=100R_{t}and the constanta_{i}, b_{i}, andkare defind by the Practical Salinity Scale 1978.     

The effect of concentration and temperature on the conductivity ratio of potassium chloride solutions to standard seawater of salinity 35 ‰(Cl 19.3740 ‰)

The ratiosZ_{K,t}of electrical conductivities of potassium chloride (KCI) solutions of known concentration (K) to standard seawater at the same temperature have been measured at15degC and24degC for solutions withZ_{k,15}between 0.96 and 1.04. The "normal" concentration (N or K_{N}) givingZ_{N,15}= 1was found to beK_{N} = 32.4356gKCI/kg solution. The effect of temperature onZ_{N,t}was measured over the range15degC to30degC. Equations are given for KCI concentration as a function ofZ_{15}and the inverse function, forZ_{15}/Z_{24}as a function ofZ_{24}(to allow use of a laboratory salinometer for the KCI-seawater comparisons), andZ_{N,t}as a function of temperature.     

A portable salinometer based on direct measurement of the conductivity ratioR_{t}

A new portable salinometer has been developed which is based On a direct determination of the conductivity ratioR_{t} = (C_{x}/ C_{s})_{t}of sample(x)to standard(s)seawater in a dual-cell, continuous-flow system. The new salinometer requires only 10 ml of unknown and much less of standard, drawn from the source bottles through fine Teflon tubes, to obtain complete flushing and several repeat readings to the order ofpm0.001, in salinity. The system is autobalancing over the full range of conductivity ratio from 0 to 1.3 and in the future will be direct reading in salinity units. The amount of standard water required is so low that standard water ampoules, at the rate of l/day, can be used as the source. The method used offers a possibility of a direct measurement of salinity in the ocean by measuringR_{t}in situ.     

Acoustic Observation of the Time Dependence of the Roughness of Sandy Seafloors

A statistical model for the time evolution of seafloor roughness due to biological activity is applied to photographic and acoustic data. In this model, the function describing small scale seafloor topography obeys a time-evolution equation with a random forcing term that creates roughness and a diffusion term that degrades roughness. When compared to acoustic data from the 1999 and 2004 Sediment Acoustics Experiments (SAX99 and SAX04), the model yields diffusivities in the range from 3.5$,times {hbox {10}} ^{-11}$ to 2.5 $,times {hbox {10}} ^{-10}~{hbox {m}}^{2} {hbox {s}} ^{-1}$ (from 10 to 80 cm$^{2} {hbox {yr}}^{-1}$), with the larger values occurring at sites where bottom-feeding fish were active. While the experimental results lend support to the model, a more focused experimental and simulation effort is required to test several assumptions intrinsic to the model.      

Properties of superresonant systems of spherical scatterers

Systems of identical precisely spaced bubbles or similar monopole scatterers in water-e.g., inflated balloons or thin-walled shells-insonified at frequenciesomega_{SR}dose to their fundamental radial resonanceomega_{0}(bubble) frequency may themselves display resonance modes or superresonances (SR's) [1]. Ordinary single-bubble resonances magnify the local free-field pressure amplitudep_{1}by a factor(ka)^{-1},abeing the radius andkthe wavenumber in water: for air bubbles or balloons in water, this factor is of the order of 70. Under SR conditions each member of the system amplifies the local free-field amplitude by a further factor of order(ka)^{-1}. Depending upon geometry and other constraints, the pressure fieldP_{SR}on the surface and in the interior of each scatterer will then be in the range of10^{3}p_{1}to5 times 10^{3} p_{1}. This paper investigates the sensitivity of this phenomenon to small departures from the ideal model. In particular, it examines the effect of small differences in scatter positioning and volumes in the context of an SR system consisting of two bubbles/balloons close to the boundary of a thin elastic plate overlying a fluid half-space. It is found that, to observe the SR phenomenon, radii and positions should be controlled to within approximately 1/2 percent.P_{SR}is also sensitive to the angle of incidence of the plane wave train. For the simple system examined here, this sensitivity is considerable for either flexural wave trains or volume acoustic waves incident upon the bubble/ balloon pair (doublet). Practical uses of the phenomenon may range from the design of passive high-Qacoustical filter/amplifiers and acoustical lenses to improved source efficiencies.