Traditionally, single-beam echo sounder (SBES) data are used to determine the position of emission structures in the form of a two-dimensional profile, which may not be straightforward enough to correlate the data of adjacent profiles and determine the exact discharge area. In this study, we develop semiautomatic software to remove noise and select possible flare signals to enhance the speed and precision of the data processing. The program also allows for the transformation of the data into a three-dimensional point cloud distribution by computing the receiving angle of the data. By applying this method to investigate the distribution and mechanism of gas emission structures in the South Okinawa Trough (SOT), we determine four high flux areas and 22 isolated plumes with roots. Widespread gas flares usually occur in areas with large-scale volcanic activity or gas-enriched structures. Isolated gas plumes could be found for a single knoll outcrop and normal faulting structures. The energy of the flares around the knoll area is generally stronger than that observed along the normal faults. Compared with other geophysical data, we find that the widespread distribution of gas flares generally implies a larger hydrothermal potential, which may not be revealed by single-profile acoustic image observations. We also find that the direction of flares is strongly influenced by tides, and the height of the flare represents the thermocline as a strong boundary for bubbles composited by carbon dioxide.

中文翻译：

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分束回声测深仪观测冲绳海槽最南端的气体排放特征及其构造意义

传统上，单波束回声测深仪（SBES）数据用于确定二维剖面形式的发射结构的位置，这可能不够简单，无法关联相邻剖面的数据并确定准确的放电区域。在本研究中，我们开发了半自动软件来消除噪声并选择可能的耀斑信号，以提高数据处理的速度和精度。该程序还允许通过计算数据的接收角度将数据转换为三维点云分布。通过应用该方法研究冲绳南部海槽（SOT）气体排放结构的分布和机制，我们确定了4个高通量区域和22个带根的孤立羽流。大范围的气体耀斑通常发生在有大规模火山活动或富含气体的结构的地区。在单个山丘露头和正常断层结构中可以发现孤立的气体羽流。丘陵地区周围耀斑的能量通常比沿正断层观察到的耀斑能量要强。与其他地球物理数据相比，我们发现气体耀斑的广泛分布通常意味着更大的热液潜力，而单剖面声学图像观测可能无法揭示这一点。我们还发现耀斑的方向受潮汐的强烈影响，并且耀斑的高度代表温跃层作为二氧化碳复合气泡的强边界。