Chirp data processing for fluid detection at the Gulf of Trieste (northern Adriatic Sea).

Recent studies revealed the emission of fluids from the seafloor at various locations in the Gulf of Trieste (northern Adriatic Sea). To image the shallow sediments where this happens, several Chirp surveys were carried out. The shallow water reverberations limited the interpretation of this data, so we set up a workflow that attenuated the multiple reflections significantly. The new images of the shallow formations allowed improving our understanding of the most recent geological phenomena. Also, faint reflections from water layers with different acoustic impedance, probably due to temperature differences, were revealed, and several plumes were imaged. These images allow linking the shallow stratigraphy of the seafloor to ongoing fluids’ emissions.