• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.397-409
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• 2018

Izumi sedimentary basin (ISB), west of Shikoku, Japan, is widely distributed across the western side of the Sakuragi Bend of the Japan Median Tectonic Line (MTL). It is not obvious how the ISB formed, but this feature is similar to an asymmetric pull-apart basin. The stratigraphic succession and tuff layers show that ages tend to decrease toward the Sakuragi Bend. We investigate whether the ISB is an asymmetric pull-apart basin using analogue model experiments with running sand. A pull-apart basin of length 60 cm and width 20 cm is formed, and secondary normal faults appear on the surrounding surface. A cross-section parallel to the direction of displacement shows that the stratigraphic succession of the pull-apart basin becomes younger toward the releasing bend. A listric normal fault, which has the opposite dip to the master fault, is observed in a cross-section perpendicular to the direction of displacement. These results are consistent with the observed properties of the ISB west of Shikoku, thereby supporting the possibility that the ISB is an asymmetric pull-apart basin.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.259-269
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• 2002

Based on sedimentary structures, degree of bioturbation, and internal erosional layers, the deep-sea core sediments in the East Sea (Ulleung and Yamato basins) and the Northwestern Pacific Ocean (Shikoku Basin) can be divided into two parts (upper and lower) with the boundary of around 10,000 years B.P. in age. The upper part of core KT94-10 from Shikoku Basin is characterized by low sedimentation rate, internal erosion layer, high degree of bioturbation and cross-lamination structures. It can be interpreted as the bottom-current deposits which show some different characteristics from turbidite or hemipelagic sediment. However, its lower part consists of highly bioturbated, massive mud, suggesting that it be not related to the influence of bottom current. On the other hand, the cores in Ulleung and Yamato basins do not show any evidence of bottom-current deposits: their upper parts consist of bioturbated mud, and lower parts are characterized by laminated mud with pyrite filaments, indicating anaerobic condition. Consequently, these sedimentological characteristics suggest that deep-sea circulation would be changed from slow-moving to fast-moving one at this bounding time commonly in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean and the East Sea. Also, even in the same time, the deep-sea circulation in the Northwestern Pacific area would be relatively faster than that in the East Sea.