Faulted structure of the bottom simulating reflector on the Blake Ridge, western North Atlantic
- Stennis Space Center, MS (United States)
High-resolution multichannel seismic data collected from the Blake Ridge in the western North Atlantic by the Naval Research Laboratory's Deep Towed Acoustics/Geophysics System (DTAGS) show that the bottom simulating reflector (BSR) in this area is the reflection from the interface between an approximately 440-m-thick section of hydrate-bearing sediment overlying an approximately 5-m-thick thick layer of methane gas-rich sediment. The high resolution attainable by the deep-tow seismic system reveals normal-fault offsets of approximately 20 m in the BSR. These growth faults may provide a path for vertical migration of methane initially concentrated beneath the hydrate-bearing sediment, enabling hydrate to form throughout sediment above the BSR. Because the BSR represents a methane gas-methane hydrate phase boundary rather than a lithologic or diagenetic horizon, the observed offset of the BSR itself reflects discontinuities in the pressure-temperature field across the fault zones where they intersect the BSR. 19 refs., 5 figs.
- OSTI ID:
- 5664347
- Journal Information:
- Geology; (United States), Journal Name: Geology; (United States) Vol. 21:9; ISSN 0091-7613; ISSN GLGYBA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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