Vertical acoustic blanking in seismic data from the German North Sea: a spotlight to shallow gas-bearing incised channels

Seismic data from the North Sea commonly show vertical acoustic blanking (VAB) often interpreted as fluid conduits with implications for Quaternary development. The robustness of this interpretation has long been controversial as the infill of tunnel valleys can also cause vertical blanking. Using 2D and 3D seismic data and sediment echosounder data from the German North Sea, we investigate VAB to determine a geological or imaging origin of these anomalies. We detected multiple VAB occurrences throughout the North Sea. 3D data from the Ducks Beak ('Entenschnabel') reveal a correlation of VAB with bright spots in incised channels directly below the seafloor. Large source-receiver distances allow imaging the subsurface below the channel without signal penetrating through it (undershooting). This method removes the blanking. Energy absorption by shallow biogenic gas trapped within the channels explains the observed VAB. Hence, the blanking represents an imaging artifact, highlighting the need for careful seismic processing with sufficient offset before interpreting such anomalies as fluid pathways. The channels belong to a postglacial channel system related to the now submerged lowlands of Doggerland. This work demonstrates the usability of mapping VAB to detect shallow features for paleo-landscape reconstruction and identification of shallow gas for hazard assessments, for example.