Volume scattering from turbidite sequences

Abstract

The seabed environment near continental margins is commonly composed of turbidite sequences, which are alternating layers of silt/sand and pelagic clay (mud). Scattering can occur both from interface roughness structure, as well as volume heterogeneities within each layer. A modeling technique is detailed that takes into account the layering structure of a turbidite for propagation into and out of the sediment, and uses the Born approximation to model the scattering. This model properly accounts for effects of the layering structure on the incident field (instead of using an effective medium approximation), which is expected to be important particularly at high frequencies (relative to the scales of the layering). Model results from several types of environments will be shown, and also compared to bottom scattering data collected in the Ionian sea.