Shear Wave Speed Dispersion Characteristics of Seafloor Sediments in the Northern South China Sea

To accurately characterize the shear wave speed dispersion of seafloor sediments in the northern South China Sea,five types of sediments including silty clay,clayey silt,sandy silt,silty sand,and clayey sand were selected,on which the measurements of the shear wave speed at 0.5-2.0 kHz and related physical properties were performed.Results reveal that the shear wave speed of sediments increases as the frequency increases,and the dispersion enhanced in the sediments in the order of silty clay,clayey silt,sandy silt,silty sand,and clayey sand,at a linear change rate of 0.727,0.787,3.32,4.893,and 6.967 m s−1 kHz−1,respectively.Through regression analysis,linear and logarithmic regression equations for the correlation between shear wave speed and frequency were established for each sediment type and the determination coefficients of regression equations indicate that the correlation is closer to a logarithmic relationship.The Grain-Shearing(GS)and Biot-Stoll models were used to calculate the shear wave speed dispersion of the five sediment types,and the comparison between theoretical prediction and measured results of shear wave speeds shows that the GS model can more accurately describe the shear wave speed dispersion characteristics of these sediments in the frequency band of 0.5-2.0 kHz.In the same band,the predictions obtained by using the Biot-Stoll model are significantly different from the measured data.

Effect of Temperature on the Acoustic Reflection Characteristics of Seafloor Surface Sediments

Because the sound speeds of seawater and seafloor sediment both increase with temperature,the influence of tempera-ture on the bottom reflection characteristics of seafloor sediments needs to be investigated.Based on the calculation of the temperature-controlled experimental measurement data of typical seafloor surface sediment samples,the temperature-dependent acoustic characteristics,including acoustic impedance,acoustic impedance ratio between surface sediment and seawater,and reflection coefficient,were analyzed.The effective density fluid model was used to analyze and explain the reflection coefficient variation of surface sediments with temperature and predict the dispersion characteristics.Results show that the acoustic impedance of the seabed sediment increases with temperature,whereas the acoustic impedance ratio and acoustic reflection coefficient slightly decrease.The acoustic impedance,acoustic impedance ratio,and acoustic reflection coefficient of sandy,silty,and clayey sediments vary similarly with tem-perature variation.Moreover,the influence of temperature on these acoustic characteristics is independent of detection frequencies.

A preliminary study on the acoustic properties of seafloor sediment in the southern U-boundary of the South China Sea

The acoustic properties of seafloor sediment are essential parameters in the exploration of marine resources,ocean scientific research and ocean engineering.Seafloor sediment samples were collected at the southern U-boundary of the South China Sea(SCS),and the acoustic and physical properties were measured in the laboratory.The correlation between physical and sound speed ratio(SSR)was discussed,and SSR-physical property empirical regressions in the Sunda Shelf were established for the first time.Compared with the northern continental shelf of SCS,the Sunda Shelf are mainly silty and sand sediment,and the SSR ranges from 0.9949 to 1.0944,which has higher SSR than the northern continental shelf,implies that the Sunda Shelf is a high SSR area.Since the same kind of sediment has different physical properties,the single physical parameter of sediment cannot fully represent the acoustic properties of sediment,therefore,the multiple parameter prediction model should develop in the future to improve the prediction precision.

Sulfur isotopic composition of seafloor hydrothermal sediment from the Jade hydrothermal field in the central Okinawa Trough and its geological significance

Eighteen samples of hydrothermal sediments from the Jade hydrothermal field in the central Okinawa Trough have been analyzed. Sulfur isotopic values for 10 sulfide samples vary from 5.2× 10^(-3)to 7.2× 10^(-3), δ^(34)S values for 7 sulfate samples vary from 16.3 × 10^(-3) to 22.3 × 10^(-3), and 1 native sulphur sample has a δ^(34)S value of 8.2 × 10^(-3). The major sources of sulfur for hydrothermal sediment are intermediate to acid volcanic rocks and sea water sulfate, and it is possible that the partial sulfur of hydrothermal sediment is from the pelagic sediment by the interaction between hydrothermal fluid and sediment. The reasons of causing the distinct differences in sulfur isotopic values for sulfide samples from hydrothermal sediment ( compared with other hydrothermal fields), are the differences in the sources of sulfur, the magmatic activity and the tectonic evolution in different hydrothermal fields. The sulfur evolution is a long and complex process in the seafloor hydrothermal system, involving the ascending of heating sea water, the interaction between fluid and volcanic rocks, the mixing of sea water sulfate and sulfur from intermediate to acid volcanic rocks, and the fluid/pelagic-sediment interaction. And the interaction between sea water and intermediate to acid volcanic rocks is an important mechanism for the sulfur evolution in the Jade hydrothermal field.

A backscattering model for a stratified seafloor

In order to predict the bottom backscattering strength more accurately, the stratified structure of the seafloor is considered. The seafloor is viewed as an elastic half-space basement covered by a fluid sediment layer with finite thickness. On the basis of calculating acoustic field in the water, the sediment layer, and the basement, four kinds of scattering mechanisms are taken into account, including roughness scattering from the water-sediment interface, volume scattering from the sediment layer, roughness scattering from the sediment-basement interface,and volume scattering from the basement. Then a backscattering model for a stratified seafloor applying to low frequency（0.1-10 kHz） is established. The simulation results show that the roughness scattering from the sediment-basement interface and the volume scattering from the basement are more prominent at relative low frequency（below 1.0 kHz）. While with the increase of the frequency, the contribution of them to total bottom scattering gradually becomes weak. And the results ultimately approach to the predictions of the high-frequency（10-100 kHz） bottom scattering model. When the sound speed and attenuation of the shear wave in the basement gradually decrease, the prediction of the model tends to that of the full fluid model, which validates the backscattering model for the stratified seafloor in another aspect.

Empirical Equations of P-Wave Velocity in the Shallow and Semi-Deep Sea Sediments from the South China Sea

Three-hundred and thirty-one sediment cores,including six sediment types(clayey-and sandy-silt,silty-and sandy-clay,clayey-and silty-sand)were collected from the shallow and semi-deep seas of the South China Sea,and the P-wave velocities and physical properties of core sediments were measured under standard laboratory conditions.To eliminate the influence of environ-mental factors,the empirical sound speed ratio equations were established.Compared with several equations from literature,the po-rosity and wet bulk density empirical equations established in this paper agree well with Richardson and Briggs(2004)’s in-situ equations,which implies that our empirical equations can be used in the similar region of world’s oceans under certain conditions and will be useful in areas lacking first-hand P-wave speed data.However,the mean grain size equations established in this study,similar to the previous studies,have low accuracy,which may be due to the different particle arrangements and degrees of compac-tion in sediments.The results also show that for different sediment types,the equation based on all sediment data is in good agree-ment with the measured data in the study area,as there are both siliciclastic and carbonate sediments on the studied seabed.It is sug-gested that appropriate empirical equations should be selected according to sediment types and sedimentary environment in future works,and the empirical equation of porosity or the two-parameter equation of porosity and grain size should be preferred.

Sulfur isotopic composition of modern seafloor hydrothermal sediment and its geological significance

A total of 1 264 sulfur isotopic values for modern seafloor hydrothermel sediments from different hydrothermal fields have been collected.On this basis,combining our sulfur isotpic data for surface hydrothermal sediments from the Jade hydrohtermal field in the Okinawa Trough and the TAG hydrothermal field in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge,respectively,and comparing the sulfur isotopic compositions and analyzing their sources of sulfur in seafloor hydrothermal sediments from different geologic-tectonic setting,the results show that:(1) sulfur isotopic values of sulfides and sulfates in modern seafloor hydrothermal sediments are concentrated in a narrow range,δ 34S values of sulfides vary from 1×10 -3 to 9×10 -3,with a mean of 4.5×10 -3 (n=1042),δ 34S values of sulfates vary from 19×10 -3 to 24×10 -3,with a mean of 21.3×10 -3(n=217);(2) comparing the sulfur isotopic compositions of hydrothermal sediments from the sediment-hosted hydrothermal fields,the range of sulfur isotopic values for hydrothermal sediments from the sediment-free hydrothermal fields is narrow relatively;(3) the differences of sulfur isotopic compositions in sulfides from different hydrothermal fields show the differences in the sources of sulfur.The sulfur of hydrothermal sulfides in the sediment-free mid-ocean ridges is mainly from mid- ocean ridge basalt,and partially from the reduced seawater sulfate,and it is the result of partially reduced seawater sulfate mixed with basaltic sulfur.In the sediment-hosted mid-ocean ridges and the back-arc basins,the volcanics,the sediments and the organic matters also can offer their sulfur for forming hydrothermal sulfides;(4)the variations of sulfur isotopic compositions and the different sources of sulfur for hydrothermal sediments may be attributed to the various physical-chemical characteristics of hydrothermal fluids,the magmatic evolution and the different geologic-tectonic settings of seafloor hydrothermal systems.

Seabed Physical Parameter Research Based on Active-Source OBS Data in the Chukchi Sea Shelf of the Arctic

The acquisition of seabed physical parameters is one of the focuses of marine acoustic researches.However,the activesource ocean bottom seismometer(OBS)detection method in the marine geophysical research is rarely used to acquire seabed physical parameters,and less work is performed in the Arctic.In this study,two active-source OBS data collected from the 9th and 11th Chinese National Arctic Research Expedition(CHINARE)are selected to obtain the physical parameters of seabed sediments.Two kinds of energy spark are used as the active sources,while the cost function inversion method is used based on the arrival time difference between the reflected and direct waves.The thickness and sound velocity of the sediment layers are obtained by inversion,and the empirical formula is used to calculate the physical parameters of the seabed sediment,which are compared with the measured results.The cost function inversion method based on the time difference of arrival of the reflected and direct waves is tested to be effective and feasible in the inversion of seabed parameters from active-source OBS data.The method is further applied to obtain the physical parameters of Chukchi seabed sediments,which provides the idea and reference for the application of marine geophysical activesource OBS detection technology in the inversion of polar seabed physical parameters.