Geoacoustic Inversion for Bottom Parameters in the Deep-Water Area of the South China Sea

Bottom acoustic parameters play an important role in sound field prediction. Acoustic parameters in deep water are not well understood. Bottom acoustic parameters are sensitive to the transmission-loss （TL） data in the shadow zone of deep water. We propose a multiple-step fill inversion method to invert sound speed, density and attenuation in deep water. Based on a uniform liquid hMf-space bottom model, sound speed of the bottom is inverted by using the long range TL at low frequency obtained in an acoustic propagation experiment conducted in the South China Sea （SCS） in summer 2014. Meanwhile, bottom density is estimated combining with the Hamilton sediment empirical relationship. Attenuation coefficients at different frequencies are then estimated from the TL data in the shadow zones by using the known sound speed and density as a constraint condition. The nonlinear relationship between attenuation coefficient and frequency is given in the end. Tile inverted bottom parameters can be used to forecast the transmission loss in the deep water area of SCS very we//.

Theoretical framework for geoacoustic inversion by adjoint method

Traditional geoacoustic inversions are generally solved by matched-field processing in combination with metaheuristic global searching algorithms which usually need massive computations. This paper proposes a new physical framework for geoacoustic retrievals. A parabolic approximation of wave equation with non-local boundary condition is used as the forward propagation model. The expressions of the corresponding tangent linear model and the adjoint operator are derived, respectively, by variational method. The analytical expressions for the gradient of the cost function with respect to the control variables can be formulated by the adjoint operator, which in turn can be used for optimization by the gradient-based method.

Geoacoustic Inversion Using Time Reversal of Ocean Noise

We present a passive geoacoustic inversion method using two hydrophones, which combines noise interferometry and time reversal mirror （TRM） techniques. Numerical simulations are firstly performed, in which strong fo- cusing occurs in the vicinity of one hydrophone when Green＇s function （GF） is back-propagated from the other hydrophone, with the position and strength of the focus being sensitive to sound speed and density in the bottom. We next extract the GF from the noise cross-correlation function measured by two hydrophones with 8025-m distance in the Shallow Water ＇06 experiment. After realizing the TRM process, sound speed and density in the bottom are inverted by optimizing focusing of the back-propagated GF. The passive inversion method is inherently environmentally friendly and low-cost.

Geoacoustic Inversion for Bottom Parameters via Bayesian Theory in Deep Ocean

We develop a new approach to estimating bottom parameters based on the Bayesian theory in deep ocean. The solution in a Bayesian inversion is characterized by its posterior probability density （PPD）, which combines prior information about the model with information from an observed data set. Bottom parameters are sensitive to the transmission loss （TL） data in shadow zones of deep ocean. In this study, TLs of different frequencies from the South China Sea in the summer of 2014 are used as the observed data sets. The interpretation of the multidimensional PPD requires the calculation of its moments, such as the mean, covariance, and marginal distributions, which provide parameter estimates and uncertainties. Considering that the sensitivities of shallow- zone TLs vary for different frequencies of the bottom parameters in the deep ocean, this research obtains bottom parameters at varying frequencies. Then, the inversion results are compared with the sampling data and the correlations between bottom parameters are determined. Furthermore, we show the inversion results for multi- frequency combined inversion. The inversion results are verified by the experimental TLs and the numerical results, which are calculated using the inverted bottom parameters for different source depths and receiver depths at the corresponding frequency.

Geoacoustic Inversion Based on Modal Dispersion Curve for Range-Dependent Environment

A geoacoustic inversion method is proposed based on the modal dispersion curve of two-wideband explosive signals for range-dependent environment. It is applied to the wideband explosive sound source data from the South China Sea in 2012. The travel time differences of different modes at various frequencies and distances are extracted by warping transform. The mean bottom acoustic parameters are inverted by matching the theoretical modal time differences to that of the experimental data. The inversion results are validated by using other explosive signals at different distances.

Geoacoustic inversion based on reflection model of effective density fluid approximation

In order to obtain the physical and geoacoustic properties of marine sediments,an inverse method using reflection loss of different grazing angles is presented.The reflection loss is calculated according to the reflection model of effective density fluid approximation.A two-step hybrid optimization algorithm combining differential evolution and particle swarm optimization along with Bayesian inversion is employed in estimation of porosity,mean grain size,mass density and bulk modulus of grains.Based on the above physical parameters,geoacoustic parameters,including sound speed and attenuation,are further calculated.According to the numerical simulations,we can draw a conclusion that all the parameters can be well estimated with the exception of bulk modulus of grains.In particular,this indirect inverse method for bottom geoacoustic parameters performs high accuracy and strong robustness.The relative errors are 0.092%and 17%,respectively.Finally,measured reflection loss data of sandy sediments at the bottom of a water tank is analyzed,and the estimation value,uncertainty and correlation of each parameter are presented.The availability of this inverse method is verified through comparison between inverse results and part of measured parameters.

Geoacoustic model and acoustic reflection properties of fluid mud layer in Changjiang Estuary and Hangzhou Bay

A generalized geoacoustic model of fluid mud layer in Chanaiiang Estuary and Hangzhou Bay has been derived from a large amount of in-situ measurements of bulk density (p) profiles of the lay6rs and of lab measurements of acoustic velocities (c) and attenuation coefficients (o) of the fluid mud samples with different values of p for four frequencies of 100 kHz, 150 kHz, 500 kHz, 1500 kHz. The main features of the geoacoustic model can be expressed as follows: from the upper boundary, the bulk density of the fiuid mud increases linearly with depth z, however there is a gradient change (knee) when p is about 12.5 kN/m', then p increases linearly to a value about 15.0 kN/m'. After p more than 15.0, the fluid mud layer quickly transform into an ooze layer. In the fluid mud layer, the acoustic velocity c can be regarded as constant since its variation with z less than 1.5%, and a minimum vaue of c ekists when p is about 13.5 kN/m'. The variations of β with p and with frequency f are linear. Based on the geo-acoustic model and the ray theory, simulations of sound refiection from the fluid mud layers have been made, and some significallt results obtained, from which the bulk density profiles of fluld mud layers can be derived inversely.

Influence of Environmental Conditions on the Sound Velocity Ratio of Seafloor Surficial Sediment

In this work,we investigated the influences of salinity,temperature,and hydrostatic pressure on the acoustics of seafloor surficial sediment by theoretically and experimentally analyzing the sound velocity ratio of the seafloor sediment to the bottom sea-water in typical environmental conditions.Temperature-and pressure-controlled experiments were conducted to examine the charac-teristics of the sound velocity ratio,the results of which agree with the theoretical analysis using the effective density fluid model.Of the three environmental factors considered,the sound velocity ratio was found to be sensitive to temperature and pressure but not to salinity,with the sound velocity ratio decreasing with temperature and hydrostatic pressure.With respect to surficial sediments,pore water plays a key role in the sound velocity ratio of sediment influenced by different environmental factors.The sound velocities of different types of sediments(sandy,silty,and clayey)change similarly with temperature,but change slightly differently with hydro-static pressure.The influence of environmental factors on the sound velocity ratio of seafloor sediment is independent of the detec-tion frequency.The results show that the sound velocity ratio can change up to 0.0008 per℃ when the temperature ranges from 2℃ to 25℃ and up to 0.00064MPa−1 when the seawater depth pressure ranges from 0MPa to 40MPa.

A Study on the Correlation of Physiological and Psychological Health Hazards in Human Habitats with Seismicity, Mountain Air Turbulence and Environmental Infrasound

A statistical correlation study on the basis of published data has been performed in order to find whether an abnormal degree of human physiological ailments and a psychology of sustained violent reactions in highly populated habitats are correlated with environmental infrasound emissions related to seismic activity and sustained by mountain air turbulence. The study focus is on Latitude 34° North coinciding with boundaries of colliding Tectonic Plates in three continents. Earthquakes, rock fractures and landslides in these regions are creating geoacoustic activity in the form of hotspots of infrasound emissions. Sources of infrasound have been located by global infrasound monitoring stations. One single earthquake can cause multiple infrasound sources in a region. Low frequency “infrasound” creates an environment of unseen and inaudible energies that are hazardous to the local population. In one region on 34°N latitude the percentage of population with hearing disabilities increases or decreases almost directly proportional to frequency of earthquakes. In this region, the casualties due to social disorder and violence increased as the frequency of earthquake events increased and decreased as this frequency decreased. Comprehensive public health studies bring out that a sizable percentage of the regional population remain in a constant state of irritation, annoyance and anger;and suffer many other psychosomatic ailments corresponding to exposure to infrasound in 5 - 16 Hz frequencies and 120 - 140 dB amplitude. A new natural hazard inimical to life on planet earth has thus been identified. The time has arrived for public health authorities to locally pinpoint infrasound hotspots by scientific measurements. Thereafter new technologies can be developed to actively, and passively, mitigate/cancel these hazardous environmental emissions of infrasound and a Public Health Security Systems put in place as sustainable solutions for a healthy, livable habitat.