Investigation of Gas in Bottom Sediments.
Abstract
The occurrence of gas bubbles in sediments has been noted in several contexts in the past, particularly in the field of acoustics, where bubbles cause aberrations in the predicted behavior of sound waves. The presence of bubbles in sediments can be predicted from a theoretical model of the bottom sediment chemical system. The model developed in this investigation suggests that bubbles will form in any sediment that contains organic material, as a result of anaerobic bacterial activity. Thus, most naturally occurring sediments are likely to contain bubbles. Several steps have been made toward testing the model quantitatively, including the development of methods for collecting and analyzing uncontaminated samples of free and dissolved gas. Preliminary results from tests of these methods in general confirm the model's predictions of gas bubble occurrence. Measurements of acoustical attenuation (frequency range 40 to 80 kHz) in gas-bearing sediments ranged from 7 to 30 dB/ft. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 07, 1971
- Accession Number
- AD0726712
Entities
People
- Aubrey L. Anderson
- Robert T. Lovelace
- Roderick J. Harwood
Organizations
- University of Texas at Austin