AbstractSeismic reflection profiles contain not only primary reflections but also sequences of reverberating events called multiple reflections. Field recordings are presented that demonstrate various types of multiple reflections that commonly occur on marine seismic profiles. Their presence is enhanced by the fact that submarine soils often exhibit so little dip that they approximate horizontal layers. If the recording geometry is such that the seismic wave fronts propagate in a direction perpendicular to the layers, individual wavelets within sequences can be identified on the basis of their record times. Having been identified, the amplitudes and phases of these wavelets can be compared to provide information concerning the material within which they reverberate. The comparison does not rely on knowledge of the source. An example of estimating sea‐floor density by comparing water‐layer multiples is given. Observations in waters that have received industrial effluent indicate that such comparisons could be useful when investigating accumulations of waste mater
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