Mapping of methane gas bubble streams in the external water area of the sevastopol bay using recreational-grade sonar

by

Yu.G. Artemov

A.O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas of RAS,

RF, Sevastopol, Nakhimov Av., 2

DOI: 10.33075/2220-5861-2024-1-82-91

UDC 551.46.06                                                          

EDN: https://elibrary.ru/lxueqe

Abstract:

The site of methane seep occurrences in the outer water area of the Sevastopol Bay was surveyed using a using a Lowrance Elite Ti Series recreation grade fishfinder/chartplotter that combines vertical and lateral acoustic scanning functions and is equipped with a TotalScan antenna. The paper analyzes the features of the spatial distribution of methane seep emissions, bottom topography, and acoustic characteristics of the upper layers of bottom sediments. including the roughness (E1) and hardness (E2) indices of the seabed. The data accumulated to date on the geolocation of methane seeps in the study area indicate that they are related to areas of soft bottom sediments, which are identified as a rich in organic matter paleo-channel of the river Chernaya. This circumstance can be considered as direct evidence of the biogenic origin of methane seeps recorded in the outer waters of the Sevastopol Bay, resulting from biological decay of sedimentary organic material accumulated in the paleo-valley of the river Chernaya.

Keywords: methane gas bubble streams, Sevastopol Bay, paleo-channel of the river Chernaya, creational-grade echo sounder.

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