Journal of Marine Sciences ›› 2024, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (1): 1-12.DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1001-909X.2024.01.001

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Acoustic characteristics of rocks from the SWIR hydrothermal fields

JIE Tianyu1,2(), ZHOU Jianping1,2,3,*(), TAO Chunhui1,2, WANG Hanchuang1,2, LI Qianyu1,2,4, WU Tao1,2, LIU Long5   

  1. 1. Second Institute of Oceanography, MNR, Hangzhou 310012, China
    2. Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences, MNR, Hangzhou 310012, China
    3. Technology Innovation Center for Intelligent Ocean Observation,MNR, Hangzhou 310012, China
    4. School of Geophysics and Geomatics, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
    5. Xi’an Center of Geological Survey, China Geological Survey, Xi’an 710054, China
  • Received:2022-11-27 Revised:2023-05-18 Online:2024-03-15 Published:2024-05-11

Abstract:

The hydrothermal fields of the Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR) have the potential to develop large scale sulfide deposits, and the SWIR sulfide mineral resource evaluation is currently underway. Measurement and analysis of petrophysical characteristics such as P-wave velocity of sulfides and different host rocks are the basis for processing and interpretation of near-bottom seismic exploration data. Through the systematic measurement of the physical properties of sulfides and host rocks in the SWIR hydrothermal areas, we have analyzed the characteristics of rock P-wave velocity variation and its influencing factors by combining rock physical properties (including density, porosity, P-wave velocity) and minerals. The results show that the P-wave velocity of SWIR rocks is influenced by the rock skeleton minerals, pore space and confining pressure. Due to the overall small porosity of the rocks, the effect on P-wave velocity is not significant, but the increase of the confining pressure gradually closes the rock microfractures and pores, and the P-wave velocity varies non-linearly exponentially. The alteration causes the change of mineral composition, which is the most critical factor affecting the P-wave velocity of the confining rocks. The results of single physical parameter measurements may have multiple solutions, and the joint measurement of multiple physical parameters such as wave velocity, density, magnetic and electrical properties is beneficial for lithological differentiation. The research results help identifying sulfides and host rocks, and provide important support for the seismic exploration of polymetallic sulfides in the Southwest Indian Ocean contract area of China.

Key words: Southwest Indian Ridge, deep-sea hydrothermal fields, rock acoustic properties, petrophysical measurements, P-wave velocity

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