侧扫声纳系统姿态参数平滑方法研究

针对侧扫声纳系统姿态参数采样率低于声纳Ping值采样率的问题,采用窗口移动多项式最小二乘平滑方法（Savitzky—Golay平滑法）,对阶梯状姿态数据进行平滑。结果证明了该法的可行性。在选取窗口宽度和多项式阶数时,通过实测数据比较表明,采用窗口为11的二阶多项式平滑后结果与原数据符合程度高。     

Seafloor evidence for ice shelf flow across the Alaska–Beaufort margin of the Arctic Ocean

New imagery of ～14 100 km² of seafloor along a 640 km stretch of the Alaska and Beaufort margins (ABM) in water depths from 250 to 2800 m depicts a repetitive association of glaciogenic bedforms (lineations and iceberg scours), broad erosional bathymetric features and adjacent downslope turbidite gullies. These bedforms have styles, depths and orientations similar to features discovered earlier on the Chukchi Borderland, up to 800 km northwest of the ABM. Lineations occur across the surface of a flattened bathymetric bench interpreted to have formed by an ice shelf sliding along the continental slope and scraping the seafloor at temporary grounding locations. The glacial geology of surrounding areas suggests that an ice shelf probably flowed from the mouths of overdeepened glacial troughs in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago westward along the ABM and across the Chukchi Borderland. This curved pathway indicates an obstruction to ice flow in the central Canada Basin, possibly caused by either a basin‐wide ice shelf or by a pile‐up of mega‐bergs originating from the Eurasian side of the Arctic Ocean. The ice shelf that affected the ABM may have formed between Oxygen Isotopic Stage 4 to 5b, possibly correlating to an inferred intra‐Stage 5 widespread Beringian glaciation. Evidence for glaciogenic features on the ABM corroborates suggestions that large ice volumes and extents existed in the Arctic during Pleistocene glacial periods. These findings have far‐reaching implications for Arctic climate studies, ocean circulation, sediment stratigraphy and the stability of circum‐Arctic continental ice masses. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Passage of debris flows and turbidity currents through a topographic constriction: seafloor erosion and deflection of flow pathways

Some of the Earth's largest submarine debris flows are found on the NW African margin. These debris flows are highly efficient, spreading hundreds of cubic kilometres of sediment over a wide area of the continental rise where slopes angles are often <1°. However, the processes by which these debris flows achieve such long run‐outs, affecting tens of thousands of square kilometres of seafloor, are poorly understood. The Saharan debris flow has a run‐out of ≈700 km, making it one of the longest debris flows on Earth. For its distal 450 km, it is underlain by a relatively thin and highly sheared basal volcaniclastic layer, which may have provided the low‐friction conditions that enabled its extraordinarily long run‐out. Between El Hierro Island and the Hijas Seamount on the continental rise, an ≈25‐ to 40‐km‐wide topographic gap is present, through which the Saharan debris flow and turbidites from the continental margin and flanks of the Canary Islands passed. Recently, the first deep‐towed sonar images have been obtained, showing dramatic erosional and depositional processes operating within this topographic `gap' or `constriction'. These images show evidence for the passage of the Saharan debris flow and highly erosive turbidity currents, including the largest comet marks reported from the deep ocean. Sonar data and a seismic reflection profile obtained 70 km to the east, upslope of the topographic `gap', indicate that seafloor sediments to a depth of ≈30 m have been eroded by the Saharan debris flow to form the basal volcaniclastic layer. Within the topographic `gap', the Saharan debris flow appears to have been deflected by a low (≈20 m) topographic ridge, whereas turbidity currents predating the debris flow appear to have overtopped the ridge. This evidence suggests that, as turbidity currents passed into the topographic constriction, they experienced flow acceleration and, as a result, became highly erosive. Such observations have implications for the mechanics of long run‐out debris flows and turbidity currents elsewhere in the deep sea, in particular how such large‐scale flows erode the substrate and interact with seafloor topography.     

Mapping an aggregate extraction site off the Eastern English Channel: A methodology in support of monitoring and management

Each year approximately 23–28 million tonnes of sand and gravel are removed from offshore sediments around England and Wales. This study was located in a licensed marine aggregate extraction site off Shoreham in the Eastern English Channel (EEC thereafter). Results from the multibeam survey showed the presence of dredged pits created by suction hopper dredging and elongated furrows created by trailer suction hopper dredging in the area where sand and gravel had been excavated. Electronic Monitoring System (EMS) contained the dredging intensity recorded annually at the site; this information was combined with particle size data providing interpreted maps, which informed the status of the sediments at the site.     

Acoustic habitat and shellfish mapping and monitoring in shallow coastal water – Sidescan sonar experiences in The Netherlands

Sidescan sonar has been applied in a number of shallow water environments along the Dutch coast to map and monitor shellfish and seabed habitats. The littoral setting of these surveys may hamper data acquisition flying the towfish in zones of turbulence and waves, but also offers valuable opportunities for understanding, interpreting and validating sidescan sonar images because of the ability to ground-truth during low water periods, enabling easy identification and validation. Acoustical images of some of the mussel banks on the tidal flats of the Wadden Sea, recorded at high tide, show a marked resemblance with optical Google Earth images of the same banks. These sonar images may thus serve as ‘acoustic type signatures’ for the interpretation of sonar patterns recorded in deeper water where ground-truthing is more difficult and more expensive. Similarly, acoustic type signatures of (Japanese) oyster banks were obtained in the estuaries in the southwest of the Netherlands.     

Acoustic imagery evidence for methane hydrates in the Ulleung Basin

Approximately 12,000 km² of acoustic backscatter imagery (sidescan) data and swath bathymetry data were collected jointly by Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy, the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO), Hawaii Mapping Research Group (HMRG) and the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in the East Sea (Sea of Japan) in 1995. Preliminary analysis of these data have revealed a large network of canyons with well-developed fan deposits and slumps which were not previously mapped. Also identified is a 1400 km² area occupied by more than 300 circular, low-backscatter features ca. 50–1000 m in diameter which are interpreted to be pockmarks or mounds created by escaping methane gas, methane-rich porewater and mud.Indirect evidence for the probable existence of methane gas hydrate include the five following observations: (1) Core samples in the region contain high levels of organic carbon (>7%), degassing cracks caused by gas expansion, and emit a strong H₂S odor. (2) Extensive canyon formation and slumping may have occurred as the result of the destabilization of sediments due to gas accumulation. (3) Several of the high backscatter objects occur at the crest of a bathymetric high under which gas could be accumulating and periodically releasing in a manner similar to that documented on the Vestnesa Ridge in the Norwegian-Greenland Sea. (4) Pockmark-like features have been identified in 3.5 kHz records on the northern edge of the Ulleung Basin. (5) Drill core samples from the morphologically similar Yamato Basin, which is adjacent to the Ulleung Basin, have positively identified methane and numerous gas voids in unconsolidated sediments. No bottom simulating reflector (BSR) has been identified in seismic reflection profiles collected across the slope in Ulleung Basin.     

New Observations on the Distribution of Past and Present Hydrothermal Activity in the TAG Area of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (26°08′ N)

Seafloor acoustic and photographic imagery combined with high- resolution bathymetry are used to investigate the geologic and tectonic relations between active and relict zones of hydrothermal venting in the TAG (Trans-Atlantic Geotraverse) hydrothermal field at 26°08N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR). The TAG field consists of a large, currently active, high-temperature mound, two relict zones (the Alvin and Mir zones), and an active low-temperature zone. The active mound and the Alvin relict zone lie along a series of closely-spaced, axis-parallel (NNE-trending) faults in an area of active extension east of the neovolcanic zone. The Alvin zone extends for 2.5 km along these faults from the valley floor onto the eastern wall, and consists of at least five mounds identified using DSL-120 sidescan sonar and bathymetric data. The existence of sulfide structures on most of these mounds is verified with near-bottom electronic still camera (ESC) images from the Argo-II deep-towed vehicle, and is confirmed in at least one case with collected samples. Two of these mounds were previously unidentified. The existence of these mounds extends the length of the Alvin zone by ~0.5 km to the south. Much of the Alvin relict zone appears to be buried by debris from a large mass wasting event on the eastern wall of the median valley. The Mir zone, located on normal fault blocks of the eastern valley wall, cannot be clearly identified in the sidescan data and no structural connections from it to the active mound or Alvin zone can be discerned. The active mound is located at the intersection of an older oblique fault set with the younger axis- parallel faults which extend into the Alvin relict zone, and no fresh volcanics are observed in the vicinity of the mound. The fact that both the active mound and the Alvin relict zone lie along the same set of active, axis-parallel faults suggests that the faults may be a major control on the location of hydrothermal activity by providing pathways for fluid flow from a heat source at the ridge axis.     

侧扫声纳在海底管道悬空调查中的应用

海底管道在铺设及运营过程中,受各种因素的影响,会形成部分悬空状态。为保证油管的安全运营,研究了一种基于声学的快速检测方法:主要利用侧扫声纳获取油管附近声学影像,通过数据判读的方法分析并获取管线状态。然后使用该方法,在册镇海底管线调查中进行了应用测试。声学检测结论与水下探摸结果进行比较,测试结果表明该方法可高效、快速、准确并低成本地检测管线状态,可为海底管道运营与治理提供有力的技术支持。     

DTA-6000声学深拖系统在富钴结壳探测中的应用

富钴结壳作为一种潜在的海洋矿产资源逐渐引起人们的关注,研究发现海山微地形是影响富钴结壳分布的重要因素。DTA-6000声学深拖系统是我国具有自主知识产权的第一套深海拖曳观测系统,其最大工作深度6 000 m,该设备上安装的高分辨率测深侧扫声纳和浅地层剖面仪能够分别获得高分辨率的海底地形地貌和浅地层剖面。它的测深覆盖范围600 m,侧扫覆盖范围800 m。声学深拖系统因其高效和价格优势,被列为富钴结壳资源调查的常规设备。大洋29航次中,DTA-6000声学深拖系统在采薇海山完成2条测线共约50 km海山斜坡的探测,获得了高分辨率的地形地貌数据和浅地层剖面数据。介绍DTA-6000声学深拖系统及其在富钴结壳探测中的应用,并对探测结果进行了分析。