Classification of Seafloor Geological Types of Qianyu Seamount from Mid-Pacific Seamounts Using Multibeam Backscatter Intensity Data
Yang Yong
He Gaowen
Zhu Kechao
Yao Huiqiang
Ma Jinfeng
Yang Shengxiong
Deng Xiguang
Abstract：Cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts are mainly distributed around the top brim and on the slope of Mid-Pacific seamou-nts and West Pacific seamounts.Calcium-pelagic sediment,carbonate rock and debris flow driven by gravity process are main seafloor sediment types of seamounts,which control the distribution of cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts.In this paper, multibeam backscatter intensity data from EM122 multibeam system are first used in China to recognize seafloor geological types of Qianyu seamount on Mid-Pacific seamounts.Backscatter data are processed and classified statistically with verification of sub-bottom profile and ground-truthing data to identify four seafloor geological types including cobalt-rich crust,calcium-pelagic sediment,carbonate rock and debris flow.Different backscatter intensities are represented by different seafloor geolog-ical types,cobalt-rich crust area shows as uniform strong backscatter intensity representing,and calcium-pelagic sediment area shows as uniform weak backscatter,their backscatter difference is about 20 dB.The top of Qianyu seamount is mostly out-cropped by carbonate rock,and locally covered by calcium-pelagic sediment,and cobalt-rich crust distribute around the top brim and southern and eastern slope ridges.Furthermore,three gravity slide areas are recognized on the Qianyu seamount, which are of debris flows.
Keywords：backscatter intensitycobalt-rich crustQianyu seamountseafloor geological classificationmarine geologygeophysics
Publication Date：2016-01-01
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：11( 718-728 )