Stratigraphic and Geoacoustic Characterization of the Outer New Jersey Shelf

As a participant of the ONR Shallow Water Acoustics experiment to be held on the outer New Jersey shelf during the summer of 2006 (SWA06), the long term goal of this project is to understand the interaction of acoustic energy, at both medium and low frequencies, with the seabed. OBJECTIVES The objectives of this work are to (1) incorporate existing geological, geophysical and geoacoustic data into a seabed properties model applicable to the SWA06 experiment region, and (2) geologically interpret additional chirp seismic data to be collected as part of SWA06 (Altan Turgut, PI), and incorporate into existing interpretation based on analysis of the ONR Geoclutter program. Expected products include: (1) A structural/stratigraphic model of the subbottom, along primary acoustic propagation pathways planned for the SWA06 experiment and regionally as possible with existing and newly collected chirp seismic data. (2) A geologic interpretation of the regional stratigraphy based on both new and existing chirp seismic data and available ground truth information. This interpretation will focus on the transition from " outer shelf sediments " to " outer shelf wedge " that spans the intervening region between Areas 1 and 2 (Figure 1). (3) A geoacoustic rendering of the structural model based on predictive relationships between such properties and the geologic interpretation. Available physical property measurements will be used to constrain such relationships. APPROACH Seafloor and subseafloor data readily accessible to the PI (Figure 1) are listed below: (1) Swath bathymetry and backscatter data were collected in 1996 as part of the STRATAFORM program (Goff et al., 1999) and more recently as an unexpected add-on to the Geoclutter program.