ELASTIC WAVE PROPERTIES OF CARBONATE MARINE SEDIMENTS IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ

摘要

Shallow water carbonate sediments have very different mineralogical and textural properties to siliciclastic sediments that may produce noticeable differences in their elastic wave propagation properties. Carbonate sands and gravels with significant carbonate mud contents were encountered in the Strait of Hormuz during a multi-disciplinary research cruise in 1997. In-situ seafloor shear wave measurements at 35 - 216 Hz gave velocities of 11 -113 m/s and attenuations (1000/Qs) of 66 - 333 with the lower velocities and attenuations in the muddier sediments. Laboratory ultrasonic compressional wave velocity and attenuation results reveal a similar dependence on mud content. Efforts are underway to reconcile these disparate datasets in an attempt to better understand the acoustic response of tropical seafloor sediments.