In-situ geoacoustic measurement in the northern continental shelf of South China Sea and characteristics of mid-frequency sound speed

LIU Baohua; MENG Xiangmei; CHEN Mujun; KAN Guangming

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LIU Baohua，MENG Xiangmei，CHEN Mujun, et al. In-situ geoacoustic measurement in the northern continental shelf of South China Sea and characteristics of mid-frequency sound speed[J]. Haiyang Xuebao，2026, 48(x)：1–9

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In-situ geoacoustic measurement in the northern continental shelf of South China Sea and characteristics of mid-frequency sound speed

LIU Baohua^{1, 2
,
,},
MENG Xiangmei³,
CHEN Mujun⁴,
KAN Guangming^{3
,
,}

1.
Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, China
2.
National Deep Sea Research Center, MNR, Qingdao 266237, China
3.
Marine Geological and Geophysical Department, First Institute of Oceanography, MNR, Qingdao 266061, China
4.
Collage of Marine Geoscience, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China

Received Date: 2026-03-04
Rev Recd Date: 2026-05-12

Available Online: 2026-05-24

Abstract

Abstract

This paper briefly introduces the in-situ geoacoustic measurement system (SAS), which is based on high-frequency micro-vibration penetration technology. The system is composed of mechanical-hydraulic units, acoustic transducers, an acoustic emission and acquisition unit, an overall control unit, and auxiliary measurement units. It is designed for measuring the mid-frequency sound speed and attenuation coefficient of seafloor sediments. In April 2025, the system was deployed aboard the R/V "Xiangyanghong 01" to conduct in-situ acoustic measurements at nine stations in the northern continental shelf of South China Sea. At eight of these stations, the maximum penetration depth exceeded 3 meters, covering a frequency range of 1.6 kHz -10.0 kHz. The calculated sound speed shows distinct differences among the nine stations: the sound speed ratio at the first group of three stations varies between 1.01 and 1.03; at the second group of four stations, the ratio is significantly less than 1.0, ranging between 0.97 and 0.98; and at the third group of two stations, the ratio lies between the previous two groups, around 1.0. Comparison with synchronously obtained sediment core samples reveals a high correlation between sound velocity characteristics and the physical property parameters of sediments. When the sand content is high and the water content is low, the sound velocity in sediments exceeds that of near-bottom seawater; when the sand content is low and the water content is high, the sound velocity in sediments is lower than that of near-bottom seawater. Sand content and water content may be the primary factors determining whether sediment sound velocity is greater or less than that of near-bottom seawater. Across the nine stations, sound speed dispersion is approximately 2% in coarser sandy sediments ($ \mathit{\Phi }= $4.6～4.7), but less than 1% in finer silty sediments ($ \mathit{\Phi }= $5.8～5.9). Furthermore, the sound speed ratios predicted using the Hamilton formulas for each station are 3.5% to 8% higher than the in-situ measurement results, with all predicted values exceeding the sound speed of the near the seafloor seawater.
- Northern continental shelf of South China Sea,
- geoacoustics,
- in-situ measurement,
- mid-frequency,
- characteristics of sound speed

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References(26)

References

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