Abstract. Petrophysical properties of drill core and drill cuttings samples from both bore holes of the German Continental Deep Drilling Program (KTB) measured at atmospheric pressure and room temperature in the field laboratory are presented, along with data of core samples measured at simulated in situ conditions by other laboratories. Most of the petrophysical properties show a bimodal frequency distribution corresponding to the two main lithologies (gneiss and metabasite), except electrical resitivity and Th/U ratio which are lithology independent (monomodal distribution). Low resistivities are mainly associated with fractures zones enriched in fluids and graphite. The most abundant ferrimagnetic mineral is monoclinic pyrrhotite. Below 8600 m, hexagonal pyrrhotite with a Curie temperature of 260øC is the stable phase. Thus the Curie isotherm of the predominant pyrrhotite was reached (bottom hole temperature about 265øC). The highest values of magnetic susceptibility are linked with magnetite. Microcracks grow due to pressure and temperature release during core uplift. This process continues after recovery and is documented by the anelastic strain relaxation and acoustic emissions. The crystalline rocks exhibit marked reversible hydration swelling. Anisotropy of electrical resistivity, permeability, P and $ wave velocity is reduced significantly by applying confining pressure, due to closing of microcracks. Fluids within the microcracks also reduce the P wave velocity anisotropy and P wave attenuation. Anisotropy and shear wave splitting observed in the field seismic experiments is caused by the foliation of rocks, as confirmed by laboratory measurements under simulated in situ conditions. The petrophysical studies provide evidence that microfracturing has an important influence on many physical rock properties in situ.
A sonic pulse system, similar to that used at Lamont Geological Observatory for seismic model experiments, was used aboard the Research Vessel VEMA during the summer of 1954 to determine high frequency seismic velocities in fresh deep sea sediment cores. Velocity profiles were obtained from 26 cores covering a wide range of lithologies and ages (Recent to Miocene). Density, porosity, median grain size, sorting, carbonate content, and salt content were also measured. The compressional wave velocity in the ocean‐bottom unconsolidated sediments studied is well represented by the equation: [Formula: see text] where v′=compressional wave velocity in km/sec ϕ=median grain size in phi units γ=percentage of HCl soluble material η=porosity. Many measurements gave velocities less than the velocity of sound in sea water. Most of the low carbonate samples followed a velocity‐porosity relation given by the Wood (1941) equation. The regression coefficient, −.44η, agrees well with the average slope of the Wood equation over the observed porosity range. High carbonate and large median grain size samples gave velocities above that predicted by the Wood equation. These higher velocities are explained as the combined result of shear strength and low effective porosity in the samples. The highest velocities were found in slowly deposited sediments. The degrees of sorting of the sediments had no observable effect on the seismic velocities except that unexplained variations were greater for more poorly sorted materials. No correlation between velocity and age was evident in the sediments studied. The effect of temperature, between 40 and 80°F. on compressional velocity in sediments may be explained by changes in elastic properties of the water fraction alone. The effect of compaction in the upper 15 or 20 feet of homogeneous sediments produced a change in seismic velocity not greater than 1 or 2 percent. Attenuation was greater in the coarse‐grained high‐velocity sediments than in sediments of smaller grain size.
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