Inversion of density in the ocean from seismic reflection data

• Published in: Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics Vol. 19; no. 1
• Main Authors: Biescas Gorriz, Berta, Ruddick, Barry R., Sallares, Valenti
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: 02.06.2013
• ISSN: 1939-800X
• DOI: 10.1121/1.4798967

Previous works in seismic oceanography explain that acoustic reflections are primarily associated with temperature vertical variations, so seismic images in the ocean can be interpreted as thermal contrasts maps. Temperature and salinity are the physical properties that describe structures in the ocean. However, the main physical parameter that controls oceans dynamics is the density and, since the ocean is a compressible fluid, potential density is the property that determines the stability, mixing and mesoscale motions of the particles. We have inverted oceanic impedance from seismic data and then derived density and potential density surfaces from the oceanic impedance. Results of the inverted potential density have been compared with seismic reflectors to show the relation between isopycnals and reflectors. We have also compare the seismic profiles of the GO Survey with the space-coincident CTDs and space and time-coincident XBTs to understand the nature of the reflectivity and its relation with the potential density in the ocean.