Marine Geophysical Investigations

The Mumbai offshore basin is a divergent passive continental margin basin located on the broad continental shelf of the west coast of India. The basin is composed of three broad lithological units: 1) basal sand, lignite, clay of Paleocene age, 2) a middle unit of limestone of Eocene age, and 3) limestone-shale alternations of Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene age. Overlaying these units is a sequence of limestone and shale alternations. Both the limestone and sandstone are reservoirs besides the fractured basement, making the sedimentation pattern and reservoir distribution complex. Moreover, there are thin clastic wedge outs, which require broadband data to provide a high-resolution image.

The Edremit Gulf, which developed during the Neogene-Quaternary, is a seismically active graben in NW Anatolia (Turkey) surrounded by the Sakarya continent. The sedimentary deposits in the gulf overlie the bedrock unconformably and can be separated into two parts as upper and lower deposits based on similarity of their seismic characteristics, and because the contact between them is clear. The lower deposits are characterized in the seismic profiles by the absence of well defined, continuous reflectors and are strongly disturbed by faults. A tectonic map and structural model of the Edremit Gulf was derived from interpreting 21 deep seismic profiles trending NE-SW and NW-SE within the gulf. Two fault systems were distinguished on the basis of this compilation. The NNW-SSE trending parallel faults are low-angle normal faults formed after compression. They controlled and deformed the lower basin deposits. A syncline and anticline with a broad fold-curvature length resulted in folds that developed parallel to basin boundaries in the lower basin deposits. The ENE-WSW trending high-angle faults have controlled and deformed the northern basin of the Edremit Gulf. The folds developed within the northern lower deposits originated from the listric geometry of the faults. These faults are normal faults associated with regional N-S extension in western Anatolia. The Edremit Gulf began to open under the control of low-angle NNW-SSE trending faults that developed after the compression of western Anatolia in an E-W direction in the early Neogene. Subsequently, regional N-S extensional stress and high-angle normal faults cut the previous structures, opened the northern basin, and controlled and deformed the lower basin deposits in the gulf. As a result, the Edremit Gulf has not been controlled by any strike-slip faults or the Northern Anatolian Fault. The basin developed in the two different tectonic regimes of western Anatolia as an Aegean type cross-graben from the Neogene to Holocene.

Noises in marine seismic data are one of the biggest obstacles in seismic imaging. The most
significant step in seismic data processing is the removal of seismic noise, which can be classified
as instrument and background noise. Noise attenuation usually results in improved seismic
interpretation by increasing the signal-to-noise ratio. In this study, we will focus on attenuating these
seismic noises with several data processing techniques. A number of denoising examples describing
swell, strumming/tugging, and cavitation, which are background-type noises, and streamer-mounted
device noise (Nautilus), which is an instrument-type noise, were illustrated by analysing a marine
3D seismic dataset recorded by Oruç Reis Research Vessel in Black Sea project of Mineral Research
and Exploration (MTA). This study was achieved by implementing an f-x prediction filter (SPARC,
DENOISE3D) and f-k filter (DWATT) in the t-x domain, and radon filter (RADATT) in Tau-P
domain by the use of Geovation 2.0 software.

Multibeam bathymetry, high resolution multichannel, and very high resolution single-channel (3.5 kHz) seismic records were used to depict the complex geomorphology that defines the Galicia Bank region (Atlantic, NW Iberian Peninsula). This region (&620-5,000 m water depth) is characterized by a great variety of features: structural features (scarps, highs, valleys, fold bulges), fluid dynamics-related features (structural undulations and collapse craters), mass-movement features (gullies, channels, mass-flow deposits, slope-lobe complexes, and masstransport deposits), bottom-current features (moats, furrows, abraded surface, sediment waves, and drifts), (hemi)pelagic features, mixed features (abraded surfaces associated to mixed sediments) and bioconstructions. These features represent architectural elements of four sedimentary systems: slope apron, contouritic, current-controlled (hemi)pelagic, and (hemi)pelagic. These systems are a reflection of different sedimentary processes: downslope (mass transport, mass flows, turbidity flows), alongslope (bottom currents of Mediterranean Outflow Water, Labrador Sea Water, North Atlantic Deep Water, and Lower Deep Water), vertical settling, and the interplay between them. The architectural and sediment dynamic complexities, for their part, are conditioned by the morphostructural complexity of the region, whose structures (exposed scarps and highs) favor multiple submarine sediment sources, affect the type and evolution of the massmovement processes, and interact with different water masses. This region and similar sedimentary environments far from the continental sediment sources, as seamounts, are ideal zones for carrying out submarine source-to-sink studies, and can represent areas subject to hazards, both geologic and oceanographic in origin.

Contourite deposits in the central sector of the middle slope of the Gulf of Cadiz have been studied using a comprehensive acoustic, seismic and core database. Buried, mounded, elongated and separated drifts developed under the influence of the lower core of the Mediterranean Outflow Water are preserved in the sedimentary record. These are characterised by depositional features in an area where strong tectonic and erosive processes are now dominant. The general stacking pattern of the depositional system is mainly influenced by climatic changes through the Quaternary, whereas changes in the depositional style observed in two, buried, mounded drifts, the Guadalquivir and Huelva Drifts, are evidence of a tectonic control. In the western Guadalquivir Drift, the onset of the sheeted drift construction (aggrading QII unit) above a mounded drift (prograding QI unit) resulted from a new Lower Mediterranean Core Water hydrodynamic regime. This change is correlated with a tectonic event coeval with the Mid Pleistocene Revolution (MPR) discontinuity that produced new irregularities of the seafloor during the Mid-to Late-Pleistocene. Changes in the Huelva Drift from a mounded to a sheeted drift geometry during the Late-Pleistocene, and from a prograding drift (QI and most part of QII) to an aggrading one (upper seismic unit of QII), highlight a new change in oceanographic conditions. This depositional and then oceanographic change is associated with a tectonic event, coeval with the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 6 discontinuity, in which a redistribution of the diapiric ridges led to the development of new local gateways, three principal branches of the Mediterranean Lower Core Water, and associated contourite channels. As a result, these buried contourite drifts hold a key palaeoceanographic record of the evolution of Mediterranean Lower Core Water, influenced by both neotectonic activity and climatic changes during the Quaternary. This study is an example of how contourite deposits and erosive elements in the marine environment can provide evidence for the reconstruction of palaeoceanographic and recent tectonic changes.

Multibeam echosounders (MBES) have become a widely used acoustic remote sensing tool to map and study the seafloor, providing co-located bathymetry and seafloor backscatter. Although the uncertainty associated with MBES-derived bathymetric data has been studied extensively, the question of backscatter uncertainty has been addressed only minimally and hinders the quantitative use of MBES seafloor backscatter. This paper explores approaches to identifying uncertainty sources associated with MBES-derived backscatter measurements. The major sources of uncertainty are catalogued and the magnitudes of their relative contributions to the backscatter uncertainty budget are evaluated. These major uncertainty sources include seafloor insonified area (1-3 dB), absorption coefficient (up to > 6 dB), random fluctuations in echo level (5.5 dB for a Rayleigh distribution), and sonar calibration (device dependent). The magnitudes of these uncertainty sources vary based on how these effects are compensated for during data acquisition and processing. Various cases (no compensation, partial compensation and full compensation) for seafloor insonified area, transmission losses and random fluctuations were modeled to estimate their uncertainties in different scenarios. Uncertainty related to the seafloor insonified area can be reduced significantly by accounting for seafloor slope during backscatter processing while transmission losses can be constrained by collecting full water column absorption coefficient profiles (temperature and salinity profiles). To reduce random fluctuations to below 1 dB, at least 20 samples are recommended to be used while computing mean values. The estimation of uncertainty in backscatter measurements is constrained by the fact that not all instrumental components are characterized and documented sufficiently for commercially available MBES. Further involvement from manufacturers in providing this essential information is critically required.

method. The ray tracing method enables the identification of the corresponding signals and the determination of the time and space intervals, in which such signals are most accurately traced. These intervals are used in the selection of target signals, particularly signals related to PSP-waves. In order to select optimal areas of observation with higher amplitudes of target signals, we use thep transform. To improve the stability of the signal separation, KMAH index is used. This approach allows the elimination of possible triplications (caustics) in the travel-time curve from the selected intervals. Keywords 2-D isotropic inhomogeneous media • Marine seismic • Streamer data • Single and converted waves • Travel-time triplication * Viatcheslav Priimenko

Two earthquakes were recorded by 20 ocean bottom seismometers (OBS) deployed in the Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR) area during a three-dimensional seismic survey in 2010. Their magnitudes (both M b = 4.4) and hypocenters have been determined by National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) only using land seismic stations onset times. After the frequency analysis and the band-pass filtering of the OBSs' data, 7 and 13 Pphase onset times from OBSs were successfully picked for these two events, respectively. Then these two events were relocated by HYPOSAT program with onset times together from OBSs and land seismic stations using different velocity models. These relocation experiments confirm both the importance of adding OBSs' onset data and the need to apply a local oceanic velocity model for the location of these two events happened on the SWIR. This research has accumulated a wealth of experience for earthquakes observation and research using OBSs in the ocean.

Due to a technical error in the final stage of the publishing progress of above-mentioned paper in Volume 24, Nos. 1-2, Figures 2 and 11 have not been printed in the intended size on the fold-out maps they appear on. On the following pages, both figures will be printed at their full size in order to add to the paper's scientific value and to help the reader's understanding of them.

Multibeam echosounders (MBES) have become a widely used acoustic remote sensing tool to map and study the seafloor, providing co-located bathymetry and seafloor backscatter. Although the uncertainty associated with MBES-derived bathymetric data has been studied extensively, the question of backscatter uncertainty has been addressed only minimally and hinders the quantitative use of MBES seafloor backscatter. This paper explores approaches to identifying uncertainty sources associated with MBES-derived backscatter measurements. The major sources of uncertainty are catalogued and the magnitudes of their relative contributions to the backscatter uncertainty budget are evaluated. These major uncertainty sources include seafloor insonified area (1-3 dB), absorption coefficient (up to > 6 dB), random fluctuations in echo level (5.5 dB for a Rayleigh distribution), and sonar calibration (device dependent). The magnitudes of these uncertainty sources vary based on how these effects are compensated for during data acquisition and processing. Various cases (no compensation, partial compensation and full compensation) for seafloor insonified area, transmission losses and random fluctuations were modeled to estimate their uncertainties in different scenarios. Uncertainty related to the seafloor insonified area can be reduced significantly by accounting for seafloor slope during backscatter processing while transmission losses can be constrained by collecting full water column absorption coefficient profiles (temperature and salinity profiles). To reduce random fluctuations to below 1 dB, at least 20 samples are recommended to be used while computing mean values. The estimation of uncertainty in backscatter measurements is constrained by the fact that not all instrumental components are characterized and documented sufficiently for commercially available MBES. Further involvement from manufacturers in providing this essential information is critically required.

The outer rise on the distal periphery of a subduction system is caused by emplacement of an accreted load onto the flexed oceanic lithosphere. By examining the bathymetry and free-air gravity anomaly data collected by satellite observations and marine reflection seismic data collected during the TAIGER project, we demonstrate the characteristics of the flexural outer rise seaward of the Manila Trench. The region of the outer rise on the westernmost periphery of the Manila subduction system is characterized by the positive free-air gravity anomaly seaward parallel to the Manila Trench and the morphological rise at the south of the Manila subduction system. A flexure simulation is performed based on the flexural profiles along the southern Manila Trench-outer system and the resulting effective elastic thickness values may provide an alternative aspect for the spreading rates of the South China Sea basin. Since both the western periphery of the Taiwan collision belt and Manila subduction belt are dominated by the strain regime of extension of flexural origin, it appears that the strain regime of flexural extension associated with the flexural forebulge of the Western Taiwan Foreland Basin to the north, and the strain regime of flexural extension associated with the outer rise seaward of the Manila Trench to the south are meridionally interconnected. This revised understanding of the strain regime of flexural extension origin west of the Taiwan-Luzon convergent belt provides an alternative point of view on the strain regime offshore SW Taiwan.

2D and 3D seismic reflection and well log data from Andaman deep water basin are analyzed to investigate geophysical evidence related to gas hydrate accumulation and saturation. Analysis of seismic data reveals the presence of a bottom simulating reflector (BSR) in the area showing all the characteristics of a classical BSR associated with gas hydrate accumulation. Double BSRs are also observed on some seismic sections of area (Area B) that suggest substantial changes in pressure-temperature (P-T) conditions in the past. The manifestation of changes in P-T conditions can also be marked by the varying gas hydrate stability zone thickness (200-650 m) in the area. The 3D seismic data of Area B located in the ponded fill, west of Alcock Rise has been pre-stack depth migrated. A significant velocity inversion across the BSR (1,950-1,650 m/s) has been observed on the velocity model obtained from pre-stack depth migration. The areas with low velocity of the order of 1,450 m/s below the BSR and high amplitudes indicate presence of dissociated or free gas beneath the hydrate layer. The amplitude variation with offset analysis of BSR depicts increase in amplitude with offset, a similar trend as observed for the BSR associated with the gas hydrate accumulations. The presence of gas hydrate shown by logging results from a drilled well for hydrocarbon exploration in Area B, where gas hydrate deposit was predicted from seismic evidence, validate our findings. The base of the hydrate layer derived from the resistivity and acoustic transit-time logs is in agreement with the depth of hydrate layer interpreted from the pre-stack depth migrated seismic section. The resistivity and acoustic transit-time logs indicate 30-m-thick hydrate layer at the depth interval of 1,865-1,895 m with 30 % hydrate saturation. The total hydrate bound gas in Area B is estimated to be 1.8 9 10 10 m 3 , which is comparable (by volume) to the reserves in major conventional gas fields.

Bathymetric, hydro-acoustic, seismic, submersible, and gravity data are used to investigate the active tectonics of the eastern Blanco Transform Fault Zone (BTFZ). The eastern BTFZ is dominated by the ~150 km long transform-parallel Blanco Ridge (BR) which is a right-lateral strike-slip fault bordered to the east and west by the Gorda and Cascadia Depressions. Acoustic locations, fault-parameter information, and slip vector

The Philippine Fault Zone, a system of leftlateral strike-slip faults traversing the length of the Philippine Islands, is associated with the oblique convergence between the Philippine Sea Plate (PSP) and the Eurasian Plate (EP). Although it is a major deformational structure within the diffuse PSP-EP convergent boundary, some of its segments, particularly its marine extensions, are not well studied. To investigate the crustal deformation in the marine prolongation of the Philippine Fault Zone offshore Luzon Island, multi-channel seismic (MCS) data, gravity data and centroid moment tensor solutions were used in this study. Focal mechanism solutions from the Global CMT catalog were inverted to determine the average principal stress directions and consequently understand the prevailing stress regime in the study area. The stress inversion results indicate that the direction of maximum compression (r1) is 321°N, which coincides with the PSP-EP convergence direction. From the MCS profiles, the study area was subdivided into deformation zone and a relatively stable zone. Thrust faulting, folding and general uplift are observed in the deformation zone. This zone is further subdivided into the active and inactive segments. In the active segment, uplift is occurring in the submarine ridge. This deformation pattern can be related to the ongoing uplift in some regions bisected by the PFZ. The inactive segment, characterized by intense folding of the sequences and faulting of the basement and overlying sequences, is suggested as the precursor of the Philippine Fault Zone. Deformation appears to be recently shifted to the east as delineated by an uplifted N-NW trending submarine ridge offshore NW Luzon Island.

As part of a systematic mapping program of the Hydrographic and Oceanographic Research Plan for the Spanish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), gravity surveys were carried out offshore the Canary Islands. Using the gravity data collected during cruises between 1998 and 2000 aboard the RV Hesperides and satellite and land data, we construct free air and Bouguer anomaly maps and discuss the geodynamic implications. Using maps of Bouguer anomaly, free air anomaly, vertical derivative, long wavelength Bouguer anomaly and short wavelength anomaly, a detailed description of the gravity characteristics of the archipelago is presented, describing gravity anomalies from a geologic point of view. The character of the crust throughout the studied area has been defined, as well as high gradient zones that limit crustal blocks of different density. High gradient zones have been mapped for the first time and interpreted as fracture zones, taking into account geophysical and geological information. Gravity highs and lows have been studied and related to crustal, mantle and volcanic effects.

The Muertos Trough in the northeast Caribbean has been interpreted as a subduction zone from seismicity, leading to infer a possible reversal subduction polarity. However, the distribution of the seismicity is very diffuse and makes definition of the plate geometry difficult. In addition, the compressive deformational features observed in the upper crust and sandbox kinematic modeling do not necessarily suggest a subduction process. We tested the hypothesized subduction of the Caribbean plate's interior beneath the eastern Greater Antilles island arc using gravity modeling. Gravity models simulating a subduction process yield a regional mass deficit beneath the island arc independently of the geometry and depth of the subducted slab used in the models. This mass deficit results from sinking of the less dense Caribbean slab beneath the lithospheric mantle replacing denser mantle materials and suggests that there is not a subducted Caribbean plateau beneath the island arc. The geologically more realistic gravity model which would explain the N-S shortening observed in the upper crust requires an overthrusted Caribbean slab extending at least 60 km northward from the deformation front, a progressive increase in the thrusting angle from 8°to 30°reaching a maximum depth of 22 km beneath the insular slope. This new tectonic model for the Muertos Margin, defined as a retroarc thrusting, will help to assess the seismic and tsunami hazard in the region. The use of gravity modeling has provided targets for future wide-angle seismic surveys in the Muertos Margin.

A series of clastic dikes and tubular vents were identified in soutbern Tenerife (Canary Islands). These fea tures are the result of seismic liquefaction of a Holocene sand deposit, as the consequence of a high intensity paleoeartbquake. The peak ground acceleration (pga) and magnitude of tbe paleoeartbquake generating tbese lique faction features were estimated by back calculation analysis. A representative value of 0.30 ± 0.05 g was obtained for tbe pga. From tbis, an eartbquake intensity of IX was estimated for tbe liquefaction site. Magnitude bound methods and energy based approaches were used to determine the magnitude of the paleoearthquake, providing a moment magnitude M = 6.8. The zone in which the liquefaction structures are found has undergone tectonic uplift and is affected by two faults. One of tbese faults was responsible for displacing Holocene materials. Dating of tbe uplifted sand formation indicates an age of 10,081 ± 933 years, tbe liquefaction features ranging from tbis age to 3490 ± 473 years BP. This paleoeartbquake was of much greater magnitude tban tbose known historically. Faults with neotectonic activity are significant features that should be borne in mind when assessing the seismic hazards of the Canary Islands, presently considered as low and mainly of volcanic origin.

modeling of three types of rocks over the entire lithology section at site U1343. Alternate succession of clayey-silt, diatom-silt and silty-clay may be representative of crustal inhomogeneity in general and thus could be a basis for detail study related to the productivity of methane gas in the oceans worldwide. Moreover, at the 530 m depth down below seafloor (DSF), the transition from Pliocene to Pleistocene could be linked to lithological alternation between the clayey-silt and the diatom-silt. The present results could provide the basis for the detailed study to get deeper insight into the Bering Sea' sediment deposition and sequence. • Cluster analysis • Self-organizing map • Bayesian neural network • Bering Sea • Rock types • IODP 323

1. The use of quantitative broadband echosounders for biological studies and surveys
can offer considerable advantages over narrowband echosounders. These
include improved spectral-based target identification and significantly increased
ability to resolve individual targets. An understanding of current processing steps
is required to fully utilise and further develop broadband acoustic methods in
marine ecology.
2. We describe the steps involved in processing broadband acoustic data from raw
data to frequency dependent target strength (TS(f )) and volume backscattering
strength (Sv(f )) using data from the EK80 broadband scientific echosounder as
examples. Although the overall processing steps are described and build on established
methods from the literature, multiple choices need to be made during
implementation.
3. To highlight and discuss some of these choices and facilitate a common understanding
within the community, we have also developed a Python code which will
be made publicly available and open source. The code follows the steps using raw
data from two single pings, showing the step-by-step processing from raw data to
TS(f ) and Sv(f ).
4. This code can serve as a reference for developing custom code or implementation
in existing processing pipelines, as an educational tool and as a starting point for
further development of broadband acoustic methods in fisheries acoustics.

This special issue of Marine Geophysical Researches presents five papers dealing with GEBCO, the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans, which celebrated its Centennial in April 2003, hosted by the International Hydrographic Bureau and the Principality of Monaco. Over the past 103 years GEBCO has been the sole body dedicated to compiling all available data to produce standardized maps of the oceans and seas covering 71% of planet Earth. Over time GEBCO has undergone a complete transformation as sparse 500 m contours on paper charts were replaced by digital grids with ever-increasing resolution. The 2003 Centennial saw the release on two CDROMS with the first global 1¢ grid, produced by methods unheard of in 1984, when GEBCO's last 6th Edition paper chart set was published. In GEBCO's second century, the thrust is towards global grids that will capture the resolutions available with evolving deep-water swath mapping technologies, as well as vast improvement in the details of the shallow continental shelves that have traditionally been the preserve of the hydrographic community. As little more than 10% of the oceans have been mapped to the desired level of detail, there is much to be done. However refinements in satellite altimetry appear to offer an interim stop-gap as more multibeam sonars ply the oceans and as the littoral countries of the world map their adjacent marine areas for submission under Article 76 of UNCLOS (United Nations, 1983, 1999). In addition GEBCO is becoming increasingly proactive, with outreach to the public via the internet and a new GEBCO Map of the World, active data-scrounging, and encouraging development of the first drifting buoys for acquiring data in the inaccessible areas of the Antarctic, SW Pacific, and Arctic Oceans.

In an ever more challenging context for the acquisition of seismic data in the Mediterranean Sea, reprocessing to improve the quality of legacy data has become increasingly important. This work presents the newly reprocessed, open access dataset SALTFLU acquired in the Algerian basin by the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS) in 2012. We apply a 'broadband' reprocessing strategy adapted for offset-limited (3 km streamer for a target 4 km below the sea level) airgun reflection seismic data acquired in deep water settings. We then assess if the reprocessed images provide new geological insights on the Mediterranean sub-surface. The workflow relies on an integrated approach combining geophysics and geological interpretation to iteratively build the velocity model. In this way we aim to tackle some of the challenges linked to imaging deep complex geological structures containing high velocity contrasts with 2-D, offset-limited seismic data. We first broaden the bandwidth of the data through multi-domain de-noising, deghosting and a source designature using an operator derived from the seabed reflection. We then perform iterative migration velocity analysis, pre-stack time migration and multiple attenuation in the Radon domain to obtain time-migrated images. The initial velocity model is derived from the resulting time migration velocities, and geologically driven model updates are generated using a combination of traveltime tomography, seismic interpretation of the major salt horizons and velocity gradient flooding. The gradient flooding aims to reproduce the large scale first-order velocity variations, while the travel-time tomography aims to resolve the smaller second-order velocity variations. The results improve our deep geological knowledge of the under-explored Algerian basin down to the base salt and the pre-salt. Fluid indicators are imaged within the Plio-Quaternary of the Algerian basin, which we interpret as thermogenic or biogenic gas sourced from either the Messinian Upper Unit or from the pre-salt, migrating through a hydro-fractured salt. The reprocessed data image lateral and vertical seismic facies variation within the Messinian units that could shed new light on the tectono-stratigraphic processes acting during the Messinian Salinity Crisis. It also reveals numerous previously unresolved volcanic structures within the Formentera basin.

An operational Bohai Sea oil spill serving module (BSOSSM) that can provide users with trajectory and movement information of the released oil is developed for the purpose of informing mitigation of oil spill incidents in the Bohai Sea, China. BSOSSM is one of the serving modules that had been integrated in China digital ocean prototype system, a marine information platform for managing, displaying and disseminating all the data investigated by China 908 Program. The oil spill trajectory is calculated by an oil spill model (OSM), which serves as a component in BSOSSM. The impacts of wind, current, as well as Stokes drift on oil spill trajectory are studied by sensitivity experiments conducted using OSM. Simulation results indicate that wind forcing is the most important factor in controlling the oil trajectory at the sea surface in Bohai Sea, whereas current and Stokes drift play relatively less important roles. However, because the direction of waves generally follows that of the wind, Stokes drift does lead to an increase in oil drift and spreading velocity. Case studies of the Penglai 19-3 oil spill incident (June 2011) and Xingang oil spill (April 2005) demonstrate that OSM can generally reproduce the oil spreading, and is therefore capable of supporting the emergency response of future oil spills in the Bohai Sea through BSOSSM.

A series of clastic dikes and tubular vents were identified in soutbern Tenerife (Canary Islands). These fea tures are the result of seismic liquefaction of a Holocene sand deposit, as the consequence of a high intensity paleoeartbquake. The peak ground acceleration (pga) and magnitude of tbe paleoeartbquake generating tbese lique faction features were estimated by back calculation analysis. A representative value of 0.30 ± 0.05 g was obtained for tbe pga. From tbis, an eartbquake intensity of IX was estimated for tbe liquefaction site. Magnitude bound methods and energy based approaches were used to determine the magnitude of the paleoearthquake, providing a moment magnitude M = 6.8. The zone in which the liquefaction structures are found has undergone tectonic uplift and is affected by two faults. One of tbese faults was responsible for displacing Holocene materials. Dating of tbe uplifted sand formation indicates an age of 10,081 ± 933 years, tbe liquefaction features ranging from tbis age to 3490 ± 473 years BP. This paleoeartbquake was of much greater magnitude tban tbose known historically. Faults with neotectonic activity are significant features that should be borne in mind when assessing the seismic hazards of the Canary Islands, presently considered as low and mainly of volcanic origin.

Quantitative analyses of multibeam sonar backscatter data have become increasingly important for a range of applications. A critical requirement for these applications is the ability to analyze the spatial and temporal variations of the backscatter data within a single survey or among several different surveys. In this paper, two backscatter surveys in Portsmouth Harbor, NH are used to evaluate different comparison techniques and infer the data requirements for comparison. The backscatter surveys were conducted in June 2007 by University of New Hampshire (UNH) and in September 2007 by Kongsberg in support of this conference. Both data sets were collected using an EM 3002D (300 kHz) installed on UNH’s R/V Coastal Surveyor. A video survey and bottom grab samples collected in December, 2007 indicated that the study area is comprised of rocky outcrops, flat sandy regions, gravel bottoms, and some gravel and sand ripples.

The shelf-upper slope stratigraphy offshore and around the Guadalfeo River on the northern continental margin of the Alboran Sea, Western Mediterranean Basin, has been defined through the interpretation of a grid of Sparker seismic profiles. We tried to identify evolutionary trends in shelf growth, as well as to determine the regional/ local factors that may modify the influence of glacio-eustatic fluctuations. Four major depositional sequences are identified in the sedimentary record by a detailed seismic interpretation, which defines three significant intervals of shelf-upper slope progradation, dominated by deposition of shelf-margin wedges, which resulted in uniform patterns of shelf-margin growth in response to significant sea-level falls. In contrast, the record of transgressive intervals is more variable, mainly as the result of distinct patterns of regressive-to-transgressive transitions. Major progradational wedges are internally composed of seawardprograding, landward-thinning wedges, interpreted to represent shelf-margin deltaic deposits. In contrast, the last aggradational interval is composed of shelf-prograding wedges that show distinct characteristics, in terms of seismic facies, morphology and distribution when compared with previous shelf-margin wedges. These shelf wedges are thought to represent the particular case of Regressive Systems or Shelf Margin Systems Tracts, and their development seems to be controlled by a drastic change in main depocenter location, which moved from the upper slope to the shelf during the Pleistocene. The stacking pattern of seismic units, the shallowness of the acoustic basement and the migration of the shelf break are used to infer spatial and temporal changes in tectonic subsidence-uplift rates, which interact with low-order glacio-eustatic changes. For much of the Pliocene-Quaternary, uplifted sectors alternated laterally with sectors experiencing more subsidence. Subsequently, a significant change from lateral outgrowth to vertical accretion is recognised. This stratigraphic change could be related to the combined influence of increased subsidence rates on the shelf and the onset of higher-frequency glacio-eustatic cyclicity after the Mid Pleistocene Revolution that occurred around 1 Ma.

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In an ever more challenging context for the acquisition of seismic data in the Mediterranean Sea, reprocessing to improve the quality of legacy data has become increasingly important. This work presents the newly reprocessed, open access dataset SALTFLU acquired in the Algerian basin by the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS) in 2012. We apply a ‘broadband’ reprocessing strategy adapted for offset-limited (3km streamer for a target 4 km below the sea level) airgun reflection seismic data acquired in deep water settings. We then assess if the reprocessed images provide new geological insights on the Mediterranean sub-surface. The workflow relies on an integrated approach combining geophysics and geological interpretation to iteratively build the velocity model. In this way we aim to tackle some of the challenges linked to imaging deep complex geological structures containing high velocity contrasts with 2-D, offset-limited seismic data. We first broaden th...

An extinct, late Jurassic-to-earliest Cretaceous ridge-and-fracture zone geometry in the western Gulf of Mexico (GOM), and extinct seafloor ridge segments in the eastern Gulf of Mexico (EGOM), were previously identified using the vertical gradient of satellite-derived free-air gravity data. Circular gravity anomaly lows, and magnetic anomaly highs, over the center of spreading ridge segments are interpreted as large volcanic centers that erupted within a late Jurassic-to-earliest Cretaceous, slow-spreading center. Detailed mapping of oceanic basement using oil industry seismic data indicates that the EGOM oceanic ridge system is characterized by 30-60-km-long spreading ridge segments, that include 15-km-wide, 2-km-high axial volcanoes in their centers, and nodal basins at their ends. Stratigraphic evidence from seismic reflection data tied to a deepwater well indicates that volcanism along the spreading ridge ended around the same time (Berriasian), or slightly after (Valanginian), the cessation of seafloor spreading in the EGOM. Flowlines of late Jurassic-to-earliest Cretaceous seafloor, based on a pole of rotation from the geometry of GOM spreading ridges and fracture zones, show a good match with gravity and magnetic anomalies along the Florida and Yucatan conjugate margins of the EGOM. Mapping of age-dated, stratigraphic downlaps onto the oceanic crust is consistent with an interpreted ridge jump at the beginning of seafloor spreading (Kimmeridgian) to the southwest, and in the same southwestward direction of a previously inferred mantle plume in the central GOM. Our 3-D gravity structural inversion of the Moho requires 6.4 km thick oceanic crust in the northwestern EGOM, and 5.5 km thick oceanic crust in southeastern EGOM. We interpret this along-ridge, thickness variation to reflect faster spreading and thicker oceanic crust farther from the opening pole located in the southeastern GOM.

Bathymetric, hydro-acoustic, seismic, submersible, and gravity data are used to investigate the active tectonics of the eastern Blanco Transform Fault Zone (BTFZ). The eastern BTFZ is dominated by the ~150 km long transform-parallel Blanco Ridge (BR) which is a right-lateral strike-slip fault bordered to the east and west by the Gorda and Cascadia Depressions. Acoustic locations, fault-parameter information, and slip vector

A multi-channel seismic reflection image shows the reflection Moho dipping toward the Clipperton Fracture Zone in crust 1.4 my old. This seismic line crosses the fracture zone at its eastern intersection with the East Pacific Rise. The seismic observations are made in travel time, not depth. To establish constraints on crustal structure despite the absence of direct velocity determinations in this region, the possible effects of temperature, tectonism, and anomalous lithospheric structure have been considered. Conductive, advective, and frictional heating of the old crust proximal to the ridge-transform intersection can explain < 20% of the observed travel-time increase. Heating has a negligible effect on crustal seismic velocity beyond ~ 10 km from the ridge tip. The transform tectonized zone extends only 6 km from the ridge tip. Serpentinization is unlikely to have thickened the seafloor-toreflection Moho section in this case. It is concluded that, contrary to conventional wisdom, the 1.4 my old Cocos Plate crust thickens approaching the eastern Clipperton Ridge-Transform Intersection. Increase in thickness must be at least 0.9 km between 22 and 3 km from the fracture zone.

Near-axis seamounts provide a unique setting to investigate three-dimensional mantle processes associated with the formation of new oceanic crust and lithosphere. Here, we investigate the characteristics and evolution of the 8˚20’N Seamount Chain, a lineament of seamounts that extends ~ 175 km west of the East Pacific Rise (EPR) axis, just north of the fracture zone of the Siqueiros Transform Fault. Shipboard gravity, magnetic, and bathymetric data acquired in 2016 are utilized to constrain models of seamount emplacement and evolution. Geophysical observations indicate that these seamounts formed during four distinct episodes of volcanism coinciding with changes in regional plate motion that are also reflected in the development of intra-transform spreading centers (ITSCs) along the Siqueiros transform fault (Fornari et al. 1989; Pockalny et al. 1997). Although volcanism is divided into distinct segments, the magnetic data indicate continuous volcanic construction over long portions...

No detailed information has previously been available on the geological and geophysical characteristics of the sea floor and the underlying strata of Mersin Harbour, Northeastern Mediterranean Sea (Turkey). Continuous resistivity profiling (CRP) and borehole data from Mersin Harbour were used to interpret geoelectric stratigraphy of Neogene-Quaternary sediments in the area. This represents one of few such detailed case studies that have applied these valuable CRP techniques for the purpose of marine stratigraphic imaging. It was found that the Neogene-Quaternary sedimentary succession in the area consists of three geoelectric units (GU1, GU2, and GU3 from base to top). The lowest unit, GU1, has a resistivity value of greater than 20.0 ohm-m and consists of Miocene aged limestone and marl. The middle unit, GU2, is characterized by resistivity values ranging from 3.0 to 20.0 ohm-m. Its thickness is greater than 90 m, with the upper section being composed of stiff clay sequences which are Plio-Pleistocene in age. The uppermost unit, GU3, has resistivity values varying from 1.0 to 3.0 ohm-m. This unit displays a maximum thickness of 15 m, and is composed of Holocene muds together with gravel, sand, silt and clay (sometimes incorporating shells) materials of the Plio-Pleistocene age and their various mixtures, silty/clay limestone, and conglomerate sandstone. Comparisons of the geoelectric units with the depositional sequences interpreted from the available seismic data outwith, but close to, Mersin Harbour reveal that the geoelectric unit GU3 corresponds to the depositional sequences C (mainly Holocene) and B (mainly Plio-Pleistocene). The geoelectric unit GU2 partly correlates with the depositional sequence B which appears to be Plio-Pleistocene in age. The geoelectric unit GU1, which has not been encountered in previous seismic surveys, is a new discovery within Mersin Harbour. Limited correlation between the seismic and resistivity structures in the study area is attributed to differences in the acoustic impedance and resistivity contrasts of sub-bottom layers, as well as the penetration versus resolution performance of the systems.

In this paper, we present a procedure based on Parker's three-dimensional direct gravity inversion to determine the sedimentary basement depth rapidly and objectively. In the foregoing procedure, the Bouguer gravity anomaly is continued downward near the seabed before inversion, and the mean depth of the basement is constrained by the power density spectrum of the gravity anomaly. The bulk density of sediment and basalt rocks are also constrained by the logging data obtained from

Near-axis seamounts provide a unique setting to investigate three-dimensional mantle processes associated with the formation of new oceanic crust and lithosphere. Here, we investigate the characteristics and evolution of the 8˚20’N Seamount Chain, a lineament of seamounts that extends ~ 175 km west of the East Pacific Rise (EPR) axis, just north of the fracture zone of the Siqueiros Transform Fault. Shipboard gravity, magnetic, and bathymetric data acquired in 2016 are utilized to constrain models of seamount emplacement and evolution. Geophysical observations indicate that these seamounts formed during four distinct episodes of volcanism coinciding with changes in regional plate motion that are also reflected in the development of intra-transform spreading centers (ITSCs) along the Siqueiros transform fault (Fornari et al. 1989; Pockalny et al. 1997). Although volcanism is divided into distinct segments, the magnetic data indicate continuous volcanic construction over long portions...

Fluid migration rates are important parameters for understanding the structural characteristics and evolution of the crustal tectonics and hydrocarbon exploration. However, they are difficult to measure on the seafloor. Densely sampled temperature measurements might shed light on our study of the fluid migration rates. In this study, we first use reflection seismic data to derive geothermal gradient patterns at different sub-seafloor depths, then calculated 1D vertical fluid flow models by analyzing the Péclet numbers in the offshore regions of SW Taiwan. We found Péclet numbers ranging from 2 to 5, implying that vertical fluid flow velocities are between 6 and 44 cm/year. Assumed a homogenous permeable layer and no lateral variation of the temperature fields, we analyzed possible errors caused by depth-dependent thermal conductivity and velocity-depth function. They probably cause less than 2 cm/year of errors in the estimated vertical fluid flow rate. In terms of regional fluid flow patterns, we found higher fluid flow rates near the toe of the trench, and a dramatic increase in fluid flow rate when the continental slope of the Chinese passive margin enters into the trench, and reduced fluid flow rates in the hinterland. We propose that this is a new and potentially useful method to derive regional fluid flow rate models for studying geochemical and biological processes in shallow seafloor sediments and the regional hydrological budget.

The aim of this work is to describe the morphodynamic processes of coastal and submarine areas based on morpho-bathymetric data and sub-bottom acoustic profiles from the Calabrian Ionian margin (from Capo Spartivento to Capo Rizzuto). We describe some of the most significant geo-hazard features and show some examples of their complex interactions and related potential risk. The relationship between these geo-hazard features and the active tectonics and some severe historical earthquakes and tsunamis is also discussed. The studied area is characterized by several well developed canyon systems. The retrogressive erosion of the canyon heads affects the continental shelf and interacts with the coastal morpho-sedimentary processes, evidencing the intense geomorphic activity of this sector of Ionian margin. The widespread evidence of mass wasting processes and slope instability, together with the historical seismicity, makes this area also an ideal case study for investigating on the possible relationship between earthquakes and landslide-triggered tsunamis and assessing the potential risk.

A geophysical conceptual model for sites prone to seismic liquefaction is presented, introducing a geophysical protocol to characterize the liquefaction proneness. Three parameters are used to characterize homogeneous units: v s , a proxy of the geotechnical classes of soils, v p related to the saturation degree and v p /v s ratio, related to the liquefaction geophysical susceptibility. A layer is geophysically susceptible to liquefaction when it meets the following criteria: a) v s < 270 m/s and 1300 < v p < 1800 m/s; b) v p /v s > 5. The model has been tested and validated in the Quistello site, where liquefaction occurred during the 2012 Emilia earthquake. The validation of the proposed geophysical model for liquefaction susceptibility against the geotechnical one, calculated from CPTU, indicates the reliability of the proposed approach. This approach was extended to other sites affected by the 2012 seismic swarm. The study demonstrates that the geophysical susceptibility to liquefaction could be an indicator to support microzonation studies concerning the liquefaction proneness of extended areas.