Velocity Structure of a Gas Hydrate Reflector
Seismic reflection profiles across many continental margins have imaged bottom-simulating reflectors (BSRs) parallel to the seabed; these are often interpreted as the base of a zone in which methane hydrate "ice" is stable. Waveform inversion of seismic reflection data can be used to estim...
| Published in: | Science |
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| Main Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
1993
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1126/science.260.5105.204 https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.260.5105.204 |
| Summary: | Seismic reflection profiles across many continental margins have imaged bottom-simulating reflectors (BSRs) parallel to the seabed; these are often interpreted as the base of a zone in which methane hydrate "ice" is stable. Waveform inversion of seismic reflection data can be used to estimate from seismic data worldwide the velocity structure of a BSR and its thickness. A test of this method at a drill site of the Ocean Drilling Program predicts that sediment pores beneath the BSR contain free methane for approximately 30 meters. The hydrate and underlying gas represent a large global reservoir of methane, which may have economic importance and may influence global climate. |
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