Characteristics of Cold Seepage on Side Scan Sonar Sonogram

Abstract

Abstract:

Cold seeps have been widely encounted on both active and passive continental margins since 1960s. Due to its close relationship with gas hydrates formation, oil and gas deposition, global climate changing and nonphotosynthesis life on deep water seafloor, cold seep study has attracted more attention of both science and industry in recent years. Based on cruise data, consistence among bubble plume in water column recorded on acoustic profile, bright spot anomaly happened on side scan sonar sonogram, and gas hydrate sample recovered from the gravity core at the same site had been analyzed. The paper believed that at the area of cold seep, gas bubbles from venting site shaded the seafloor forming a strong acoustic impedance interface between the bubble covered seafloor and the water column. This strong acoustic impedance interface form a bright spot anomaly on the side scan sonar sonogram. So that the bright spot anomaly on the side scan sonar sonogram is a right indicator for the existence of cold seep on the seafloor. For the detection and measurement of cold seep in a new area, the side scan sonar system will be the right method.

Key words: cold seepage;side scan sonar;characteristics, bubble plume

CLC Number:

P738

LUAN Xi-Wu, LIU Hong, YUE Bao-Jing. Characteristics of Cold Seepage on Side Scan Sonar Sonogram[J]. Geoscience, 2010, 24(3): 474-480.

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