Inversion of surficial sediment thickness from under-ice acoustic transmission measurement

The under-ice acoustic transmission experiment of 2013, conducted under ice cover in the Fram Strait, was analyzed for bottom interactions for the purpose of developing a model of the seabed. Using the acoustic signals, as well as data from other sources, including cores, gravimetric, refraction, and seismic surveys, it was deduced that the seabed may be modeled as a thin surficial layer overlaid on a deeper sediment. The modeling was based on the Biot–Stoll model for acoustic propagation in porous sediments, aided by more recent developments that improve parameter estimation and depth dependence due to consolidation. At every stage, elastic and fluid approximations were explored to simplify the model and improve computational efficiency. It was found the surficial layer could be approximated as a fluid, but the deeper sediment required an elastic model. The full Biot–Stoll model, while instrumental in guiding the model construction, was not needed for the final computation. The model could be made to agree with the measurements by adjusting the surficial layer thickness.