Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2012, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (4): 135-139.doi: 10.11978/j.issn.1009-5470.2012.04.019 cstr: 32234.14.j.issn.1009-5470.2012.04.019

• Marine meteorology • Previous Articles    

Development and application of a portable seafloor sediment acoustic in situ measurement system

KAN Guang-ming1, ZOU Da-peng2, 3, LIU Bao-hua1, LI Guan-bao1   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Marine Sedimentology & Environmental Geology of State Oceanic Administration, Qingdao 266061, China; 
    2. Faculty of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; 
    3. Key Laboratory of Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
  • Received:2011-02-25 Revised:2011-04-27 Online:2012-10-22 Published:2012-10-24

Abstract:

The working principle and components of a newly developed portable seafloor sediment acoustic in situ measurement system were introduced in detail. Comparing to the sediment acoustic in situ measurement system based on hydraulically-driven penetration, the portable in situ system is flexible and easy to operate, more convenient for deployment and recovery. The acoustic properties of seafloor sediments in the northern South China Sea were measured using the portable in situ system during the 2010 South China Sea Open Cruise by R/V “Shiyan 3”. The in situ sound speeds and attenuation coefficients of seafloor sediments were obtained in this area for the first time. A comparison of the sound speeds measured by the portable in situ system and laboratorial equipment was carried out. The result indicates that there was distinct difference between the in situ and the laboratorial sound speeds, and the difference indicates environmental parameters, such as temperature and hydrostatic pressure, have significant influences on sound speeds of sediments.

Key words: seafloor sediment, sound speed, sound attenuation coefficient, in-situ measurement, South China Sea

CLC Number: 

  • P716.41