Geological interpretation of a low-backscatter anomaly found on the New Jersey continental margin
Title | Geological interpretation of a low-backscatter anomaly found on the New Jersey continental margin |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year | 2012 |
Authors | Sweeney, E, Gardner, JV, Johnson, J, Mayer, LA |
Journal | Marine Geology |
Volume | 326-328 |
Pages | 46-54 |
Date Published | 24-08-2012 |
Publisher | Elsevier |
Keywords | Chesapeake Drift, continental slope, multibeam backscatter, submarine canyons, U.S. mid-Atlantic continental margin, Western Boundary Undercurrent |
An enigmatic low-backscatter, acoustic anomaly occurs on the New Jersey continental margin between Hudson and Wilmington Canyon channels. The presence of the low-backscatter anomaly, as seen with 6.5- and 12-kHz data, indicates a change in the physical properties of the seafloor or near sub-surface. Analyses of seafloor and sub-surface acoustic data with previously collected sediment cores suggest the low-backscatter feature corresponds to an outcrop of older strata uncovered by erosion and non-deposition by the Western Boundary Undercurrent (WBUC). The decrease in backscatter strength is enhanced by the presence of gas in the sub-surface sediments found in the buried Chesapeake Drift. |