Submerged shoal imaging by sub-bottom profiler technique southern Iraq-northwest of the Arabian Gulf

Abstract EN

A marine geophysical survey using high-resolution Sub Bottom Profiler was carried out for Palinurus Shoal (PS) , one of the shallow sites within Iraqi marine borders, NW of the Arabian Gulf.

Eight parallel transverses survey lines of (SBP) were performed at the study area from southwest to northeast.

Six lines were about 2.5 km in length, the two more lines crossed about 4.6 km area extended up to Khawr Al Khafga.

The distance separated the survey lines is about 0.6-0.8 km.

In addition, one more profiler was acquired longitudinal to the north-south direction, 6.3 km length.

Abrupt reflectors slope changes reflectors discontinuity and coherency were the main interpretation guides on the sub-bottom images.

The behavior of the built-surface articulates that Palinurus Shoal feature was formed by structural activity of a deeper diapiric structure.

The surface depth is fluctuated.

It was 6-7 m at the center of the structure and deepen toward the east to be 13-14 m.

And it becomes even deeper, up to 30 m, at the western end.

The dimension of the observed structure surface are about 6 km along northwest-southeast direction and about 2-2.5 km along transvers direction.

Toward the east of the observed diapiric, there is an evidence of another daipriric structure.

These structural features, diapirics, suggest the evolution of salt plugs from a salt accumulations (e.g., salt domes or pillow structures).

This postulate was proved by reflection disappearance through these bodies.

It is characteristics of seismic waves behavior at salt compositions.

Furthermore, tilt reflectors faults and distortions of the structure bottom may tie-in neotectonic activity in the region.