EM122 multibeam backscatter data acquired from the Caiwei seamounts and the deep-sea basin to its west in the western Pacific Ocean, is used to identify the distributions of ferromanganese nodules with different abundance, cobalt-rich crusts, pelagic calcareous and clay sediments, etc. Box and drill sample and video are used for ground truth. The backscatter data are processed by CARIS HIPS&SIPS 11.1, including transmission losses, insonified area, AVG, despeckling and mosaicking. The qualitative and quantitative relationship between backscatter and nodules, crusts and different sediments are established successfully. Significantly, low-backscatter values are observed on areas of pelagic clay sediments (C1) in the deep-sea basin and calcareous pelagic sediments (C2) on the summit of the seamount, whereas obvious high-backscatter values are observed on areas of nodules with high abundance around 40 kg/m² (C4) in the deep sea basin and cobalt-rich crusts (C5) on the seamount, the important difference in backscatter between soft pelagic sediments (C1 and C2) and hard minerals (C4 and C5) is nearly 20dB. Quantitatively, the GSAB improved model is used to identify several parameters for different seafloor geological classes, e.g., BS_45°, specular level, specular angular extent, Lambert reference and Lambert decrement. The parameters for nodules with different abundance, cobalt-rich crusts and different pelagic sediments provide insight into reflection coefficient, specular regime, seafloor roughness and impedance, etc. The profiles of angular response of nodules with high abundance (C4) in the basin and crusts (C5) on the seamount show high values in BS_45°, Lambert reference but low specular level, and hence can be interpreted as representative areas with hard or relatively rough substrates. Contrarily, the profiles of the pelagic clay sediment (C1) and calcareous pelagic sediment (C2) both show low values in BS_45°, Lambert references but high values in specular level, indicating similar high coherent reflection coefficient, low slope variance and smooth sediment interfaces for these two types of pelagic sediments.
© 2020 Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey

Cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts on seamounts have attracted much attention due to high economic potential of various metals. Studies showed that seamounts in the Western Pacific Ocean are rich in cobalt-rich crusts, and Weijia Guyot (Ita Mai Tai) is one of the most promising one. Cobalt-rich crusts were drilled from this seamount in our previous investigation. This study evaluates promising areas of cobalt-rich crusts on the whole guyot. Combined the sub-bottom profiles, topography, scientific ocean drilling data with related studies, this paper studied sedimentary characteristic and their implications for cobalt-rich crusts mineralization prospective areas on the summit of Weijia Guyot. Three types of stratum reflection characteristics were identified: pelagic deposits, oolitic limestone, and lagoonal mud. Reflection sequences in Chirp sub-bottom profiler records are well matched to stratigraphy obtained at Deep-Sea Drilling Project Sites 200 and 202. Cobalt-rich crusts promising mineralization areas were delineated based on the water depth, slope gradient and pelagic pinch-out line, with the area approximately 576.4 km². This estimated number is 10% higher than the results from previous studies (approximately 436.6 km²). It provides great implication for exploration and mining-lease-block selection in the future.
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd

基于中国大洋36和41航次浅地层剖面数据,结合DSDP钻井及国内外相关研究,对西太平洋维嘉平顶山顶部沉积物的浅地层剖面特征、沉积环境、沉积时代、沉积物厚度分布特征等进行了研究,发现3种主要的地层反射特征,分别代表3个沉积单元;山顶沉积物的厚度分布呈现出3个沉积中心区和4个基岩裸露/沉积物稀薄区的特点;平顶山东部的沉积异常可能与始新世的第二次火山活动有关。根据富钴结壳的生长和发育特点,结合维嘉平顶山的沉积物分布特征,圈定了结壳资源潜力分布区。维嘉平顶山作为中国重要的富钴结壳合同区块,本次研究对其富钴结壳资源进一步的勘探工作具有指导意义。

Cobalt-rich crust has attracted increased attention due to their economic value. Studies have indicated that seamounts in the Western Pacific Ocean are rich in cobalt-rich crust resources. The Caiwei Guyot in Western Pacific Ocean is one of the cobalt-rich crust exploration areas contracted between China and the International Seabed Authority. A large volume of research has been conducted to elucidate the tectonic evolution, basement type, sediment type, gravity and magnetic anomaly characteristics, and geochemical characteristics of shallow surface sediments at Caiwei Guyot. However, a research gap exists on the sedimentary strata below the pelagic deposits and above the volcanic basement of the Caiwei Guyot. This paper summarizes that two main types of sediments existing on the top of Caiwei Guyot. The deposition thickness on the top of Caiwei Guyot is characterized by three sedimentary centers and exposed periphery. Pelagic sediments are difficult to form at the northeastern portion and edge area of Caiwei Guyot due to the strong bottom current environment, which makes these areas suitable for crust growth. This paper delineated three cobalt-rich crust prospective areas at the Caiwei Guyot with of significant implications for exploration and mining-lease-block selections at Caiwei Guyot.
© 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

基于光学成像原理和激光三角测距法,提出将三个点激光器与水下相机结合、根据水下光学图像对水下目标物距离进行测量的思路。建立了激光束与目标物垂直、与目标物之间存在旋转角、存在俯仰角三种情况下的三点激光测距理论模型,推导了目标物距离与水下激光光斑图像之间的数学关系,在此基础上得到了三种情况下的三点激光测距公式。研制了系统样机,并通过空气中和水下的距离测量实验,测试了测距模型和定标算法的误差。实验结果显示,在8.4 m范围内,使用统一测距公式对距离进行测量时,测距误差最大值约为35 cm,平均测量误差小于15 cm。研究成果可望用于水下目标较近距离的精确测距。

根据光传输理论和水体光学衰减规律,提出了水下光源主光轴上光谱辐照度随距离分布的理论模型,确定了模型结构。在此基础上,采用数值计算的方法对模型中各待定参数进行求解,根据模型结构特点提出了对不同参数进行分步拟合的思路并给出了具体的参数求解方法。为了验证建模方法的准确性和可行性,根据水下光源实测数据进行建模并对模型的精度进行了评估。结果显示:模型拟合数据与水下实测数据吻合程度较高,拟合误差的方均根值仅为实测数据方均根值的4%,说明模型拟合精度较高。该方法有望用于水下光场建模、水下图像处理等应用领域。

石油产品的庞大运输量增加了重大污染事故的风险,给生态安全带来了巨大威胁。其泄漏事故往往具有突发性、偶然性以及污染范围大等特点,传统的化学采样检测并不适用于现场的应急监测和定量预警。卫星遥感以及机载成像的发展为事故的检测提供了有效手段,但因为水面漂浮油品颜色特征不明显,多呈透明色, RGB相机下水和水面漂浮油品难以区分,严重影响成像监测效果。尝试从水与油品的光谱反射率特性的差异出发,寻找油品的特征波段,提高图像中水与油的对比度,以实现溢油监测。针对漂浮油品的光谱测量,已有研究选用的实验容器与环境条件与自然水体中的综合光学特征存在明显差异,难以为现场泄漏事故的监测提供相应的数据支持。为模拟实际的泄漏情景,在人工开阔湖面上使用地物光谱仪对汽油和二甲苯两类透明油品及类油化学品进行紫外可见反射光谱特性的测量探究。光谱测量结果显示,样品与水在各波段区间的光谱角余弦值均接近1,但光谱反射率差值在紫外波段明显大于其他波段,说明漂浮汽油与二甲苯这类透明油品与湖水的光谱反射率曲线形状差异基本一致,而幅值差异在紫外波段处最大。为进一步论证光谱特征分析结果,选择365, 436, 546以及700 nm四个紫外-可见波段的滤光片,对样品进行成像分析。成像分析结果显示,汽油与二甲苯两种漂浮透明油品与湖水在紫外波段处的图像总体灰度对比值与纹理特征差距明显高于其他可见光波段。因此,选用紫外波段进行水面漂浮油品的成像监测能有效提高油品与自然水面的成像对比度。该实验在自然光与湖面自然水体的条件下进行,极大程度地模拟了实际的透明油品泄漏污染情景,为透明油品及类油化学品机载遥感监测的波段优选提供了理论与数据支持。

底辟、高角度的断裂、滑塌等构造在南海神狐海域广泛发育,它们为天然气水合物的形成提供了良好的流体运移通道。为了提高试采区内天然气水合物地震数据的成像精度,尤其是断层及断裂结构的成像精度,开展了一套专门针对天然气水合物的精细速度模型构建方法,初始速度模型建立以CVI约束速度反演为基础,通过时间偏移域内剩余速度分析与拾取方法进行初始速度模型优化,采用基于层速度的弯曲射线叠前时间偏移来提高信噪比,在初始速度模型优化的基础之上,以剩余曲率法为基础的层析速度反演来完成深度域层速度的迭代与更新,最后通过叠前深度偏移实现试采区天然气水合物精细地震成像。通过对南海神狐海域试采区的实际应用结果表明:BSR的连续性更好;波组特征更加明显,同相轴连续性增强,利于解释人员进行层序划分;复杂构造成像清晰,有明显的强反射特征,底辟构造成像清晰;浅层小断层更加清楚,层间反射清晰,大断面归位合理,细节更清楚;能为新的成藏模式及现场钻井风险提示提供必要的数据依据。