Geophysical exploration of the ocean floor using acoustic methods
- 1 September 1968
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Contemporary Physics
- Vol. 9 (5) , 423-446
- https://doi.org/10.1080/00107516808205816
Abstract
Sediment patterns on the ocean floor of the continental shelf can be studied using ultrasonic sonar systems, in which the geophysical patterns are mapped on a permanent paper record. Housed within a streamlined fish-like towed body, a transmitter sends an ultrasonic acoustic beam towards the sea bed, illuminating a path of the sea floor of width 1 km parallel to the track of the ship. The strength of the echo reverberation signals increases progressively through the sediment series soft mud, sands, cobbles, rocks and corals, so some measure of sediment identification is possible.Keywords
This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit:
- Narrow-beam echo-ranger for fishery and geological investigationsBritish Journal of Applied Physics, 1961