Abstract
Gas in sediments has become an important subject of research for various reasons. It affects large areas of the sea floor where it is mainly produced. Gas and gas migration have a strong impact on the environmental situation as well as on sea floor stability. Furthermore, large research programs on gas hydrates have been initiated during the last 10 years in order to investigate their potential for future energy production and their climatic impact. These activities require the improvement of geophysical methods for reservoir investigations especially with respect to their physical properties and internal structures. Basic relationships between the physical properties and seismic parameters can be investigated in shallow marine areas as they are more easily accessible than hydrocarbon reservoirs. High-resolution seismic profiles from the Arkona Basin (SW Baltic Sea) show distinct ‘acoustic turbidity’ zones which indicate the presence of free gas in the near surface sediments. Total gas concentrations were determined from cores taken in the study area with mean concentrations of 46.5 ml/l wet sediment in non-acoustic turbidity zones and up to 106.1 ml/l in the basin centre with acoustic turbidity. The expression of gas bubbles on reflection seismic profiles has been investigated in two distinct frequency ranges using a boomer (600–2600 Hz) and an echosounder (38 kHz). A comparison of data from both seismic sources showed strong differences in displaying reflectors. Different compressional wave velocities were observed in acoustic turbidity zones between boomer and echosounder profiles. Furthermore, acoustic turbidity zones were differently characterised with respect to scattering and attenuation of seismic waves. This leads to the conclusion that seismic parameters become strongly frequency dependent due to the dynamic properties of gas bubbles.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abegg, F., 1999, Gasuntersuchungen an schlickigen Sedimenten. F. Geowissenschaften, Berichte No. 4, Christian Albrechts University Kiel.
F. Abegg A.L. Anderson (1997) ArticleTitleThe acoustic turbid layer in muddy sediments of Eckernfoerde Bay, Western Baltic: methane concentrations, saturation and bubble characteristics Marine Geol. 137 137–147
A.L. Anderson L.D. Hampton (1980a) ArticleTitleAcoustics of gas-bearing sediments I. Background J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 67 IssueID6 1865–1889
A.L. Anderson L.D. Hampton (1980b) ArticleTitleAcoustics of gas-bearing sediments II. Measurements and models J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 67 IssueID6 1890–1903
A.L. Anderson F. Abegg J.A. Hawkins M.E. Duncan A.P. Lyons (1998) ArticleTitleBubble populations and acoustic interaction with the gassy floor of Eckernförde Bay Continent. Shelf Res. 18 1807–1838
S. Björck (1995) ArticleTitleA review of the history of the Baltic Sea, 13.0–8.0 ka BP Quarter. Intl 27 19–40
S. Björck B. Kromer S. Johnsen O. Bennike D. Hammarlund G. Lemdahl G. Possnert T Lander Rasmussen B. Wohlfarth C.U. Hammer M. Spurk (1996) ArticleTitleSynchronized terrestrial-atmospheric deglacial records around the North atlantic Science 274 1155–1160
Bobsien, M., 1995, Entwicklung und Einsatz eines Hoch-Frequenz-Ozean-Boden-Hydrophons zur hochauflösenden Bestimmung von Kompressionswellen-geschwindigkeiten in Sedimenten Berichte aus dem Sonderforschungsbereich 313 (56).
K. Duphorn H. Kliewe R.-O. Niedermeyer W. Janke F. Werner (1995) Die deutsche Ostseeküste. Sammlung Geologischer Fürhrer 88 Gebr. Borntraeger Berlin, Stuttgart
K.-C. Emeis R. Endler U. Struck A. Kohly (2002) The post-glacial evolution of the Baltic Sea G. Wefer (Eds) et al. Climate Development and History of the North Atlantic Realm Springer-Verlag Berlin 205–221
R. Endler (1989) Akustische Eigenschaften des seebodennahen Schlicks im Arkonabecken Institut für Meereskunde Rostock/Warnemünde
Faber, E. and Stahl, J.W., 1983, Analytical Procedure and Results of an Isotope Geochemical Survey in an Area of the British North Sea. in Brooks, J. (Ed.), Petroleum Geochemistry and Exploration in Europe, Blackwell Scientific Pub, pp. 51–63.
P. Fleischer T.H. Orsi M.D. Richardson A.L. Anderson (2001) ArticleTitleDistribution of free gas in marine sediments: a global overview Geo-Marine Letts 21 103–122
T. Flodén P. Söderberg (1994) ArticleTitleShallow gas traps and gas migration models in crystalline bedrock areas offshore Sweden Baltica 8 50–56
A.A. Geodekyan Y.A. Berlin A.M. Bol’Shakov V.Y.A. Trotsyuk (1991) ArticleTitleDistribution of methane in sediments and bottom water of the soutern Baltic Sea Oceanology 31 54–59
E.L. Hamilton R.T. Bachman (1982) ArticleTitleSound velocity and related properties of marine sediments J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 72 IssueID6 1891–1904 Occurrence Handle10.1121/1.388539
B.S. Hart T.S. Hamilton (1993) ArticleTitleHigh-resolution acoustic mapping of shallow gas in unconsolidated sediments beneath the strait of Georgia, Britisch Columbia Geo-Marine Letts 13 49–55
M. Hovland A.G. Judd (1988) Seabed Pockmarks and Seepages. Impact on Geology, Biology and the Marine Environment Graham and Trotman London
Jensen, J.B., 1992, Late Pleistocene and Holocene depositional evolution in the shallow waters near the island of Møn, SE Denmark. PhD Thesis, Geological Survey of Denmark.
J.B. Jensen O. Bennike A. Witkowski W. Lemke A. Kuijpers (1997) ArticleTitleThe Baltic Ice Lake in the southwestern Baltic: sequence-, chrono- and biostratigraphy Boreas 26 217–236
Klein, G., 2003, Acquisition and inversion of dispersive seismic waves in shallow marine environments. PhD thesis, Christian-Albrechts-Universität, Kiel.
F. Landerer (2002) Spektrale Charakterisierung lokaler oberflächennaher Gasansammlungen im Arkona Becken, Ostsee. Geophysikalisches Praktikum für Fortgeschrittene Christian Albrechts University Kiel, Germany
Lemke, W., 1998, Sedimentation und paläogeographische Entwicklung im westlichen Ostseeraum (Mecklenburger Bucht bis Arkonabecken) vom Ende der Weichselvereisung bis zur Littorinatransgression. Meereswissenschaftliche Berichte No. 31, Institut für Ostseeforschung Warnemünde.
W. Lemke R. Endler F. Tauber J. Bo Jensen O. Bennike (1998) ArticleTitleLate-and postglacial sedimentation in the Tromper Wiek northeast of Rügen (western Baltic) Meyniana 50 155–173
M. Mathys (2003) Seismic characterisation and sedimentological investigation of gas-rich near surface sediments in Arkona Basin (Baltic Sea) Corelab, Research and Technology Centre, Christian Albrechts University Kiel, Germany
M.D. Mattson G.E. Likens (1990) ArticleTitleAir pressure and methane fluxes Nature 347 717–718 Occurrence Handle10.1038/347718b0
M. Moros (1999) Spätquartäre sedimentation am Reykjanes Rücken und in der Westlichen Ostsee – Rekonstuktion anhand hochauflösender sedimentphysikalischer Eigenschaften Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Griefswald
M. Moros W. Lemke A. Kuijpers R. Endler J.B. Jensen O. Bennike F. Gingele (2002) ArticleTitleRegressions and transgressions of the Baltic basin reflected by a new high-resolution deglacial and postglacial lithostratigraphy for Arkona Basin sediments (western Baltic Sea) Boreas 31 151–162 Occurrence Handle10.1080/030094802320129953
Neumann, G., 1981, Lagerungsverhältnisse spät- und postglazialer Sedimente im Arkona-Becken. Unveröffentliche Dissertation, Institut für Meereskunde Warnemünde.
L. Piker R. Schmaljohann J.F. Imhoff (1997) ArticleTitleDissimilatory sulfate reduction and methane production in Gotland Deep sdiments (Baltic Sea) during a transition period from oxic to anoxic bottom water (1993–1996) Aqua. Mirob. Ecol. 14 183–193
Y. Qian (2003) Diagenetic relationship of methane production/consumption, nutrients and acoustic turbidity in surface sediment in Arkona Basin (Baltic Sea) Corelab, Research and Technology Centre, Christian Albrechts University Kiel
M.D. Richardson A.M. Davis (1998) ArticleTitleModeling methane-rich sediments of Eckernförde Bay Continent. Shelf Res. 18 IssueID14–15 1671–1688
H.-U. Schlüter G. Best U. Jürgens F. Binot (1997) ArticleTitleInterpretation reflexionsseismischer Profile zwishcen baltischer Kontinentalplatte und kaledonischem Becken in der südlichen Ostsee – erste Ergebnisse Zür deutsche geolische Geschichte 148 IssueID1 1–32
Schubel, J.R., 1974, Gas bubbles and the acoustically impenetrable, or turbid, character of some estuarine sediments, in Kaplan, I.R. (Ed.), Natural Gases in Marine Sediments (Marine Science, Volume 3), Plenum Press, , pp. 275--298.
R. Schmaljohann L. Piker J.F. Imhoff (1998) ArticleTitleThe distribution of methane and hydrogen sulfide in basin sediments of the central and southern Baltic Sea Meyniana 50 191–211
Schmitt, M. and Thießen, O., 2003, A new designed sediment degassing system for small sample sizes to analyse free-, total-, and adsorbed gases. 7th International Conference on Gas Geochemistry (ICGG7), Poster Abstracts, Freiberg, Germany.
P. Söderberg T. Flodén (1991) ArticleTitlePockmark developments along a deep crustal structure in the northern Stockholm Archipelago, Baltic Sea Beiträge zur Meereskunde 62 79–102
Thießen O., Mathys, M., Qian, Y., Klein, G., Schmidt, M. and Theilen, F., 2003, Geochemical and geophysical properties of gas-rich sediment in the Arkona Basin (Baltic Sea). Geophysical Research Abstracts 5: 10093, European Geophysical Society 2003.
Tuffin, M.D.J., Best, A.I., Dix, J.K. and Bull, J.M., 2000, Temporal variability of P-wave attenuation due to gas bubbles in a marine sediment. Poster Presented at 5th European Conference on Underwater Acoustics 2000.
Tuffin, M.D.J., Best, A.I., Dix, J.K. and Bull, J.M., 2001, Temporal variability of P-wave attenuation due to gas bubbles in a marine sediment, in Leighton, T.G. et al. (Eds.). Acoustical Oceanography. Proc. Institute of Acoustics, vol. 23(2): pp. 291–298.
T.F. Wever H. Fiedler (1995) ArticleTitleVariability of acoustic turbidity in Eckernförde Bay (southwest Baltic Sea) related to the annual temperature cycle Marine Geol. 125 21–27
T.F. Wever F. Abegg H.M. Fiedler G. Fechner I.H. Stender (1998) ArticleTitleShallow gas in the muddy sediments of Eckernförde Bay, Germany Continent. Shelf Res. 18 IssueID14–15 1715–1739
R.H. Wilkens M.D. Richardson (1998) ArticleTitleThe influence of gas bubbles on sediment acoustic properties: in situ, laboratory, and theoretical results from Eckernförde Bay, Baltic Sea Continent. Shelf Res. 18 IssueID14–15 1859–1892
M.J. Whiticar (1999) ArticleTitleCarbon and hydrogen isotope systematics of bacterial formation and oxidation of methane Chem. Geol. 161 291–314 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0009-2541(99)00092-3
M.J. Whiticar (2002) ArticleTitleDiagenetic relationships of methanogenesis, nutrients, acoustic turbidity, pockmarks and freshwater seepages in Eckernförde Bay Marine Geol. 182 29–53
M.J. Whiticar F. Werner (1981) ArticleTitlePockmarks: Submarine vents of natural gas or freshwater seeps? Geo-Marine Letts 1 193–199
A.B. Wood (1930) A Textbook of Sound MacMillan New York
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mathys, M., Thießen, O., Theilen, F. et al. Seismic Characterisation of Gas-rich Near Surface Sediments in the Arkona Basin, Baltic Sea. Mar Geophys Res 26, 207–224 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11001-005-3719-4
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11001-005-3719-4