Analysis of the influences of physical parameters on sediment sound speed

Based on the core samples collected in different geological tectonic units in the southern South China Sea, the double parameter equations between sediment sound speed and physical parameters were developed. According to the double parameter equations, the influences of physical parameters (porosity, mean grain size, wet bulk density, and clay content) on sediment sound speed were analyzed. To analyze the sensitivity of each parameter in the double parameter equations, the error norm method was introduced. The most influencing physical parameters with relative order were analyzed using the error norm method. These results show that porosity has a major influence on the sound speed, and the most influential physical parameters on sound speed are as follows: porosity > wet bulk density > clay content > mean grain size.