A Preliminary Study on Using Acoustic Waves to Measure High Resolution Marine Sediment Bed Structure

Abstract

Using the chirp technique with high frequency (210 to 760 khz) supersonic waves, we have explored the possibility of measuring high resolution bulk density profiles of marine sediments. Results from laboratory experiments on four different sediments clearly show the gradient of possible bulk density profiles. Coarse granular sediment beds consolidate fast and have a relatively uniform density within the bed. A sharp gradient of bulk density near the sediment surface can be observed in the very early stages of consolidation. Clayey sediment beds show very different rates of consolidation among each other. The density gradient is usually rather uniform near the surface, however, it increases significantly near the bottom. © 2002 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.