ACOUSTIC MODELING OF THE SEAFLOOR*

• Published in: Geophysical Prospecting
• Main Authors: BERGE, A. M., DRIVENES, G., KANESTRØM, R., BESKOW, B.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1986
• Subjects: Barents Sea
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2478.1986.tb00450.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1365-2478.1986.tb00450.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1365-2478.1986.tb00450.x

ABSTRACT Data from routine seismic surveys contain considerable information about the geo‐acoustic properties of the seafloor. Waves are reflected at a wide range of angles of incidence from near‐vertical reflections (higher multiples) to supercritical reflections (primary and lower multiples). The reflection coefficient is approximately constant for small angles of incidence (< 10°) but varies greatly for larger angles of incidence. Near‐vertical reflections are used to determine the seafloor density. The P‐velocity in the seafloor is determined in advance from the critical distance using the amplitude variation of the primary as well as the multiples. The V p /V S ratio is determined by modeling the amplitude variation with the angle of incidence. The primary reflection from the seafloor and the first three multiples are included in the modeling. Seismic data obtained with both conventional and superlong airgun arrays have been modeled. Data collected from the Barents Sea show that even if the P‐velocity is the same at different sites, the V p /V s ratio, density and Poisson's ratio vary significantly. The most extreme example shows that for a P‐velocity of 2.80 km/s the V p /V s ratio varies between 1.9 and 6.0. The corresponding densities vary from 2.36 g/cm 3 to 1.80 g/cm 3 and the Poisson's ratio varies from 0.31 to 0.49. The acoustic modeling offers a method of assessing the mean geotechnical or mechanical properties of larger volumes of marine sediments in terms of incompressibility, shear modulus and Poisson's ratio.