Influence of depth-dependent sediment properties on the pressure reflection coefficient at normal incidence using the Biot-Stoll model

The impact of depth-dependent geophysical parameters on the acoustic pressure reflection coefficient is studied at normal incidence using the Biot-Stoll theory in porous marine sediments. The seabed is modeled as a sediment layer with depth-dependent properties on top of a homogeneous half-space, as originally proposed by Stern. There is no discontinuity in sediment properties between the layer and the half-space. The reflection coefficient is determined by the evaluation of boundary conditions at the water-sediment layer interface and the sediment layer-half-space interface. Results are obtained for different types of sediment, from medium size sands to silty clay, and different porosity profiles vs. depth.