Traveling wavefront ray tracing and its applications

The current discussion of whether marine geodesy is something entirely new or part of oceanography or geodesy can be clarified by re‐examining our notions about the basic business of geodesy. This paper contends that the same basic geodetic services, which were needed for millenia to chart and control new territory, are being adapted now to the marine environment to suit modern accuracy standards. In a brief historical review it is shown that conceptually, the oceanic regions were always an integral part of geodetic concern. The oceans were certainly part of the world for the ancient map makers and for Pythagoras’ spherical earth model. Notions connected with the marine geoid were implied in ancient speculations. Distances and directions at sea, even depths, were determined to meet the requirements of the times. With the modern sophistication in geodetic theory and measuring techniques, these ideas became more refined and demanding in turn, but they were there all the time. For obvious reasons, land geodesy developed faster; marine geodesy will catch up now, because only now there is the technical capability and also an urgent economic motivation.     

Accurate GPS measurement of the location and orientation of a floating platform

Abstract

This article describes the design and initial tests of the GPS portion of a system for making seafloor geodesy measurements. In the planned system, GPS antennas on a floating platform will be used to measure the location of an acoustic transducer, attached below the platform, which interrogates an array of transponders on the seafloor. Since the GPS antennas are necessarily some distance above the transducer, a short‐baseline GPS interferometer consisting of three antennas is used to measure the platform's orientation.

A preliminary test of several crucial elements of the system was performed at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) in December 1989. The test involved a fixed antenna on the pier and a second antenna floating on a buoy about 80 m away. GPS measurements of the vertical component of this baseline, analyzed independently by two groups using different software, agree with each other and with an independent measurement within a centimeter.

The first test of an integrated GPS/acoustic system took place in the Santa Cruz Basin off the coast of southern California in May 1990. In this test a much larger buoy, designed and built at SIO, was equipped with three GPS antennas and an acoustic transducer that interrogated a transponder on the ocean floor. Preliminary analysis indicates that the horizontal position of the transponder can be determined with a precision of about a centimeter. Further analysis will be required to investigate the magnitude of systematic errors.     

Acoustic estimations of porosity and thickness for thin soft surface layer of sea floor

Abstract

In some areas, the sea floor contains a surface layer with high porosity and a thickness of 10–30 cm. The characters of an explosive pulse reflected at such a sea floor are discussed. The thickness and porosity estimations for the surface layer by acoustic method are studied, and the estimated and measured results are listed.     

Two acoustic surveys of pelagic fish in Hawke Bay,New Zealand, 1980

The design and execution of two acoustic surveys of Hawke Bay in February and September/October 1980 are described. Though the resulting acoustic data were, for technical reasons, of limited value, they illustrate the information which may be drawn from acoustic surveys. Fish distributions may be rapidly mapped, not only by area, but throughout most of the water column and over time. Qualitative observations on fish distribution may be quantified. The estimation of variance in acoustic surveys is discussed in detail with particular emphasis on the problems of systematic surveys. The role of replicate observations is stressed. Coefficients of variation for relative fish density estimates from the two surveys probably lie between 5 and 30%.     

Distribution and Acoustic Characteristics of Shallow Gas in the Korea Strait Shelf Mud off SE Korea

Shallow gas in the Korea Strait shelf mud (KSSM) off SE Korea, revealed by high-resolution subbottom profiles, is associated with acoustic blanking, acoustic turbidity, seepages with plumes in the water column, and seafloor depressions. The acoustic blanking, characterized by strong, consistent top reflection and wipeout below, is most dominant. The seaward edge of the acoustic blanking zone generally coincides with the 100-m water-depth contour, suggesting that the water depth (the pressure) may control the distribution of shallow gas. The acoustic turbidity, characterized by diffuse top reflection, is a dark smear, partially blanking the data below. The seepages with plumes, characterized by vertical smearing and disturbed seafloor, are seen only along the shallowest, landward edge of the acoustic blanking zone. This may suggest that the decreased gas solubility at shallow water depths, caused by the lowered pressure, increases the volume of free gas in the sediments, facilitating the gas escape. The seafloor depressions, interpreted as pockmarks, are accompanied by cone-shaped acoustic masking, which is probably the reflection from a narrow vent of gas. The gas-related acoustic anomalies appear to occur mostly in the upper, recent mud of the KSSM. Neither permeable beds nor faults, which can act as vertical migration pathways for deep thermogenic gas, are evident in the recent mud. We interpret that the bacterial degradation of organic matter in situ is the main source for the gas in the KSSM. The upwelling off SE Korea may be an important source for the increased organic matter in the area.     

Pdif震相在CDSN兰州地震台的记录特征

通过对CDSN兰州地震台1990-2000年间31个极远震记录的分析,得到了Pdif震相在CDSN宽频带数字地震仪上的运动学和动力学特征;给出了兰州地震台Pdif震相走时便查表,以便分析时查询比较.所得结果有助于提高地震速报能力和积累震相分析经验,有助于对核幔边界物理性质的认识.     

洪涝异常与云南楚雄地区强震的相关分析

利用云南省123个气象台站1960年以来的降雨量资料,使用年降雨量距平百分率方法,分析楚雄强震与降雨量的关系,结果发现：年降雨量距平百分率≥0.25的台站数大于8,次年云南地区皆有Ms≥6.0地震,也是楚雄地区发生6级强震背景条件;楚雄地区强震前表现涝异常,即该区域强震具有涝—震特征.     

鄂尔多斯盆地西缘中南段构造特征与演化

利用平衡地质剖面技术和2D Move软件对鄂尔多斯盆地西缘中南段骨架地震剖面进行了精细解释。重新厘定9条一级断裂,确定4个一级构造单元,依据地质结构与构造样式的不同,将西缘中南段划分为5个段。构造变形自西向东依次减弱,南北向中部马家滩段以薄皮构造为主,其余段以厚皮构造为主;西缘中南段不同地区最短收缩量不同,甜水堡段最短收缩量达50.62%,其构造变形主要发生于侏罗纪末期,最终定型于新生代。可见,西缘中南段具有“东西分带、南北分段”的典型特点,构造圈闭与油气聚集关系密切。     

出现于南沙海域的黄带棘箱鲀的形态特征

2011年4月17日在南沙海域调查时,采集到2尾棘箱鲀属(Kentrocapros)标本,经鉴定为黄带棘箱鲀(Kentrocapros flavofasciantus),标本现保存在南海水产研究所标本馆.标本体长分别为108、135 mm.无鳍棘和腹鳍,背鳍和臀鳍各1个.背鳍鳍条数目为11,胸鳍鳍条数目为12,臀鳍鳍条数目为10,尾鳍鳍条数目为11.体长为体高的2.41～2.57倍,体宽的3.07～3.09倍,头长的3.38～3.48倍,吻长的4.35～4.70倍.头长为眼径的2.22～2.38倍,眼间隔的1.35～1.54倍,鳃孔长度的3.10～3.33倍.除尾柄、胸鳍基部、背鳍基部、臀鳍基部、肛门附近之外,体披硬体甲,体甲刚好在背鳍前方闭合,体甲为6棱形,无刺平滑,从肛门连续沿纵线到胸鳍基部下前方形成裸褶.体侧无侧线.上下颌每侧具8个小柱状切牙.胸鳍最上第一鳍条很短,长度约为第二鳍条的1/6.体为褐黄色,体甲有两条较宽的纵向黄带.唇为褐棕色,牙为红褐色.所有鳍条为黄色或略显褐黄色.     

小尺度海底沉积物的声衰减特性研究

为研究小尺度海底沉积物样品的声衰减特性,作者提出了用声学探针测量海底沉积物声波幅值的新方法,对沉积物样品扰动小,两个测量点的距离可小于波长,为海底沉积物微观声衰减测量提供了新手段。作者用小于波长的间隔逐点测量了沉积物的压缩波幅值,数据分析表明沿沉积物柱状样全长的声衰减满足指数衰减模型。目前主要用同轴差距衰减测量法获得海底沉积物声衰减数据,但该方法不能辨识声衰减模型,因此不同海区的测量结果难以建立联系。对此作者又提出用声吸收系数反演的幅值比与声衰减系数反演的R值(两种幅值比的比值)作评价依据,分析了垂直轴差距衰减测量法获得的南海海底沉积物声衰减测量数据,发现部分沉积物样品声衰减的R值远大于1,其声衰减不满足指数衰减模型。在声衰减满足指数衰减模型的条件下,用Hamilton的声衰减和频率经验公式预报的南海沉积物声衰减比与作者用声学探针测量海底沉积物所得的声衰减比对比,通过对R值分析得出Hamilton的声衰减和频率经验公式可以预报南海沉积物声衰减比的范围。作者提出的声学探针测量海底沉积物声衰减的方法的优点是既能获得声衰减数据又能辨识声衰减模型,不同海区测量的沉积物声衰减比可用R值建立联系。