Abstract
Simultaneous acoustical and optical measurements of the rise rate of methane bubbles were made at several natural seafloor seeps in the Gulf of Mexico. The measurements were taken between 2 m and 50 m from the bottom, using a remotely operated vehicle equipped with a 500 kHz multibeam sonar system capable of imaging and Doppler measurements, and a high-definition color video camera. The bubble source on the seabed at all the seeps encountered in this work was an orifice a few centimeters across that released individual bubbles at various rates. Video measurements made 3 m above the bottom showed that these bubbles formed a column 5 to 30 cm in diameter. The acoustic measurements showed that the column transitioned from laminar to turbulent flow behavior about 6 m above the bottom. Rise rates in the laminar portion are between 20 and 30 cm/s. Work funded by BP
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: 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.