• 한국해양학회지
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.193-203
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• 1991

KODOS (Korea Deep ocean Study)-89 sediments, recovered from western part of Clarion-Clipperton fracture zone in north Pacific, show two distinctly colored layer zones: surface yellow brown layer (unit A) and subsurface dark brown layer (unit B), and roughly recognized as Quaternary and Tertiary in age, respectively. Geochemical characteristics are also different in those two units. Smectite, water, micronodule, and heavy metal contents are higher in unit B, while POC content is higher in unit A. High smectite and low POC contents in unit B are due to the longer formation period of smectite, almost decomposition of labile organic matter in unit B relative to unit A. High water content in unit B is caused by coarse fabric which results from higher content of spicules and spines. Additionally, stronger electrostatic repulsion force caused by high smectite content also supports high water content in unit B relative to unit A. Variations in heavy metal contents are closely related to the amount of micronodule, which has higher metal contents than that of sediment. Therefore, we conclude that the differences of geochemical characteristics in unit A and unit B are resulted from the different diagenetic durations of unit A and unit B.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.286-294
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• 2008

In order to understand the physical properties of deep-sea sediments, which mainly consist of pelagic red clays, sediment samples were collected at 24 stations using a multiple corer in the Clarion-Clipperton fracture zone of the northeast equatorial Pacific. The sampled sediment cores were examined for the mass physical properties(i.e. grain size distribution, mean grain size, water content, specific grain density, wet bulk density, void ratio, and porosity) and the geotechnical properties(i.e. shear strength and consistency limits) with the content of biogenic opal and mineral composition. Although KR1 and KR2 areas on the same latitude are logitudinally far from each other, the mass physical properties of these areas are not distinctly different except for shear strengths. The maximum shear strength of surface sediments in KR2 area is higher than that in KR1 due to the appearance of a consolidated lower layer(Unit 3) in the sediment core from KR2.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.173-182
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• 2007

It is well known that manganese nodules enriched with valuable metals are abundantly distributed in the abyssal plain area in the Clarion-Clipperton (C-C) fracture zone of the northeast Pacific. Previous studies using deep-sea camera (DSC) system reported different observations about the relation of seafloor topographic change and nodule abundance, and they were sometimes contradictory. Moreover, proper foundation on the estimation of DSC underwater position, was not introduced clearly. The variability of the mining condition of manganese nodule according to seafloor topography was examined in the Korea Deep Ocean Study (KODOS) area, located in the C-C zone. In this paper, it is suggested that the utilization of deep towing system such as DSC is very useful approach to whom are interested in analysing the distributional characteristics of manganese nodule filed and in selecting promising minable area. To this purpose, nodule abundance and detailed bathymetry were acquired using deep-sea camera system and multi-beam echo sounder, respectively on the seamount free abyssal hill area of southern part ($132^{\circ}10'W$, $9^{\circ}45'N$) in KODOS regime. Some reasonable assumptions were introduced to enhance the accuracy of estimated DSC sampling position. The accuracy in the result of estimated underwater position was verified indirectly through the comparison of measured abundances on the crossing point of neighboring DSC tracks. From the recorded seafloor images, not only nodules and sediments but cracks and cliffs could be also found frequently. The positions of these probable unminable area were calculated by use of the recorded time being encountered with them from the seafloor images of DSC. The results suggest that the unminable areas are mostly distributed on the slope sides and hill tops, where nodule collector can not travel over.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.125-137
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• 1997

To study the vertical variation of heavy metal and Rare Earth Element (REE) contents in deep-sea sediments, eighteen cores were sampled from the Korea Deep-sea Environmental Study (KODES)-96 area in the C-C zone (Clarion-Clipperton fracture zone), northeast equatorial Pacific. Sediment columns can be divided into three units based on sediment colors and geochemical characters; uppermost Unit I with brown color, middle Unit II with pale brown color and smaller Ni/Cu ratio than the ratio in Unit I, and lowermost Unit III with dark (brown) colors and higher contents of Mn, Ni, Cu, and REEs than those in Unit I and II. Unit II can be divided more into two layers of upper Unit IIa and lower Unit IIb. Unit IIb is characterized by high contents of Cu, 3+REEs (REEs except Ce), smectite, and severely deteriorated fossil tests. Unit III can also be divided into two units; upper Unit IIIa with dark brown color, and lower Unit IIIb with black color and enriched Mn and Fe. The KODES area was located near from the East Pacific Rise (EPR) When Unit III Sediments were deposited, considering the hiatus between Unit II and III (Quaternary-Tertiary boundary) and the spreading rate (10 cm/yr) and direction (north southern west) of the Pacific plate from the EPR. High contents of Mn and Fe in Unit IIIb may be related with hydrothermal influence from the EPR. Meanwhile, Unit IIb (about 2~3 Ma) and Unit III (11~30 Ma) layers were probably formed near (or under) the equatorial high productivity zone, and accordingly received a lot of organic materials. As a result, Cu and 3+REEs, closely associated with organic materials, are enriched in smectite and/or Ca-P composites (fish bone debrise, biogenic apatite) after decomposition and reprecipitation on the sea floor. Higher contents of Cu and 3+REEs in Unit IIb and III are suggested to be the result of abundant supply of organic substances in the equatorial high productivity zone.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.215-225
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• 1999

To study the vertical variations of major elements, trace elements and rare earth elements(REEs) contents in deep-sea sediments, six cores from Korea Deep-sea Environmental Study area(KODES) were analyzed. Topmost sediment layers of KODES area are divided into two Units; brown-colored and peneliquid Unit I and pale brown-colored and relatively solidified Unit II. Contents of major elements, REEs, Cu, Sr and Rb in each Unit are almost same, while contents of Mn, Ni and Co in Unit I are two or three times higher than those in Unit II. R-mode factor analysis represents that surface sediments are composed of alumino-silicate phase (AI-Ti-K-Mg-Fe-Rb-Ce), apatite phase (Ca-P-Cu-Sr-Trivalent Rare Earth Elements) and Mn-oxide phase(Mn-Ni-Co). Factor scores in silicate and apatite phases in each Unit are nearly same, whereas those in Mn-oxide phase in Unit I is higher than those in Unit II. While NilCu ratio in Unit I is two times higher than that in Unit II. We interprete the geochemical fractionation of Ni and Cu as a result that Ni can be remobilized in oxygen-depleted micro-environment in Units I and II and then easily reprecipitated in Unit I, while most of Cu supplied together with organic material is decomposed mostly in Unit I and sorbed into apatite.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.168-177
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• 2008

Trafficablility of a miner and potential environmental impacts due to mining activities should be considered in the selection of a commercial manganese nodule mining site. These two factors can be evaluated comparatively with physical properties and shear strength of sea-bed sediments. For the qualitative comparison of potential minig sites in terms of these two factors, physical properties such as water contents, void ratios, porosities, and grain densities, and shear strengths of surface sediments were determined for the three potential manganese nodule mining sites(KR1, KR2, and KR5) in the Korean manganese nodule contract area, northeast Pacific. For the study, sediment samples were collected from 107 stations from 2004 to 2006. The physical properties of surface sediments showed more significant differences between northern(KR1, KR2) and southern(KR5) blocks than between northern blocks(KR1 vs. KR2). Water content, void ratio, and porosity of sediments from KR5 were relatively higher than those from KR1 and KR2. Grain density of sediments from KR5 was relatively lower than those from KR1 and KR2. Shear strengths of the top 10cm sediments were higher in KR1 and KR2, whereas those of the deeper part were highest in KR5 block. Generally, sediments of high water contents are less suspendible than those of the low water contents by benthic disturbances, thus less disturbance is expected in the sediments of high water content by mining activities. In terms of trafficability, the shear strength of sediment below 10 cm deep is more important than shallower part because miner will disturb at least top 10 cm interval of the surface sediments. Base on these results, we conclude that KR5 area will be the best site for commercial mining among three investigated sites in this study.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2015

To evaluate accuracy and precision of determination of total alkalinity ($Alk_T$) and carbon dioxide ($TCO_2$) derived from present study, experiment was applied with $CO_2$ CRM (Batch 132, Scripps Institution of Oceanography; $Alk_T=2229.24{\pm}0.39{\mu}mol/kg$, $TCO_2=2032.65{\pm}0.45{\mu}mol/kg$). As the result, average concentration of $Alk_T$ and $TCO_2$ was $2354.09{\mu}mol/kg$ (~5.6% difference with $CO_2$ CRM) and $2089.60{\mu}mol/kg$ (~2.3% difference with $CO_2$ CRM), respectively. For previous method (Gran Titration) by addition $NaHCO_3$ to deionized water($Alk_T$ $2023.33{\mu}mol/kg$), average concentration was $2193.39{\mu}mol/kg$ (sd=57.15, n=7). Whereas, average concentration was $2017.02{\mu}mol/kg$ (sd=10.98, n=7) for the present study. Recovery yield experiments of total alkalinity in deionized water and seawater were implemented by addition of $NaHCO_3$. The recovery yield of deionized water in the range 0 to $4952.39{\mu}mol/kg$ was 100.8% ($R^2$=0.999), and seawater in the range 0 to $2041.32{\mu}mol/kg$ was 102.3% ($R^2$=0.999). Comparison of $pCO_2$ sensor (PSI $CO_2-Pro^{TM}$) with present method showed very meaningful correlation coefficient ($R^2$=0.977) in the range of 427 to $705{\mu}atm$ and 9.16 to $15.24{\mu}mol/kg$ throught elapsed time for two weeks. Field experiment of diurnal variation of total carbon dioxide was accomplished at Sachon harbor in the coastal waters of East Sea of Korea. Concentration of $Alk_T$ and $TCO_2$ was increased during night, and decreased during daylight hours. The results showed mirror type between $TCO_2$ and dissolved oxygen, which was attributable to photosynthesis and respiration of phytoplankton. Also, open ocean field study was performed to obtain vertical profile of $Alk_T$ and $TCO_2$ in C-C zone (Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone), Northeastern Pacific. Average concentrations of $Alk_T$ in the surface mixed layer (0~60 m) and deeper layer below 200 m were $2422.38{\mu}mol/kg$ (sd=78.73, n=20) and $2465.87{\mu}mol/kg$ (sd=57.68, n=103), respectively. And average concentrations of $TCO_2$ were $2134.47{\mu}mol/kg$ (sd=65.4, n=20) and $2431.87{\mu}mol/kg$ (sd=65.02, n=103) in the same depth ranges such as $Alk_T$. Vertical distributions of $Alk_T$ and $TCO_2$ concentrations tended to increase with depth, and analyzed concentrations showed slightly higher than those of previous studies in this area.