Quantitative estimation of bubble volume fraction of submarine seep plumes by modeling seismic oceanography data

Submarine seep plumes are a natural phenomenon in which different types of gases migrate through deep or shallow subsurface sediments and leak into seawater in pressure gradient.When detected using acoustic data,the leaked gases frequently exhibit a flame-like structure.We numerically modelled the relationship between the seismic response characteristic and bubble volume fraction to establish the bubble volume fraction in the submarine seep plume.Results show that our models are able to invert and predict the bubble volume fraction from field seismic oceanography data,by which synthetic seismic sections in different dominant frequencies could be numerically simulated,seismic attribute sections(e.g.,instantaneous amplitude,instantaneous frequency,and instantaneous phase)extracted,and the correlation between the seismic attributes and bubble volume fraction be quantitatively determined with functional equations.The instantaneous amplitude is positively correlated with bubble volume fraction,while the instantaneous frequency and bubble volume fraction are negatively correlated.In addition,information entropy is introduced as a proxy to quantify the relationship between the instantaneous phase and bubble volume fraction.As the bubble volume fraction increases,the information entropy of the instantaneous phase increases rapidly at the beginning,followed by a slight upward trend,and finally stabilizes.Therefore,under optimal noise conditions,the bubble volume fraction of submarine seep plumes can be inverted and predicted based on seismic response characteristics in terms of seismic attributes.

Responses of Nutrients to the Precipitation Variation and Land Use in Subtropical Monsoonal Small Mountainous Rivers:A Case Study of Baixi Watershed

Small mountainous rivers are characterized by large instantaneous fluxes and susceptible to extreme weather events,which can rapidly transport materials into the sea and have a significant impact on the ecological environment of estuaries and bays.In order to investigate the seasonal characteristics of nutrients in small mountainous rivers in the subtropical monsoon region and the output pattern to the sea during heavy precipitation,surveys on the mountainous rivers were carried out in Baixi watershed in August 2020(wet season),March 2021(dry season)and June 2021(Meiyu period).The results showed that the dissolved inorganic nitrogen(DIN)of the rivers has an average concentration of 752μg L^(−1)in the wet season and 1472μg L^(−1)in the dry season.The concentrations of dissolved inorganic phosphorus(DIP)in wet season and dry season were 63μg L^(−1)and 51μg L^(−1),respectively.Influenced by the changes of land use in sub-watersheds,DIN concentrations in the mainstream increased from 701μg L^(−1)in the upper reaches to 1284μg L^(−1)in the middle reaches.Two rainstorms during the Meiyu period in the watershed caused the pulse runoff in the river.The maximum daily runoff reached 70 times that before rains.The maximum daily fluxes of DIN and DIP were 109 and 247 times that before rains,respectively.In view that the watershed experienced several rainstorms in the wet season,the river,with pulse runoff,carries a large amount of nutrients into the sea in a short time,which will have a significant impact on the environment of Sanmen bay and its adjacent sea.

Geological reservoir and resource potential(10^(13)m^(3))of gas hydrates in the South China Sea

A detailed understanding of the distribution and potential of natural gas hydrate(NGHs)resources is crucial to fostering the industrialization of those resources in the South China Sea,where NGHs are abundant.In this study,this study analyzed the applicability of resource evaluation methods,including the volumetric,genesis,and analogy methods,and estimated NGHs resource potential in the South China Sea by using scientific resource evaluation methods based on the factors controlling the geological accumulation and the reservoir characteristics of NGHs.Furthermore,this study compared the evaluation results of NGHs resource evaluations in representative worldwise sea areas via rational analysis.The results of this study are as follows:(1)The gas hydrate accumulation in the South China Sea is characterized by multiple sources of gas supply,multi-channel migration,and extensive accumulation,which are significantly different from those of oil and gas and other unconventional resources.(2)The evaluation of gas hydrate resources in the South China Sea is a highly targeted,stratified,and multidisciplinary evaluation of geological resources under the framework of a multi-type gas hydrate resource evaluation system and focuses on the comprehensive utilization of multi-source heterogeneous data.(3)Global NGHs resources is n×10^(15)m^(3),while the NGHs resources in the South China Sea are estimated to be 10^(13)m^(3),which is comparable to the abundance of typical marine NGHs deposits in other parts of the world.In the South China Sea,the NGHs resources have a broad prospect and provide a substantial resource base for production tests and industrialization of NGHs.

Changes in Sediment Sources in the Southern Muddy Area of Weihai,China,Since the Late Pleistocene:A Record from Rare Earth Elements

The small muddy areas developed in the southern Shandong Peninsula have attracted increasing attention from researchers because of complex changes in sediment sources driven by sea-level fluctuations and land-sea interactions since the late Pleistocene.This study investigates the evolution of sediment sources and their responses to environmental changes since the late Pleistocene,using core WHZK01 collected from the nearshore muddy area in southern Weihai for rare earth element(REE)analysis.In doing so,this work highlights the changing patterns of material sources and the primary control factors.The results reveal that the sedimentary deposits in core WHZK01 exhibit distinct terrestrial characteristics.Discriminant function analysis(F_(D))and source discrimination dia-grams both suggest that the primary sources of these deposits are the Yellow River and adjacent small and medium-sized rivers,although the sources vary among different sedimentary units.Furthermore,the DU3 layer(17.82-25.10 m)displays typical riverine sedimentation,dominated by terrestrial detrital input,primarily from the local rivers,namely the Huanglei and Muzhu Rivers.The material in the DU2 layer(14.91-17.82 m)is mainly influenced by a mixture of the Qinglong and Yellow Rivers.The DU1 layer(0-14.91 m)is influenced by sea-level changes during the Holocene,with the Yellow River being the primary source,although there is also some input from local rivers.The changes in sea level during the Holocene and the input of Yellow River material carried by the coastal currents of the Yellow Sea are identified as the main controlling factors for the changes in material sources in the study area since the late Pleistocene,with small and mediumsized rivers also exerting some influence on the material sources.The above mentioned findings not only contribute to a better understanding of the source-sink systems of the Yellow River and adjacent small and mediumsized rivers but also deepen our understanding of the late Quaternary land-sea interactions in the Shandong Peninsula.

Discovery and characterization of a new hydrothermal field at 2°N on the slow-spreading Carlsberg Ridge

A new hydrothermal field(Tianshi)was discovered on the rift valley wall through plume anomaly surveys and geological work conducted in 2012 and 2018 between 2°35′N and 2°43′N of the slow-spreading Carlsberg Ridge(CR).Here,the results of two expeditions conducted to detect and characterize the new hydrothermal field are reported.Mineralogical and geochemical data,as well as 14 C ages of a sediment core collected near the field are presented to reveal the hydrothermal history.Results show that the Tianshi field is a basalt-hosted hydrothermal system.Geochemical data of the sediments collected near the field indicate a strong hydrothermal contribution,and hydrothermal Fe and Cu fluxes range from 30 to 155 mg/(cm^(2)·ka)and 0.59 to 11.49 mg/(cm^(2)·ka),respectively.Temporal variations in the fluxes of hydrothermal Fe indicate that there have been at least three amplified hydrothermal venting events(H 1,H 2,and H 3)in the Tianshi field over the last 35.2 ka,in 28.6-35.2 ka BP,22.0-27.6 ka BP,and 1.2-11.4 ka BP,respectively.Hydrothermal event H 2 was driven by an increased magmatic production associated with sea level fall during the Last Glacial Maximum,while event H 3 was promoted by tectonic activity associated with a rapid sea level rise.This study further verified the role of sea level change in modulating hydrothermal activity on mid-ocean ridges.

Deformation Characteristics of Hydrate-Bearing Sediments

The safe and efficient development of natural gas hydrate requires a deep understanding of the deformation behaviors of reservoirs.In this study,a series of triaxial shearing tests are carried out to investigate the deformation properties of hydrate-bearing sediments.Variations of volumetric and lateral strains versus hydrate saturation are analyzed comprehensively.Results indicate that the sediments with high hydrate saturation show dilative behaviors,which lead to strain-softening characteristics during shearing.The volumetric strain curves have a tendency to transform gradually from dilatation to compression with the increase in effective confining pressure.An easy prediction model is proposed to describe the relationship between volumetric and axial strains.The model coefficientβis the key dominating factor for the shape of volumetric strain curves and can be determined by the hydrate saturation and stress state.Moreover,a modified model is established for the calculation of lateral strain.The corresponding determination method is provided for the easy estimation of model coefficients for medium sand sediments containing hydrate.This study provides a theoretical and experimental reference for deformation estimation in natural gas hydrate development.

Experimental Study on Consolidation Properties of Hydrate-Bearing Fine-Grained Sediments Collected from the Shenhu Area of the Northern South China Sea

Mechanical properties of hydrate-bearing fine-grained sediments are crucial to effectively mitigate environmental risks caused by artificial and natural decomposition of natural gas hydrates,and the decomposition can induce laterally confined deformation.To explore the effect of natural gas hydrates on laterally confined compression properties,consolidation tests are conducted on remolded hydrate-free and hydrate-bearing samples by using natural fine-grained sediments collected from the northern South China Sea as the host sediments,and empirical equations are developed based on the analyses of consolidation characteristics.The results show that vertical loading induces a reduction in void ratio,and the reduction increases with decreasing hydrate saturation when samples are subjected to the same vertical stress change.The compression index of samples is about 0.53 whether there is hydrate or not,but the yield stress of samples increases sharply with increasing hydrate saturation once beyond the critical value.The coefficient of volume compression and the coefficient of consolidation of hydrate-bearing samples both increase firstly and then decrease to a relative stable level with increasing vertical stress,and the transition occurs at 200 kPa.The average consolidation degree with elapsed time increases rapidly under low vertical stresses,slowly under median vertical stresses,and under high vertical stresses,the consolidation increases a little faster but still slower than those under low vertical stresses.

Genetic Analysis of Structural Styles in the Makran Accretionary Wedge–Insight from Physical Simulations

The Makran accretionary wedge has the smallest subduction angle among any accretionary prism in the world. The factors controlling the spacing and morphological development of its deep thrust faults, as well as the formation mechanism of shallow normal faults, remain unclear. Meanwhile, the factors affecting the continuity of plane faults must be comprehensively discussed. Clarifying the development characteristics and deformation mechanisms of the Makran accretionary wedge is crucial to effectively guide the exploration of gas hydrate deposits in the area. This study aims to interpret seismic data to identify typical structures in the Makran accretionary wedge, including deep imbricate thrust faults, shallow and small normal faults, wedge-shaped piggyback basins, mud diapirs with fuzzy and disorderly characteristics of reflection, décollements with a northward tilt of 1° – 2°, and large seamounts. Physical simulation-based experiments are performed to comprehensively analyze the results of the plane, section, and slices of the wedge. Results reveal that the distances between and shapes of thrust faults in the deep parts of the Makran accretionary wedge are controlled by the bottom décollement. The uplift of the thrust fault-related folds and the upwelling of the mud diapirs primarily contribute to the formation of small normal faults in the shallow part of the area. The mud diapirs originate from plastic material at the bottom, while those that have developed in the area near the trench are larger. Seamounts and mud diapirs break the continuity of fault plane distribution.

Structural features in the mid-southern section of the Kyushu–Palau Ridge based on satellite altimetry gravity anomaly

The Kyushu–Palau Ridge(KPR),an anti-S-shaped submarine highland at the center of the Philippine Sea Plate(PSP),is considered the residual arc of the Izu–Bonin–Mariana Island Arc,which retains key information about the cessation of the Western Philippine Basin(WPB)expansion and the Parece Vela Basin(PVB)breakup.Herein,using the new generation of satellite altimetry gravity data,high-precision seafloor topography data,and newly acquired ship-borne gravity data,the topographic and gravity characteristics of the KPR mid-southern section and adjacent region are depicted.The distribution characteristics of the faults were delineated using the normalized vertical derivative–total horizontal derivative method(NVDR-THDR)and the minimum curvature potential field separation method.The Moho depth and crustal thickness were inverted using the rapid inversion method for a double-interface model with depth constraints.Based on these results,the crust structure features in the KPR mid-southern section,and the“triangular”structure geological significance where the KPR and Central Basin Rift(CBR)of the WPB intersect are interpreted.The KPR crustal thickness is approximately 6–16 km,with a distinct discontinuity that is slightly thicker than the normal oceanic crust.The KPR mid-southern section crust structure was divided into four segments(S1–S4)from north to south,formed by the CBR eastward extension joint action and clockwise rotation of the PVB expansion axis and the Mindanao fault zone blocking effect.

Microstructure Features and the Macroscopic Acoustic Behavior of Gassy Silt in the Yellow River Delta

The morphological changes in isolated bubbles in gassy silt play a critical role in the microscopic structures between soil particles and bubbles and macroscopic physical properties.Based on X-ray CT scanning experiments under various vertical loads(four levels),self-designed acoustic macro experiments,and a series of formula revisions to the macro-air-bearing silt sound-velocity prediction model,this paper discusses the macro-and micro-scale features of gassy silts from the Yellow River Delta.The samples consisted of different proportions of silt from the Yellow River Delta and porous media,and they were used to form two types of aerosol silts with initial gas contents of 4.23%and 7.67%.The results show that the air bubble content and external load considerably affect the microstructural parameters and acoustic behavior of gassy silt in the Yellow River Delta.The macroscopic sound velocity showed a linear positive correlation with vertical load and relation to microstructural parameters in varying manners and degrees.Based on the traditional Biot-Stoll acoustic model,the gas-phase medium coefficient was introduced for the proper calculation and prediction of the sound velocity of air-bearing silt.The errors of the overall prediction varied between 5.6%and 9.6%.

Microstructure Characterization of Bubbles in Gassy Soil Based on the Fractal Theory

The microscopic characterization of isolated bubbles in gassy soil plays an important role in the macroscopic physical properties of sediments and is a key factor in the study of geological hazards in gas-bearing strata.Based on the box-counting method and the pore fractal features in porous media,a fractal model of bubble microstructure parameters in gassy soil under different gas con-tents and vertical load conditions is established by using an industrial X-ray CT scanning system.The results show that the fractal di-mension of bubbles in the sample is correlated with the volume fraction of bubbles,and it is also restricted by the vertical load.The three-dimensional fractal dimension of the sample is about 1 larger than the average two-dimensional fractal dimension of all the slices from the same sample.The uniform porous media fractal model is used to test the equivalent diameter,and the results show that the variation of the measured pore diameter ratio is jointly restricted by the volume fraction and the vertical load.In addition,the measured self-similarity interval of the bubble area distribution is tested by the porous media fractal capillary bundle model,and the fitting curve of measured pore area ratio in a small loading range is obtained in this paper.

Influence of lithospheric thickness distribution on oil and gas basins,China seas and adjacent areas

The distribution of oil and gas resources is intricately connected to the underlying structure of the lithosphere.Therefore,investigating the characteristics of lithospheric thickness and its correlation with oil and gas basins is highly important.This research utilizes recently enhanced geological–geophysical data,including topographic,geoid,rock layer thickness,variable rock layer density,and interface depth data.Employing the principles of lithospheric isostasy and heat conduction,we compute the laterally varying lithospheric thickness in the China seas and adjacent areas.From these results,two pivotal parameters for different types of oil and gas basins were statistically analyzed:the minimum lithospheric thickness and the relative fluctuation in lithospheric thickness.A semiquantitative analysis was used to explore the connection between these parameters and the hydrocarbon abundance within the oil and gas basins.This study unveils distinct variations in lithospheric thickness among basins,with oil and gas rich basins exhibiting a thicker lithosphere in the superimposed basins of central China and a thinner lithosphere in the rift basins of eastern China.Notably,the relative fluctuations in lithospheric thickness in basins demonstrate significant disparities:basins rich in oil and gas often exhibit greater thickness fluctuations.Additionally,in the offshore basins of China,a conspicuous negative linear correlation is observed between the minimum lithospheric thickness and the relative fluctuation in lithospheric thickness.This study posits that deep-seated thermal upwelling results in lithospheric undulations and extensional thinning in oil and gas basins.Concurrently,sustained deep-seated heat influences sedimentary materials in basins,creating favorable conditions for oil and gas generation.The insights derived from this study contribute to a quantitative understanding of the intricate relationships between deep lithospheric structures and oil and gas basins.These findings provide valuable guidance for future oil and gas exploration in the studied areas.

Tectonic Evolution and Geological Characteristics of Hydrocarbon Reservoirs in Marine Mesozoic-Paleozoic Strata in the South Yellow Sea Basin

The South Yellow Sea Basin is the main body of the lower Yangtze area in which marine Mesozoic–Paleozoic strata are widely distributed.The latest geophysical data were used to overcome the limitation of previous poor-quality deep data.Meanwhile,the geological characteristics of hydrocarbon reservoirs in the marine Mesozoic–Paleozoic strata in the South Yellow Sea Basin were analyzed by comparing the source rocks and the reservoir and utilizing drilling and outcrop data.It is believed that the South Yellow Sea Basin roughly underwent six evolutionary stages:plate spreading,plate convergence,stable platform development,foreland basin development,faulted basin development,and depression basin development.The South Yellow Sea Basin has characteristics of a composite platform-fault depression geological structure,with a half-graben geological structure and with a ‘sandwich structure' in the vertical direction.Four sets of hydrocarbon source rocks developed – the upper Permian Longtan–Dalong formation,the lower Permian Qixia formation,the lower Silurian Gaojiabian formation,and the lower Cambrian Hetang formation/Mufushan formation,giving the South Yellow Sea Basin relatively good hydrocarbon potential.The carbonate is the main reservoir rock type in the South Yellow Sea area,and there are four carbonate reservoir types:porous dolomitic,reef-bank,weathered crust,and fractured.There are reservoir-forming horizons similar to the typical hydrocarbon reservoirs in the Yangtze land area developed in the South Yellow Sea,and there are three sets of complete source-reservoir-cap rock assemblages developed in the marine strata,with very good hydrocarbon potential.

Hydrocarbon Geological Conditions and Exploration Potential of Mesozoic–Paleozoic Marine Strata in the South Yellow Sea Basin

No substantial breakthroughs have been made in hydrocarbon exploration of the South Yellow Sea Basin.It is believed that the Mesozoic-Paleozoic marine sedimentary formation in the South Yellow Sea Basin is similar to that in the Sichuan Basin.Therefore,outcrop,drilling,and seismic data were determined and compared with the research results on petroleum geological conditions in the Yangtze land area,and the hydrocarbon geological conditions were analyzed comprehensively from multiple aspects,such as basin evolution and main source rocks,reservoir characteristics,preservation conditions,and structural traps.The results show that two main stages in the South Yellow Sea Basin(the stable evolution stage of the Mesozoic-Paleozoic marine basin and the Mesozoic-Cenozoic tectonic reformation and basin formation stage)were important for the development and evolution of four sets of main source rocks.Reservoirs dominated by carbonate rocks,three sets of capping beds with good sealing capability,relatively weak magmatic activity,and multiple types of structural traps jointly constituted relatively good hydrocarbon-reservoir-forming conditions.There were four sets of main source-reservoir-cap assemblages and three possible hydrocarbon reservoir types(primary residual-type hydrocarbon reservoir,shallow reformed-type hydrocarbon reservoir,and composite-type hydrocarbon reservoir)developed in the marine strata.It is concluded that the marine strata in the South Yellow Sea Basin have relatively good hydrocarbon potential.The Laoshan Uplift is characterized by stable structure,complete preserved source reservoir cap assemblage,and large structural traps,and thus it is the preferred prospect zone for marine Paleozoic hydrocarbon exploration in this area.

Geochemical analysis of marine sediments using fused glass disc by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

A method was developed for content determination of Na, Mg, A1, Si, P,S, C1, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Nb, Zr, Y, Sr, Rb, Ba, La and Ce etc. covering 26 major, minor, and trace elements in marine sediment samples using fused glass disc by X-ray Fluorescence spectrometry. Calibration was made using marine sediment certified reference materials and the synthetic standard samples prepared by mixing several marine sediments with stream sediment and carbonate standard samples in different proportions. The matrix effect was corrected using theoretical alpha coefficients, experience coefficients and the scattered radiation as the internal standard （for the trace elements）. The accuracy of the method was evaluated by analysis of certified reference materials GBW07314, GBW07334 and GSMS6. The results are in good agreement with the certified values of the standards with RSD less than 2.60%, except for Y, Cr, Ga, Ce, La, Nb, Rb, and V with RSD less than 9.0% （n=12）.

Numerical Simulation for Accuracy of Velocity Analysis in Small-Scale High-Resolution Marine Multichannel Seismic Technology

When used with large energy sparkers, marine multichannel small-scale high-resolution seismic detection technology has a high resolution, high-detection precision, a wide applicable range, and is very flexible. Positive results have been achieved in submarine geological research, particularly in the investigation of marine gas hydrates. However, the amount of traveltime difference information is reduced for the velocity analysis under conditions of a shorter spread length, thus leading to poorer focusing of the velocity spectrum energy group and a lower accuracy of the velocity analysis. It is thus currently debatable whether the velocity analysis accuracy of short-arrangement multichannel seismic detection technology is able to meet the requirements of practical application in natural gas hydrate exploration. Therefore, in this study the bottom boundary of gas hydrates(Bottom Simulating Reflector, BSR) is used to conduct numerical simulation to discuss the accuracy of the velocity analysis related to such technology. Results show that a higher dominant frequency and smaller sampling interval are not only able to improve the seismic resolution, but they also compensate for the defects of the short-arrangement, thereby improving the accuracy of the velocity analysis. In conclusion, the accuracy of the velocity analysis in this small-scale, high-resolution, multi-channel seismic detection technology meets the requirements of natural gas hydrate exploration.

Prospective prediction and exploration situation of marine Mesozoic-Paleozoic oil and gas in the South Yellow Sea

The South Yellow Sea Basin is a large sedimentary basin superimposed by the Mesozoic-Paleozoic marine sedimentary basin and the Mesozoic-Cenozoic terrestrial sedimentary basin, where no oil and gas fields have been discovered after exploration for 58 years. After the failure of oil and gas exploration in terrestrial basins, the exploration target of the South Yellow Sea Basin turned to the marine Mesozoic- Paleozoic strata. After more than ten years' investigation and research, a lot of achievements have been obtained. The latest exploration obtained effective seismic reflection data of deep marine facies by the application of seismic exploration technology characterized by high coverage, abundant low-frequency components and strong energy source for the deep South Yellow Sea Basin. In addition, some wells drilled the Middle-Upper Paleozoic strata, with obvious oil and gas shows discovered in some horizons. The recent petroleum geological research on the South Yellow Sea Basin shows that the structure zoning of the marine residual basin has been redetermined, the basin structure has been defined, and 3 seismic reflection marker layers are traceable and correlatable in the residual thick Middle-Paleozoic strata below the continental Meso-Cenozoic strata in the South Yellow Sea Basin. Based on these, the seismic sequence of the marine sedimentary strata was established. According to the avaliable oil and gas exploration and research, the marine Mesozoic-Paleozoic oil and gas prospects of the South Yellow Sea were predicted as follows.(1) The South Yellow Sea Basin has the same sedimentary formation and evolution history during the sedimentary period of the Middle-Paleozoic marine basin with the Sichuan Basin.(2) There are 3 regional high-quality source rocks.(3) The carbonate and clastic reservoirs are developed in the Mesozoic- Paleozoic strata.(4) The three source-reservoir-cap assemblages are relatively intact.(5) The Laoshan Uplift is a prospect area for the Lower Paleozoic oil and gas, and the Wunansha Uplift is one for the marine Upper Paleozoic oil and gas.(6) The Gaoshi stable zone in the Laoshan Uplift is a favorable zone.(7) The marine Mesozoic-Paleozoic strata in the South Yellow Sea Basin has the geological conditions required to form large oil and gas fields, with remarkable oil and gas resources prospect. An urgent problem to be addressed now within the South Yellow Sea Basin is to drill parametric wells for the Lower Paleozoic strata as the target, to establish the complete stratigraphic sequence since the Paleozoic period, to obtain resource evaluation parameters, and to realize the strategic discovery and achieve breakthrough in oil and gas exploration understanding.

Characteristics and provenance implication of detrital minerals since Marine Isotope Stage 3 in Core SYS-0701 in the western South Huanghai Sea

The previous studies of the sedimentology and chronology of sediment core SYS-0701, which was recovered from the western South Huanghai Sea （Yellow Sea）, have revealed the changes in the sea-level and sedimen- tary evolution during the late Quaternary in the region. The present study used mineralogical data from the section of the core deposited since Marine Isotope Stage （MIS） 3, to decipher the provenance of sediments of the paleo-delta deposited during MIS 3 and MIS 1. Based on the lithologic features and the variations with depth of the concentrations of carbonates and both heavy and light minerals in bulk samples, the up- per part of Core SYS-0701 can be divided into three units designated DU1, DU4, and DU5, in accord with previouslyused terminology. Sub-units of units DU1 （DU1-1 and DU1-2） and DU4 （DU4-1 and DU4-2） have also been identified. DU1 was deposited during MIS 1, and DIJ4 and DU 5 were formed during MIS 3. All data pertaining to dominant heavy mineral assemblages, diagnostic minerals, ratios of diagnostic minerals, light mineral associations, textural maturities, and carbonate contents, indicate that the sediments of Core SYS-0701 are comparable with Huanghe River （Yellow River） sediments. Moreover, the mineralogy of the sediment evidenced its dependence on supply rates and hydrodynamic conditions. Weak hydrodynamics （DU5 and DU4-2） and/or low sediment supply （DU1-2） led to sediment containing less hornblende and epidote, with a large specific gravity and high content of flaky minerals, and vice versa in cases of strong hydrodynamics （DIJ4-1） and very large sediment supply （DUI-1）.

BTEX anomalies used as indicators of submarine oil and gas reservoirs

It is a conventional method for petroleum prospecting to generally use paraffin hydrocarbon as basic indexes of oil and gas. This conventional geochemical technology, however, shows some limits in the prospecting as paraffin is vulnerable to influences from human and biologic activities. Consequently, BTEX （short for benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylem, which are direct biomarkers） among aromatic hydrocarbon series has been taken into account for the oil and gas prediction. Domestic and foreign study results demonstrate that BTEX is hardly disturbed and can well indicate oil and gas reservoirs. Based on measured data from a South China Sea area, the present authors have used self-developed visual assessment software for petroleum prospecting has been used to process data, strip background anomalies, and outline significant BTEX anomalies. By comparison with stratigraphic profiles of the target area, it is confirmed that BTEX is a good indication of marine oil and gas during the petroleum prospecting.

Facial Features of an Air Gun Array Wavelet in the Time-Frequency Domain Based on Marine Vertical Cables

Air gun arrays are often used in marine energy exploration and marine geological surveys.The study of the single bubble dynamics and multibubbles produced by air guns interacting with each other is helpful in understanding pressure signals.We used the van der Waals air gun model to simulate the wavelets of a sleeve gun of various offsets and arrival angles.Several factors were taken into account,such as heat transfer,the thermodynamically open quasi-static system,the vertical rise of the bubble,and air gun post throttling.Marine vertical cables are located on the seafloor,but hydrophones are located in seawater and are far away from the air gun array vertically.This situation conforms to the acquisition conditions of the air gun far-field wavelet and thus avoids the problems of ship noise,ocean surges,and coupling.High-quality 3D wavelet data of air gun arrays were collected during a vertical cable test in the South China Sea in 2017.We proposed an evaluation method of multidimensional facial features,including zeropeak amplitude,peak-peak amplitude,bubble period,primary-to-bubble ratio,frequency spectrum,instantaneous amplitude,instantaneous phase,and instantaneous frequency,to characterize the 3D air gun wave field.The match between the facial features in the field and simulated data provides confidence for the use of the van der Waals air gun model to predict air gun wavelet and facial features to evaluate air gun array.