High-resolution seismic images of gas hydrate-bearing sediments in the Sea of Okhotsk

Abstract

Gas hydrate-related features appear to be completely different images with respect to frequency. For example, the bottom simulating reflectors (BSRs) occur as a sharp and strong reflector parallel to the seafloor on multichannel seismic profiles using low frequency seismic sources like airgun, whereas the BSR is not distinct or appears as diffuse high-amplitude reflections (HARs) around the base of the hydrate stability zone (BHSZ) on the profiles using high frequency sources like sparker or 3.5 kHz sub-bottom profiler. With the high-resolution seismic images obtained during the Leg 1 (cruise LV31) of the CHAOS project (2003) (Fig. 1), we examined gas hydrate- related features in gas hydrate-bearing sediments in the Sea of Okhotsk in this study.