Ocean Bottom/Subbottom Seismic-Acoustic Scattering with Realistic Sediment Properties,
Abstract
This proposal addresses two related aspects of the acoustic reverberation problem, namely (1) seismic-acoustic properties of ocean bottom/subbottom sediments, and (2) the short range scattering of acoustic/elastic waves at the rough and heterogeneous bottom/subbottom interface zone. The primary objective of the proposed research is to quantify the importance of bottom/subbottom scattering of compressional and converted shear waves. The approach is to numerically simulate short range scattering using realistic models for the geometry, scales, and vertical and lateral variations in material properties of the ocean bottom and especially subbottom. To treat this problem realistically, a numerical model for constrained sedimentological deposition of sands and clays over basement rock is used to describe the three dimensional geometry of sediment beds and laminae over basement rock. Models for rock properties are then used to determine the seismic velocity, attenuation, density, porosity, and permeability for the suspended and loosely consolidated granular sediment materials and basement rocks. This geological model is then used in three dimensional seismic-acoustic simulators to predict the acoustic fields scattered by the rocks at and below the interface. Two preliminary finding of results by us to date are noteworthy: First, acoustic scattering is completely inadequate for describing the interaction, particularly near grazing angles where the elastic boundary conditions play a critical role in establishing the energy balance.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA327296
Entities
People
- Amos Nur
- Jerry M. Harris
Organizations
- Stanford University