Scale-Dependent Physical and Geoacoustic Property Variability of Shallow-Water Carbonate Sediments from the Dry Tortugas, Florida

Spatial variability of shallow-water carbonate sediments near Dry Tortugas, Florida, is scale-dependent. Wet bulk density, grain density, porosity, compressional wave velocity, and grain size variability generally increase down to 2.4 m vertically and 850 m laterally. Grain size is most variable, followed by porosity, wet bulk density, compressional wave velocity, and grain density both vertically and laterally, consistent with Walther\u27s Law. Variability was empirically modeled by linear regression analysis to predict variability based on scale, characterize sediment property variability, and quantify sediment isotropy