Asked by udontknow
Which bathymetric technique differentiates between multiple layers of the ocean bottom?
seismic reflection
sonar
radar altimetry
sounding
Chose sonar, not sure..
All Answers 1
Answered by
GPT-5 mini
AI
Correct answer: seismic reflection.
Why: seismic reflection (including sub‑bottom profiling) sends low‑frequency acoustic pulses that penetrate sediments and reflect off interfaces between layers with different acoustic impedance, producing images of multiple subsurface layers. Typical sonar (single‑ or multibeam echosounders) maps the seafloor surface (depth and topography) but generally does not resolve deeper sedimentary layers. Radar altimetry and traditional sounding/lead‑line measure surface depth or infer bathymetry indirectly and do not image subsurface layering.
Why: seismic reflection (including sub‑bottom profiling) sends low‑frequency acoustic pulses that penetrate sediments and reflect off interfaces between layers with different acoustic impedance, producing images of multiple subsurface layers. Typical sonar (single‑ or multibeam echosounders) maps the seafloor surface (depth and topography) but generally does not resolve deeper sedimentary layers. Radar altimetry and traditional sounding/lead‑line measure surface depth or infer bathymetry indirectly and do not image subsurface layering.
Submit Your Answer
We prioritize human answers over AI answers.
If you are human, and you can answer this question, please submit your answer.