Data Retrieval from an Acoustic Extensometer Experiment at the South Cleft RIDGE Seafloor Observatory Site

Oregon State University, Corvallis OR

Investigators

Abstract

In 2000 an array of acoustic extensiometers was deployed at the south Cleft segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge. These instruments are designed to precisely measure horizontal distances across the axis of the ridge to detect and quantify seafloor speading events. Eleven instruments were deployed in permanent seafloor benchmarks. The instruments make daily measurements of distance to their neighbors in the array by recording the round trip travel time of acoustic pulses. Temperature is measured to corect the ranges for sound speed variations, and pressure was measured at each benchmark to monitor for veritical deformation.