• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2019

We perform a 3D tomographic inversion using surface wave dispersion curves to obtain S-velocity model and radial anisotropy beneath Saudi Arabia. The Arabian Peninsula is geologically and topographically divided into a shield and a platform. We used event data with magnitudes larger than 5.5 and epicentral distances shorter than $40^{\circ}$ during 2008 ~ 2014 from the Saudi Geological Survey. We obtained dispersion curves by using the multiple filtering technique after preprocessing the event data. We constructed SH- and SV-velocity models and consequently radial anisotropy model at 10 ~ 60 km depths by inverting Love and Rayleigh group velocity dispersion curves with period ranges of 5 ~ 140 s, respectively. We observe high-velocity anomalies beneath the Arabian shield at 10 ~ 30 km depths and low-velocity anomalies beneath the Arabian platform at 10 km depth in the SV-velocity model. This discrepancy may be caused by the difference between the Arabian shield and the Arabian platform, that is, the Arabian shield was formed in Proterozoic thereby old and cold, while the Arabian platform is covered by predominant Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic sedimentary layers. Also we obtained radial anisotropy by estimating the differences between SH- and SV-velocity models. Positive anisotropy is observed, which may be generated by lateral tension due to the slab pull of subducting slabs along the Zagros belt.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.293-308
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• 2003

New results about the crustal structure down to a depth of 60 km beneath North Korea were obtained using the seismic tomography method. About 1013 P- and S-wave travel times from local earthquakes recorded by the Korean stations and the vicinity were used in the research. All earthquakes were relocated on the basis of an algorithm proposed in this study. Parameterization of the velocity structure is realized with a set of nodes distributed in the study volume according to the ray density. 120 nodes located at four depth levels were used to obtain the resulting P- and S-wave velocity structures. As a result, it is found that P- and S-wave velocity anomalies of the Rangnim Massif at depth of 8 km are high and low, respectively, whereas those of the Pyongnam Basin are low up to 24 km. It indicates that the Rangnim Massif contains Archean-early Lower Proterozoic Massif foldings with many faults and fractures which may be saturated with underground water and/or hot springs. On the other hand, the Pyongyang-Sariwon in the Pyongnam Basin is an intraplatform depression which was filled with sediments for the motion of the Upper Proterozoic, Silurian and Upper Paleozoic, and Lower Mesozoic origin. In particular, the high P- and S-wave velocity anomalies are observed at depth of 8, 16, and 24 km beneath Mt. Backdu, indicating that they may be the shallow conduits of the solidified magma bodies, while the low P-and S-wave velocity anomalies at depth of 38 km must be related with the magma chamber of low velocity bodies with partial melting. We also found the Moho discontinuities beneath the Origin Basin including Sari won to be about 55 km deep, whereas those of Mt. Backdu is found to be about 38 km. The high ratio of P-wave velocity/S-wave velocity at Moho suggests that there must be a partial melting body near the boundary of the crust and mantle. Consequently we may well consider Mt. Backdu as a dormant volcano which is holding the intermediate magma chamber near the Moho discontinuity. This study also brought interesting and important findings that there exist some materials with very high P- and S-wave velocity annomoalies at depth of about 40 km near Mt. Myohyang area at the edge of the Rangnim Massif shield.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2006

Velocity structures were defined in the vicinty of the 140-m deep test borehole in the pungam basin through simultaneous inversion of surface seismic refraction and far-ofset VSP traveltime data. Seismicenergy generated at the surface by a seisgun was recorded both at 42 surface locations at 3-m intervalsalong the profiles in the N20E and its orthogonal directions and at 71 m depth in the borehole. Forthe ofset VSP study, seismic energy was generated by a 5 kg sledgehamer at the surface in the horizontal ofset range of -19.5∼+19.5 m from the borehole. The seismic signals were detected at 9∼99 m depths with 1∼2 m intervals and recorded for 204 ms per shot. After shot static corrections,first-arrival times picked from both the surface refraction and borehole records were simultaneouslyinverted to yield velocity tomograms. The tomograms indicate that a 1.5 m thick soil layer with velocities les than 500 m/s overlies basements having a velocity range of 3,067 ∼5,717 m/s. Within the basements,∼4 m and deeper than 71 m. The high-velocit yzones may be due to conglomerates intercalated with sandstones and siltstones. No evidence for large-scale fracture zones or faults is detected near the borehole

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.03a
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• pp.64-69
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• 2006

At starting point, 1D velocity models were inverted by using 430 events with P-wave 5147, S-wave 3729 from KIGAM, KMA, KEPRI, and KINS's seismic networks. A minimum 1D model shows that P-wave velocities are around $6.0{\pm}0.5\;km/s$ slowly increasing with depth between surface and 15 km. The velocities are about $6.4{\pm}0.2\;km/s$ below 15km to 35km. The earthquake data number for 3D tomography was 630 adding to previous 430 events with limitation of more than 6 station detection and relocation stability of location. The checkerboard test shows that only upper curst part from surface to 17 km have reliable resolution. The results of upper crust part present that the boundary of Gyeong-sang basin and Youngnam massif is mach well velocity variation pattern. The western part of the basin is shown as lower velocity and south-eastern part as higher. This is because that sedimentary rocks are widely located around western part of the basin and volcanic origin rocks are distributed around south-eastern part.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2017

We present a 3D SH-wave velocity model of the crust and uppermost mantle and seismic radial anisotropy beneath East Asia. The SH-wave velocity structure model was built using Love-wave group-velocity dispersion data from earthquake data recorded at broadband seismic networks of Korea, Japan, and China. Love-wave group-velocity dispersion curves were obtained by using the multiple filtering technique in the period range of 3 to 150 s for 3,369 event-station pairs. The inverted model using these data sets provides a crust and upper mantle SH-wave velocity structure down to 100 km depth. At 10 ~ 40 km depths SH-wave velocity beneath the East Sea is higher than beneath the Japanese island region. We estimated the Moho beneath the East Sea to be between 10 ~ 20 km depth, while Moho beneath the Korean Peninsula at around 35 km based on the depth where high-velocity anomalies are detected. We estimated the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary beneath the East Sea to be at around 50 km based on the depth where strong low-velocity anomalies are observed. Widespread low-velocity anomalies are found between 50 ~ 100 km depth in the study region. Positive radial anisotropy ($V_{SV}$ > $V _{SH}$) is observed down to 35 km depth, while negative radial anisotropy ($V_{SV}$ > $V _{SH}$) is observed for deeper depth.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.40-52
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• 2003

Despite the various opening models of the southwestern part of the East Sea (Japan Sea) between the Korean Peninsula and the Japan Arc, the continental margin of the Korean Peninsula remains unknown in crustal structure. As a result, continental rifting and subsequent seafloor spreading processes to explain the opening of the East Sea have not been adequately addressed. We investigated crustal and sedimentary velocity structures across the Korean margin into the adjacent Ulleung Basin from multichannel seismic reflection and ocean bottom seismometer data. The Ulleung Basin shows crustal velocity structure typical of oceanic although its crustal thickness of about 10 km is greater than normal. The continental margin documents rapid transition from continental to oceanic crust, exhibiting a remarkable decrease in crustal thickness accompanied by shallowing of Moho over a distance of about 50 km. The crustal model of the margin is characterized by a high-velocity (up to 7.4 km/s) lower crustal (HVLC) layer that is thicker than 10 km under the slope base and pinches out seawards. The HVLC layer is interpreted as magmatic underplating emplaced during continental rifting In response to high upper mantle temperature. The acoustic basement of the slope base shows an igneous stratigraphy developed by massive volcanic eruption. These features suggest that the evolution of the Korean margin can be explained by the processes occurring at volcanic rifted margins. Global earthquake tomography supports our interpretation by defining the abnormally hot upper mantle across the Korean margin and in the Ulleung Basin.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.235-247
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• 1998

A new technique of simultaneons inversion for 3-D seismic velocity structure by using direct, reflected, and refracted waves is applied to the center of the Korean Peninsula including Pyongnam Basin, Kyonggi Massif, Okchon Fold Zone, Taebaeksan Fold Zone, Ryongnam Massif and Kyongsang Basin. Pg, Sg, PmP, SmS, Pn, and Sn arrival times of 32 events with 404 seismic rays are inverted for locations and crustal structure. 5 ($1^{\circ}$ along the latitude)${\times}6$ ($0.5^{\circ}$ along the longitude) ${\times}8$ block (4 km each layer) model was inverted. 3-D seismic crustal velocity tomography including eight sections from the surface to the Moho, eight profiles along latitude and longitude and the Moho depth distribution was determined. The results are as follows: (1) the average velocity and thickness of sediment are 5.15 km/sec and 3-4 km, and the velocity of basement is 6.12 km/sec. (2) the velocities fluctuate strongly in the upper crust, and the velocity distribution of the lower crust under Conrad appears basically horizontal. (3) the average depth of Moho is 29.8 km and velocity is 7.97 km/sec. (4) from the sedimentary depth and velocity, basement thickness and velocity, form of the upper crust, the Moho depth and form of the remarkable crustal velocity differences among Pyongnam Basin, Kyonggi Massif, Okchon Zone, Ryongnam Massif and Kyongsang Basin can be found. (5) The different crustal features of ocean and continent crust are obvious. (6) Some deep index of the Chugaryong Rift Zone can be located from the cross section profiles. (7) We note that there are big anisotropy bodies near north of Seoul and Hongsung in the upper crust, implying that they may be related to the Chugaryong Rift Zone and deep fault systems.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2024

The Melanesian region in the western Pacific is dominated by complex plate tectonics, with the largest oceanic plateau, the OntongJava plateau, and a hotspot, the Caroline Islands. To better understand the complex geodynamics of the region, we estimate P- and S-velocity models and 𝛿 (V_P/V_S) model by using relative teleseismic travel times measured at seismometers on land and the seafloor. Our results show high-velocity anomalies in the subduction zones of the Melanesian region to a depth of about 400 km, which is thought to be subducting Solomon Sea, Bismarck, and Australian plates along plate boundaries. Along subduction zones, positive 𝛿 (V_P/V_S) anomalies are found, which may be caused by partial melting due to dehydration. A broad high-velocity anomaly is observed at 600 km depth below the Ontong-Java plateau, with a negative 𝛿 (V_P/V_S) anomaly. This is thought to be a viscous and dry remnant of the Pacific plate that subducted at 45-25 Ma, with a low volume of fluids due to dehydration for a long period in the mantle transition zone. Beneath the Caroline Islands, a strong low-velocity anomaly is obseved to a depth of 800 km and appears to be connected to the underside of the remnant Pacific plate in the mantle transition zone. This suggests that the mantle plume originating in the lower mantle has been redirected due to the interaction with the remnant Pacific plate and has reached its current location. The mantle plume also has a positive 𝛿 (V_P/V_S) anomaly, which is thought to be due to the influence of embedded fluids or partial melting. A high-velocity anomaly, interpreted as an effect of the thick lithosphere beneath the Ontong-Java plateau, is observed down to 300 km depth with a negative 𝛿 (V_P/V_S) anomaly, which likely indicate that little fluid remains in the melt residue accumulated in the lithosphere.

• Proceedings of the KSEG Conference
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.101-106
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• 2005

The three-dimensional Tomography developed by Kim and Bae(2004) was applied to 64,024 P and 64,618 S wave arrival times observed at 238 seismic stations for 4050 local earthquakes in the depth range from 0 to 300 km in and around Hokkaido, Japan. High and low velocity zones for Vp/Vs were clearly imaged in and around Hokkaido. The upper seismic planes of the double seismic zone (DSZ) were found in the subducted Pacific Plate beneath Hokkaido at depth of 40- 80 km, which produced high seismicity around Hokkaido. The findings of high Vp/Vs anomalies beneath the Moho discontinuity supports an evidence of a surface triple-collision hypothesis prepared by Moriya(1994) that the Kuril Arc(Okhotsk Plate or North American Plate) is colliding against the NE Japanese Arc(Amurian Plate or Eurasian Plate), along and beneath the Hidaka Mountain Range, and at the same time the Pacific Plate is subducting into these two plates, making an equilibrium of tectonic forces along the Hikada Mountain Range (HMR) corner and the central tectonic axis(142 ~ 143E) in Hokkaido. The low Vp and Vs were also found in east and west along the central tectonic axis in which the focal mechanism represents the extensional forces. These phenomena are also consistent with low Bouguer gravity anomalies in this region. It is understood why most of great earthquakes occurred outside Hokkaido where the balance of tectonic forces are breaking from the triple junction of three tectonic forces in Hokkaido.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.61-70
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• 2006

3-D S-wave velocity model in the southern Korean Peninsula is investigated by using the joint inversion of receiver functions and surface-wave dispersion. A peninsula average Rayleigh-wave phase velocity in the 10-150 seconds range and tomographic estimates of the Rayleigh and Love wave group velocities in the 0.5-20 seconds period range determined using a $12.5{\times}12.5\;km$ grid for the southern part of the peninsula are used for the inversion. Receiver functions were determined from broadband (STS-2), short-period (SS-1) and acceleration (Episensor) channels of 95 stations. The dense distribution of the stations in the Peninsula permits us to examine the 3-D crustal structure in detail. The inversion result shows the variation and characteristics of S-wave velocity in the crust and upper mantle of the southern Korean Peninsula very well.