Correction of seabed layer thickness in processing subbottom profile data.

Abstract

The subbottom profiling is an important means of marine engineering survey, hazardous geology study and continental shelf scientific research. The accuracy of subbottom profile data interpretation has a direct impact on the research and investigation results. Because some of profilers’ transducer and hydrophone are separately installed, when the survey area is very shallow, distortion of shallow layers will be caused if it is seen as a self-excited and self-collected single-channel seismic system. According to the principle of subbottom profiler, the distortion correction formula is deduced and analyzed, providing actual value to using C-View software to interpret such subbottom profile data more accurately. In addition, the seabed sediments sound velocity is one of the key parameters when acquiring and processing the subbottom profile data. On the basis of comparing some sound velocity forecasting empirical equations, the LU Bo’s equation was considered the most appropriate to predict the seabed sediments, sound velocity at near-shore of China. In a survey of an artificial island site, the LU Bo’s equation and the porosity data obtained from geological drilling were utilized to predict the sediments sound velocity, and the sound velocity structure profile was plotted, which was applied in processing the subbottom profile data of the artificial island investigation. The method of using porosity data to predict sediments sound velocity in processing subbottom profile data can improve the interpretation accuracy and it’s of practical significance.