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Stochastic modeling of seafloor morphology: A parameterized Gaussian model
Author(s) -
Goff John A.,
Jordan Thomas H.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl016i001p00045
Subject(s) - autocovariance , geology , gaussian , seafloor spreading , bathymetry , stochastic modelling , covariance function , multifractal system , fractal , covariance , geophysics , fourier transform , mathematics , physics , mathematical analysis , statistics , oceanography , quantum mechanics
Stochastic methods of analysis are useful for quantifying ensemble properties of small‐scale bathymetric features such as abyssal hills. In this paper we model the seafloor as a stationary, zero‐mean, Gaussian random field completely specified by its autocovariance function. We formulate an anisotropic autocovariance function that has five free parameters describing the amplitude, anisotropic orientation and aspect ratio, characteristic length, and Hausdorff (fractal) dimension of seafloor topography. Parameters estimated from various seafloor regions by an inversion of Sea Beam data indicate that the seafloor exhibits a wide range of stochastic characteristics within the constraints of the model. Synthetic topography can be generated at arbitrary scale and resolution from the Gaussian model using a Fourier method. Color images of these synthetics are useful for illustrating the stochastic behavior of the model.