Stratigraphy of the Hudson Submarine Canyon Area

Pressure waves generated at different ranges in the continental shelf and slope by explosions of one pound of TNT charges were received by hydrophones connected by sea cables to a fixed station in the ocean. An extensive analysis of the dispersion in the water wave was made, covering five different courses within a 150-mile radius from the receiving station, all the seasons of the year, and over 400 charges. In general, for shallow water the received pressure wave displays certain features which are characteristic of the depth of the water, the velocity-depth contour in the water, range, and the structure of the bottom. Dispersion in the water was also observed in a surface channel formed in moderately deep water. The observed dispersion phenomena were studied quantitatively, and the data were interpreted in terms of the bottom structure. Two- and three-layer liquid models are used to interpret the experimental results.