Are buried river channels sources of geoclutter on the New Jersey Continental Margin?

Abstract

Geological features on a continental shelf may be responsible for anomalous acoustic scatter that are identified as (false) targets, or GeoClutter, on active sonar systems. Features on the New Jersey Continental Margin include a drainage system that formed when sea-level was much lower, ran across the shelf, and incised channels approximately 10 meters deep into the surrounding seabed. These channels have since been filled with sediments that are not apparent on bathymetric maps. The potential for these channels to create GeoClutter depends in part on the contrast in geoacoustic properties between the sediments filling the channels and the adjacent flanks. To study this matter, an experiment was conducted to measure the reflection loss from 1 to 10 kHz of channel fill and flank sediments in an area where GeoClutter has been observed and where there is supporting geophysical data. The measurements were made using the WARBLE technique [C. W. Holland and J. C. Osler, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 107, 1263–1279 (2000)], adapted for use in rapid environmental assessment using modified sonobuoys. Results from the experiment will be presented and the role of buried channels acting as sources of GeoClutter on the New Jersey Continental Margin will be discussed.