• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.142-148
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• 1998

Environmental baseline information is necessary in order to assess the potential environmental impact of future manganese-nodule mining on the deep-seabed ecosystem. Total ATP (T-ATP), dissolved ATP (D-ATP) and particulate ATP (P-ATP) were measured to estimate total microbial biomass and to elucidate their vertical distribution patterns in the seabed of KODOS (Korea Deep Ocean Study) area, northeast equatorial Pacific Ocean. Within the upper 6 cm depth of sediment, the concentrations of T-ATP, D-ATP and P-ATP ranged from 4.4 to 40.6, from 0.6 to 16.1, and from 3.0 to 29.2 ng/g dry sediment, respectively. Approximately 84% of T-ATP, 81% of D-ATP, and 74% of P-ATP were present within the topmost 2 cm depth of sediment, and the distributions of ATP were well correlated with water content in the sediment. These results indicate that the distribution of total microbial biomass was largely determined by the supply of organic matter from surface water column. Fine-scale vertical variations of ATP were detected within 1-cm thick veneer of the sediment samples collected by multiple corer, while no apparent vertical changes were observed in the box-cored samples. It is evident that the box-core samples were disturbed extensively during sampling, which suggests that the multiple corer is a more appropriate sampling gear for measuring fine-scale vertical distribution pattern of ATP within thin sediment veneer. Overall results suggest that the concentrations of ATP, given their clear changes in vertical distribution pattern within 6 cm depth of sediment, are a suitable environmental baseline parameter in evaluating the variations of benthic microbial biomass that are likely to be caused by deep-seabed mining operation.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.235-244
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• 2004

The shear strength of deep-sea core sediments from the nofheast equatorial Pacific was measured in various conditions to ensure precision of results. The comparison items were 1) two different measuring systems (hand-held vane and motorized vane), 2) in different places of on-board immediately after collecting the core samples and on-land laboratories after storing these samples for three months in a cold room, 3) two different core samples from a multiple corer within a sampling station, and 4) four different measuring points (holes) from a core sample. In this experiment, the values of shear strength in deep-sea sediments show significant change with depth which increase toward the bottom of core. Also, the results of two cores recovered at the same station indicate that vertical variation of shear strength is mainly caused by the change of physical properties. They strongly support the fact that the difference of vue syrtem and/or experimental conditions are not major factor in the variation of geotechnical properties.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.2 s.171
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• pp.165-176
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• 2005

Natural gas in deep sediment may occur in three phases based on the physical and chemical conditions. If the concentration of gas in pore water is less than the solubility, gas is dissolved. If the concentration of gas is greater than its solubility (water is saturated or supersaturated with gas), gas occurs as a fee gas below the gas hydrate stability Lone (GHSZ) and is present as solid hydrate within the GHSZ. The knowledge of gas concentration in deep sediment appears critical to determine the phase of natural gases and to understand the formation and distribution of gas hydrate. However, reliable data on gas concentration are usually available only from the upper section of marine sediment by the headspace gas technique, which is widely used for sampling of gases from the sediments. The headspace gas technique represents only a fraction of gases present in situ because sediments release most of the gases during recovery and sampling. The PCS (Pressure Core Sampler) is a downhole tool developed to recover a nominal $1{\cal}m$ long, $4.32{\cal}cm$ diameter core containing $1,465cm^3$ of sediment, pore water and gas at in situ pressure up to 68.9 MPa. During Leg 204, the PCS was deployed at 6 Sites. In situ methane gas concentration and distribution of gas hydrate was measured by using PCS tool. Characteristics of methane concentration and distribution is different from site to site. Distribution of gas hydrate in the study area is closely related to characteristics of in situ gas concentration measured by PCS.

• 한국석유지질학회:학술대회논문집
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• spring
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• pp.25-25
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• 2004

• Proceedings of the Korea Committee for Ocean Resources and Engineering Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.45-50
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• 2002

This study presents a modeling method to predict fate of resuspended sediment in the development of deep-sea mineral resources. Resuspended deep-sea sediment during the development is considered a major environmental problem. In order to quantitatively analyze the resuspended sediment in the water column, particle size distribution (PSD) is considered an important factor. The model developed here includes PSD and coagulation process, as well as sedimentation process. Using the model, basic simulation was performed under representative environmental setting. The simulation showed the dynamics of change of particle size distribution for 50 m depth of water column up to 10 days of simulation time. Coagulation seemed an important factor in the fate of resuspended deep-sea sediment.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.149-157
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• 2003

Deep sea core samples were taken in the southwestern part of the Ulleung Basin in order to characterize the properties of shallow gases in the sediment. Amount of shallow gases in the sediments were calculated by head space techniques, and chemical and isotopic compositions of hydrocarbon gases were analyzed. Geochemical analyses were carried out on the gas bearing sediments to find out relationship between natural gas contents and organic characteristics of the sediments. Seismic characteristics of shallow gases in the sediments were also examined in this study. The amount of the hydrocarbon gases in the sediments range from 0.01% to 11.25%. Calculation of volume of gas per volume of wet sediment varies from 0.1 to 82.0 ml HC/L wet sediment. Methane consists 98% of the total hydrocarbon gases except for two samples. Based on the methane content and isotopic composition$(\delta^{13}c)$: -94.31$\textperthousand$~-55.5$\textperthousand$), the hydrocarbon gases from the sediments are generated from bacterial activities of methanogenic microbes. Contents of hydrocarbon gases are variable from site to site. Volume of shallow gases in the sediments shows no apparent trends vs. either characteristics of organic matter or particle sizes of the sediments. Gas concentration is high in the area of seismic anomalies such as blanking zone or chimney structures in the section. Physicochemically the pore water and the formation water systems are saturated with gases in these areas. Concentration of hydrocarbon gases in the sediments in these area shows favorable condition for generation of gas hydrate, as far as the other conditions are satisfied.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.255-267
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• 2004

Deep-sea surface sediments acquired by multiple corer from 69 stations in the Clarion-Clipperton fracture zone of the northeast equatorial Pacific, were analyzed for shear strength properties to understand sedimentological process. The pelagic red clay from northern part of study area shows low average shear strength(4.4 kPa), while the siliceous sediment from middle area shows high(6.3 kPa). The calcareous sediment from southern area shows very low average shear strength(3.4 kPa), and transitional sediment between middle and southern area shows intermediate value(3.8 kPa) between siliceous and calcareous sediment. The depth profiles of average shear strength of pelagicred clay show gradual increment with depth due to decrease of water content with depth by general consolidation process. On the other, abrupt increment of average shear strength with depth in siliceous sediment is related to sedimentary hiatus. The very low shear strength in calcareous sediment is linked to very high sedimentation rate ofsouthern area compared with other study area.

• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.10 no.1_2 s.11
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• pp.23-33
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• 2004

The Lago Sofia conglomerate in southern Chile is a lenticular unit encased within mudstone-dominated, deep-sea successions (Cerro Toro Formation, upper Cretaceous), extending from north to south for more than $120{\cal}km$. The Lago Sofia conglomerate is a unique example of long, gravelly deep-sea channels, which are rare in the modern environments. In the northern part (areas of Lago Pehoe and Laguna Goic), the conglomerate unit consists of 3-5 conglomerate bodies intervened by mudstone sequences. Paleocurrent data from these bodies indicate sediment transport to the east, south, and southeart. The conglomerate bodies in the northern Part are interpreted as the tributary channels that drained down the Paleoslope and converged to form N-S-trending trunk channels. In the southern part (Lago Sofia section), the conglomerate unit comprises a thick (> 300 m) conglomerate body, which probably formed in axial trunk channels of the N-5-trending foredeep trough. The well-exposed Lago Sofia section allowed for detailed investigation of sedimentary facies and large-scale architecture of the deepsea channel conglomerate. The conglomerate in Lago Sofia section comprises stratified conglomerate, massive-to-graded conglomerate, and diamictite, which represent bedload deposition under turbidity currents, deposition by high-density turbidity currents, and muddy debris flows, respectively. Paleocurrent data suggest that the debris flows originated from the failure of nearby channel banks or slopes flanking the channel system, whereas the turbidity currents flowed parallel to the orientation of the overall channel system. Architectural elements produced by turbidity currents represent vertical stacking of gravel sheets, lateral accretion of gravel bars, migration of gravel dunes, and filling of channel thalwegs and scoured hollows, similar to those in terrestrial gravel-bed braided rivers. Observations of large-scale stratal pattern reveal that the channel bodies are offset stacked toward the east, suggestive of an eastward migration of the axial trunk channel. The eastward channel migration is probably due to tectonic tilting related to the uplift of the Andean protocordillera just west of the Lago Sofia deep-sea channel system.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.390-399
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• 1999

Siliceous and calcareous deep-sea core sediments were collected by a multiple corer from the KODOS (Korea Deep Ocean Study) area, northeast equatorial Pacific, to compare vane shear strengths measured by two different apparatuses and in different places of on-board and on-land laboratories. The apparatuses were 1) a hand-held vane with four blades of $2.0{\times}2.0$ cm, and 2) a motorized shear vane system with four blades of $1.0{\times}0.88$ attached on a rotational viscometer. Depth profiles of shear strengths of core samples determined by the apparatuses do not show any consistent difference. Also, there is no consistent difference between shear strength values measured on-board and on-land laboratories after storing the core samples for three months in a cold room by a motorized shear vane system. However, there are considerable differences between depth profiles of shear strengths measured at four different points (holes) of a core sample. Moreover, significant differences among the profiles of different tube samples from a multiple corer within a sampling station were observed. Heterogeneity in physical properties of each depth and sediment column, possibly due to bioturbation and bottom current flows, is likely responsible for the differences in the geotechnical properties.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.42-47
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• 1997

This study was carried out to investigate the faunal composition and distribution pattern of meiobenthic community in the deep sea sediments of northeastern Pacific Ocean. Faunal samples were collected at 10 stations using a multiple corer and a spade type box corer during May 1996. A total of 18 meiofaunal groups were found, and Sarcomastigophora was the most dominant group which accounted for 35.8% of total meiofaunal abundance. Nematoda (30.8%), Nauplius larvae of Crustacea (11.9%), Ciliophora (6.8%) and Harpacticoida (3.0%) which were also important components of the meiofaunal community. All of these five faunal groups comprised more than 90% of total meiofauna. The highest density of 195 ind./10 $cm^2$ was found at St. 4 (4960 m water depth), but the lowest one, 85 ind./10 $cm^2$ at St. 1 (4969 m water depth). The overall mean density of meiofauna was estimated as $1.34{\times}10^5\;ind./m^2$. The abundance of meiofauna showed a slow decreasing trend along the water depth. The highest density was observed in the upper 1 cm and density decreased drastically with increasing depth from the surface.