Sonar acoustic facies and sediment distribution on an area of the deep ocean floor

Long-range sidescan sonar can be used to map sediment distributions over wide expanses of deep ocean floor. Seven acoustic facies that arise from differing sediment or rock types have been mapped over the low-relief Saharan continental rise and Madeira abyssal plain. These have been calibrated with...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine and petroleum geology 1985-08, Vol.2 (3), p.210-221
Main Authors: Kidd, Robert B., Simm, Robert W., Searle, Roger C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acoustic facies
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
Madiera abyssal plain
Marine geology
Saharan continental rise
Sediment distribution
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Summary:Long-range sidescan sonar can be used to map sediment distributions over wide expanses of deep ocean floor. Seven acoustic facies that arise from differing sediment or rock types have been mapped over the low-relief Saharan continental rise and Madeira abyssal plain. These have been calibrated with sampling, profiling and camera studies and the facies can be traced confidently on a regional scale using the sidescan data. The mapping of the sediment distribution shows that a complex interplay of turbidity current and debris flow processes can occur at a continental rise/abysaal plain transition over 1000 km from the nearest continental slope.
ISSN:0264-8172
1873-4073
DOI:10.1016/0264-8172(85)90011-X