Format:
5
,
graph. Darst
ISSN:
1944-8007
Content:
The seismic reflection profile is the convolution of the seismic acquisition impulse response and the target impedance contrasts. In the ocean, these contrasts are mainly determined by the widths and gradients of the temperature transitions between the different water masses. Hence seismic oceanography profiles are sensitive to the frequency bandwidth of the seismic acquisition system. We tested a novel seismic source that allowed us to simultaneously profile the ocean with differing impulse responses. We show that frequencies ~20 Hz are best to delineate large impedance contrasts that occur over a vertical scale of several tens of meters whereas frequencies ~80 Hz image the boundaries of layers of around 10 m. We demonstrate a towed acquisition system that can operate from a research vessel to give a bandwidth from 10 to 120 Hz that could, if required, be modified to provide frequencies up to 200 Hz.
In:
Geophysical research letters, Hoboken, NJ : Wiley, 1974, 36(2009), 1944-8007
In:
volume:36
In:
year:2009
In:
extent:5
Language:
English
DOI:
10.1029/2009GL040215
Author information:
Papenberg, Cord 1970-
