Using amplitude properties of shallow seismic profiles to reveal the seabed sediment types: A case study in Zhoushan Islands

Using acoustic parameters to reveal sediment types is of great significance for ocean research and development. Obtaining sediment types based on limited seabed sampling or in situ testing has often high cost, low efficiency, and poor continuity, to which acoustic profiling provides an advantageous tool that is rapid, continuous, convenient, and economical. Based on the high density and high resolution shallow stratigraphic profile data obtained in Zhoushan Islands periphery, East Chia Sea, technologies of pre-processing, amplitude attribute extraction, and so on were used to decipher the submarine surface sediment types. By comparing the geomorphic types interpreted from side scan sonar data and measured submarine surface sediment types, we found that the RMS (root mean square) attribute of the amplitude on shallow strata profile could accurately reflect the types of seafloor surface sediments. According to the amplitude RMS attribute of 1100 km shallow stratum profile obtained recently, the sediment types of Zhoushan Islands were interpretated, including mainly clay, clay silt, silt, sand, and bedrock. Compared to the measured data, the rate of successful match reached over 72%. This study provided a feasible way using the amplitude attribute of shallow seismic profiling to determine the surface sediment type in the study area and beyond.