Initial assessment of combustive sound source arrays as airgun alternatives for Arctic under-ice seismic exploration

Combustive sound source arrays consisting of submersible combustion chambers filled with a hydrogen/oxygen mixture are employed to assess their effectiveness for seismic exploration applications. The combustive mixture is ignited via spark and radiates acoustic pulses capable of undersea deep sub-bottom sediment penetration. Since electrolytic cells may be employed to generate the hydrogen/oxygen mixture from surrounding seawater, this source is an attractive alternative to airgun arrays for Arctic seismic exploration from under-ice platforms. Combustive sound source array configurations were tested in a central Virginia basin with hydrophones deployed in a line at another nearby basin. Seismic reflections are compared against nearby geologic cross sections of the central Virginia seismic zone. Funding provided via UAF sub-award under NOAA Grant NA09NOS4000262 and ONR.