Analysis of ocean internal waves imaged by multichannel reflection seismics, using ensemble empirical mode decomposition

Research on ocean internal waves using seismic oceanography is a frontier issue both for marine geophysicists and physical oceanographers. Images of the ocean water layer obtained by conventional processing of multichannel seismic reflection data can show the overall patterns of internal waves. However, in order to extract more information from the seismic data, new tools need to be developed. Here, we use the ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) method to decompose vertical displacement data from seismic sections and apply this method to a seismic section from the northeastern South China Sea, where clear internal waves are observed. Compared with the conventional empirical mode decomposition method, EEMD has greatly reduced the scale mixing problems induced in the decomposition results. The results obtained show that the internal waves in this area are composed of different characteristic wavelengths at different depths. The depth range of 200–1050 m contains internal waves with a wavelength of 1.25 km that are very well coupled in the vertical direction. The internal waves with a wavelength of 3 km, in the depth range of 200–600 m, are also well coupled, but in an oblique direction; this suggests that the propagation speed of internal waves of this scale changes with depth in this area. Finally, the internal waves with a wavelength of 6.5 km, observed in the depth range of 200–800 m, are separated into two parts with a phase difference of about 90◦, by a clear interface at a depth of 650 m; this allows us to infer an oblique propagation of wave energy of this scale.publishe

Water Column Seismic Images as Maps of Temperature Gradient

Multichannel seismic imaging of ocean water column features is a new interdisciplinary study that may become an accepted oceanographic tool in coming years. We now know that reflectors are associated with water column thermohaline fine structures such as internal waves and intrusions (on a scale of ~ 10–50 m) associated with ocean mixing, and also that the images outline larger-scale oceanographic features such as currents, water-mass boundaries, eddies, meddies, and fronts. The synopticity and detail showing the relationships between mesoscale and fine-scale features promises improved insight into the processes that cascade energy from mesoscales to mixing scales.In order to trust a new tool, oceanographers require a quantitative understanding of how the new tool acts upon physical properties to yield a final result. We explain the basic principles of multichannel seismics, and show that the imaging process can be viewed as a filtering operation acting on the acoustic impedance field, which, on the scales that matter, is primarily (but not completely) associated with temperature variations. Synthetic seismic images show the derivative of acoustic impedance, averaged over the resolution scale of the acoustic source wavelet—they are, aside from side-lobe effects, essentially smoothed maps of temperature gradient. We use a conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) trace from the periphery of a meddy to estimate the contribution of thermal (83%) and saline (17%) anomalies to a synthetic seismic trace, and then use multiple CTD traces from the same data set to construct a synthetic seismic image. This synthetic image compares favorably to a real seismic image of a different meddy with important differences that can be ascribed to the higher lateral resolution of the seismic technique

Characteristics and Sources of Water-Soluble Ions in PM_2.5 in the Sichuan Basin, China

To track the particulate pollution in Sichuan Basin, sample filters were collected in three urban sites. Characteristics of water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs) were explored and their sources were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA). During 2012⁻2013, the PM2.5 concentrations were 86.7 ± 49.7 μg m−3 in Chengdu (CD), 78.6 ± 36.8 μg m−3 in Neijiang (NJ), and 71.7 ± 36.9 μg m−3 in Chongqing (CQ), respectively. WSIIs contributed about 50% to PM2.5, and 90% of them were secondary inorganic ions. NH4+ and NO3− roughly followed the seasonal pattern of PM2.5 variations, whereas the highest levels of SO42− appeared in summer and autumn. PM2.5 samples were most acidic in autumn and winter, but were alkaline in spring. The aerosol acidity increased with the increasing level of anion equivalents. SO42− primarily existed in the form of (NH4)2SO4. Full neutralization of NH4+ to NO3− was only observed in low levels of SO42− + NO3−, and NO3− existed in various forms. SO42− and NO3− were formed mainly through homogeneous reactions, and there was the existence of heterogeneous reactions under high relative humidity. The main identified sources of WSIIs included coal combustion, biomass burning, and construction dust

Sedimentary budget of the Southwest Sub-basin, South China Sea: Controlling factors and geological implications

Calculation of the sediment budget in the South China Sea abyssal basin lacks constraints from drilling data and reinterpretation of seismic data. On the basis of six multichannel seismic profiles across the Southwest Sub-basin (SWSB) and the drilling data from International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 349, we divided the Cenozoic sediments into four sedimentary units. The sedimentary budget of the abyssal basin at different geological times was calculated. The previous works in the Mekong continental shelf and slope areas were integrated to calculate the sediment budget of the whole SWSB. Our researches show that the sediment budget in the SWSB increased during the Palaeogene and reached its first peak because of intensified erosion, which might have resulted from the continued uplift of the Tibetan Plateau and accelerated southeastward extrusion of the Indo-China Peninsula. Since the Late Miocene, the sediment budget was mainly influenced by the East Asia monsoon, that is, the intensified winter monsoon decreased the sediment budget of the entire area during the Late Miocene, whereas the strengthened summer monsoon increased the sediment budget during the Pliocene and reached a peak during the Pleistocene. The sediment budgets of the Mekong continental shelf, the Mekong continental slope, and the abyssal basin have distinct characteristics, relating to the infilling sequence of the terrestrial sediments in different regions. The sediment provenance of the SWSB was mainly from the Indo-China Peninsula, the Nansha area, and the Palawan before the Late Miocene. After that time, sediments were mainly transported from the modern Mekong River

Marine seismic observation of internal solitary wave packets in the northeast South China Sea

Recently the novel seismic oceanography method has been reported to be an effective way to study the energetic internal solitary waves (ISWs) in the northern South China Sea. An optimized seismic-oceanographic cruise was carried out to observe such near-surface ISWs on Dongsha Plateau in July 2014. Several soliton trains rather than single solitons were captured using the seismic technique. After seismic data processing, one prototypical rank-ordered ISW packet on northeast side of Dongsha Island was clearly identified for further analysis. This included waveforms, propagation velocities, and vertical velocities for individual solitons. In this study, an improved scheme was applied to derive the transient phase velocities from the seismic data which is verified from independent satellite and hydrographic data. Analytical predictions from Korteweg-de Vries equation fit better than the extended Korteweg-de Vries equation ignoring background currents. Our results show that the seismic method can be successfully used to image targets in shallow water below 40 m and that seismic oceanography is a promising technique for studying near-surface phenomena with high spatial resolution

Effects of multi-seamount subduction on accretionary wedge deformation:Insights from analogue modelling

Deformation patterns caused by the subduction of a single seamount or aseismic ridge have been well studied in analogue and numerical models. However, the effects of sequential multi-seamount subduction on accretionary wedge deformation have rarely been investigated in details. We performed a series of analogue modelling experiments of sequential subduction involving two seamounts of variable shape, spacing and rheological properties of strata to better understand the deformation mechanisms of an accretionary wedge with multi-seamount subduction. The results demonstrate that a seamount significantly hinders the seaward propagation of the accretionary wedge and facilitates lateral propagation. Two structural quiet zones form at the leading and trailing edges of the subducted seamount in the early stage of collision. As the seamount deeply penetrates into the wedge, the structural quiet zone in the leading edge is remoulded by a duplex structure, which may help the upward transport of deep subducted sediments back into the shallow area. Comparatively, the structural quiet zone in the trailing edge remains undeformed because it is situated in the stress shadow of the seamount. Deformation of the strata between two subducting seamounts may occur by thrusts laterally propagating into the seamount gap, which is facilitated by the décollement layer. The modelling results provide insights into the complex deformation mechanisms related to seamounts collision observed in the accretionary wedge offshore from the Costa Rica margin

Hydrochemical Characteristics of Hot Springs in the Intersection of the Red River Fault Zone and the Xiaojiang Fault Zone, Southwest Tibet Plateau

The coupling relationship between regional seismic activity and the hydrogeochemical field provides an important theoretical basis for regional earthquake precursor exploration. The intersection area of the Red River fault zone (RRF) and the Xiaojiang fault zone (XJF) in southeast Yunnan province has become the focus area of earthquake monitoring and prediction because of its special tectonic position in China. There were 20 hot springs that were sampled and analyzed in the laboratory for major elements, including trace elements, silica, stable isotopes (δ18O and δD), and strontium isotopes, from the years 2015 to 2019. (1) The meteoric water is the main source of recharge for thermal springs in the study area, and recharged elevations ranged from 1.1 to 2 km; (2) the geothermometer method was used to estimate the region of thermal storage temperature, and its temperature ranged between 64.3 to 162.7 °C, whereas the circulation depth ranged from 1.1 to 7.2 km. Hydrochemical types were mainly controlled by aquifer lithology, in which sodium bicarbonate and sulphuric acid water gathered mainly in the RRF, while calcium bicarbonate water gathered mainly in the XJF. According to the silicon–enthalpy equation method, the temperature range and cold water mixing ratio were 97–268 °C and 61–97%, respectively; (3) the circulation depth of the RRF was deeper than that of the XJF, and it was mainly concentrated in the second segment and the fourth segment on the RRF. Most of the hot spring water was immature with a weak water–rock reaction; (4) the hot water intersections of RRF and XJF were obviously controlled by the fault and the cutting depth of granite; (5) the relationship discussed between geothermal anomaly and earthquake activity had a good correspondence with regional seismicity. The intensity of the reaction between underground hot water and the surrounding rock may lead to the change of pore pressure, and the weakening effect of groundwater on fracture may change accordingly, followed by the change in the adjustment of tectonic stress. Eventually, the difference in seismic activity was shown, implying that deep fluid has an important control action on the regional seismicity

Shear-wave velocity structure and crustal lithology beneath the ultra-slow spreading Southwest Indian Ridge at 50°E

Shear-wave velocities provide an important constraint on crustal lithology. Limited crustal shear wave data are available from the ultra-slow spreading mid-ocean ridges. We combine observations of both compressional (P) and shear (S) waves in ocean bottom seismometer data from the Southwest Indian Ridge to determine crustal P wave velocity (Vp), S wave velocity (Vs), Vp/Vs and Poisson’s ratio variations along the ridge at 4917E–5049E. Similar layered crustal structures were revealed beneath both the magmatically robust segment centers (Vp/Vs of 1.76–1.94, Poisson’s ratio of 0.26–0.32) and the non-transform discontinuity (NTD) between them (Vp/Vs of 1.76–2.03, Poisson’s ratio of 0.26–0.32). Because laboratory measurements show an overlap in Poisson’s ratio between mafic igneous rocks and ultramafic rocks, particularly at Vp values typical of oceanic Layer 3, it can be difficult to distinguish crustal composition using this parameter only. However, our observed Vp gradients of 0.1 ± 0.1 /s suggest that in this area, oceanic Layer 3 consists primarily of mafic igneous rocks both at segment centers and at the NTD. Oceanic crustal layers 2A and 2B above are likely also to consist of mafic igneous rocks, with some evidence for increased fracturing at the NTD