Abstract
In‐situ measurements of compressional (sound) velocity and attenuation were made in the sea floor off San Diego in water depths between 4 and 1100 m; frequencies were between 3.5 and 100 khz. Sediment types ranged from coarse sand to clayey silt. These measurements, and others from the literature, allowed analyses of the relationships between attenuation and frequency and other physical properties. This permitted the study of appropriate viscoelastic models which can be applied to saturated sediments. Some conclusions are: (1) attenuation in db/unit length is approximately dependent on the first power of frequency, (2) velocity dispersion is negligible, or absent, in water‐saturated sediments, (3) intergrain friction appears to be, by far, the dominant cause of wave‐energy damping in marine sediments; viscous losses due to relative movement of pore water and mineral structure are probably negligible, (4) a particular viscoelastic model (and concomitant equations) is recommended; the model appears to apply to both water‐saturated rocks and sediments, and (5) a method is derived which allows prediction of compressional‐wave attenuation, given sediment‐mean‐grain size or porosity.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
