• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.85-98
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• 2009

The tau-p inversion algorithm is widely employed to generate starting models with most computer programs, which implement refraction tomography. This algorithm emphasises the vertical resolution of many layers, and as a result, it frequently fails to detect even large lateral variations in seismic velocities, such as the decreases which are indicative of shear zones. This study demonstrates the failure of the tau-p inversion algorithm to detect or define a major shear zone which is 50m or 10 stations wide. Furthermore, the majority of refraction tomography programs parameterise the seismic velocities within each layer with vertical velocity gradients. By contrast, the Generalized Reciprocal Method (GRM) inversion algorithms emphasise the lateral resolution of individual layers. This study demonstrates the successful detection and definition of the 50m wide shear zone with the GRM inversion algorithms. The existence of the shear zone is confirmed by a 2D analysis of the head wave amplitudes and by numerous closely spaced orthogonal seismic profiles carried out as part of a later 3D refraction investigation. Furthermore, an analysis of the shot record amplitudes indicates that a reversal in the seismic velocities, rather than vertical velocity gradients, occurs in the weathered layers. The major conclusion reached in this study is that while all seismic refraction operations should aim to provide as accurate depth estimates as is practical, those which emphasise the lateral resolution of individual layers generate more useful results for geotechnical and environmental applications. The advantages of the improved lateral resolution are obtained with 2D traverses in which the structural features can be recognised from the magnitudes of the variations in the seismic velocities. Furthermore, the spatial patterns obtained with 3D investigations facilitate the recognition of structural features such as faults which do not display any intrinsic variation or 'signature' in seismic velocities.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.191-202
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• 2007

To identify the detailed attenuation structure in the southern Korean Peninsula, a numerical test was conducted for the Q tomography inversion to be applied to the accumulated dataset until 2005. In particular, the stochastic pointsource ground-motion model (STGM model; Boore, 2003) was adopted for the 2D Q tomography inversion for direct application to simulating the strong ground-motion. Simultaneous inversion of the STGM model parameters with a regional single Q model was performed to evaluate the source and site effects which were necessary to generate an artificial dataset for the numerical test. The artificial dataset consists of simulated Fourier spectra that resemble the real data in the magnitude-distance-frequency-error distribution except replacement of the regional single Q model with a checkerboard type of high and low values of laterally varying Q models. The total number of Q blocks used for the checkerboard test was 75 (grid size of $35{\times}44km^2$ for Q blocks); Q functional form of $Q_0f^{\eta}$ ($Q_0$=100 or 500, 0.0 < ${\eta}$ < 1.0) was assigned to each Q block for the checkerboard test. The checkerboard test has been implemented in three steps. At the first step, the initial values of Q-values for 75 blocks were estimated. At the second step, the site amplification function was estimated by using the initial guess of A(f) which is the mean site amplification functions (Yun and Suh, 2007) for the site class. The last step is to invert the tomographic Q-values of 75 blocks based on the results of the first and second steps. As a result of the checkerboard test, it was demonstrated that Q-values could be robustly estimated by using the 2D Q tomography inversion method even in the presence of perturbed source and site effects from the true input model.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.215-218
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• 2007

Tunnel detection is known to be one of the challenging problems in geophysical society. Among various geophysical methods, we tried to examine the applicability of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) method to detect empty tunnel. In this study, we analyzed the ERT data acquired at the test site for tunnel detection. The inversion results have shown reasonable image of the tunnel although the resolution is quite poor. Moreover, we could obtain the three-dimensional attitude of tunnel through 3-D ERT imaging. Therefore, we expect that ERT can make contribution to the tunnel detection problem and further research effort such as fusion of geophysical methods will provide more reliable tunnel detection capability.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 1998

Seismic tomography has been widely used as high resolution subsurface imaging techniques in engineering applications. Although most of the techniques have been using travel time inversion, waveform method is being driven forward owing to the progress of computational environments. Although full-waveform inversion method has been known as the best method in terms of model resolving power without high-frequency restriction and weak scattering approximation, it has practical disadvantage that it is apt to get stuck in local minimum if the initial guess is far from the actual model and it consumes so much time to calculate. In this study, 2-D full-waveform inversion algorithm in acoustic medium is developed, which uses result of traveltime tomography as initial model. From the application on synthetic data, it is proved that this approach can efficiently reduce the problem of conventional approaches: our algorithm shows much faster convergence rate and improvement of model resolution. Result of application on physical modeling data also shows much improvement. It is expected that this algorithm can be applicable to real data.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.67-74
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• 2005

Two-dimensional S-wave velocity sections from SH-wave refraction tomography and surface wave dispersions were obtained by inverting traveltimes of first arrivals and surface wave dispersions, respectively. For the purpose of comparison, a P-wave velocity tomogram was also obtained from a P-wave refraction profiling. P and Rayleigh waves generated by vertical blows on a plate with a sledgehammer were received by 100- and 4.5-Hz geophones, respectively. SH-waves generated by horizontal blows on both sides of a 50 kg timber were received by 8 Hz horizontal geophones. The shear-wave signals were enhanced subtracting data of left-side blows from ones of the right-side blows. Shear-wave velocities from tomography inversion of first-arrival times were compared with ones from inverting dispersion curves of Rayleigh waves. Although the two velocity sections look similar to each other in general, the one from the surface waves tends to have lower velocities. First arrival picking of SH waves is troublesome since P and PS-converted waves arrive earlier than SH waves. Application of the surface wave method, on the other hand, is limited where lateral variation of subsurface tructures is not mild.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.81-87
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• 2005

Acquisition and processing of vector seismic waves were conducted through simultaneous generation of P, SH, and SV waves and receiving those waves using three-component geophones. Test data were received by 24 8-Hz geophones at an interval of 2 m along a 94-m profile. The data were recorded for 512 ms with sampling intervals of 0.2 ms. Raw data indicate that both reflected and refracted P waves are strongly recorded on the vertical component while SH waves are significant on the transverse horizontal component. On the inline horizontal component, both direct P and converted PS waves are recorded. First arrivals of P and SH waves were detected simultaneously on the vertical and transverse horizontal axes, respectively. The recorded vector data were separately inverted using traveltime tomography to yield P- and SH-wave sections. Using those two velocity sections, Poisson's ratios were able to be obtained effectively.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.146-151
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• 2011

A method to evaluate and to reduce the source- and receiver- consistent noise in a cross-well travel time data was proposed. These systematic noises, which can cause some serious effects on the result of a travel time tomography, can be considered as the source and receiver statics. The method evaluates the statics through a curve-fitting of the first arrival travel times in the common source and common receiver gathers. Feasibility study was conducted on a synthetic data which simulates the cross-well travel time tomography to detect a small scale tunnel in a uniform background medium. First arrival travel times at a given source and receiver points are computed by a raytracing method, and the source consistent- and receiver consistent noises are added to the record. In case of the added noise with rms amounting to 25% of the maximum expected anomalous travel time delays, it is confirmed that the method successfully extracted the noise at the 7th step of iteration.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.109-118
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• 2013

On and near the 23-m high earthen Cheongcheon dam in Boryeong City, Korea, short seismic refraction and surface-wave profiles were conducted using a 5-kg sledgehammer. From vertical and horizontal components of the seismic waves, near-surface P-wave velocities (${\nu}_p$) and S-wave velocities (${\nu}_s$) were derived by inverting first-arrival refraction times and dispersion curves of Rayleigh waves. Average ${\nu}_p$ and ${\nu}_s$ for the Jurassic sedimentary basement were determined to be 1650 and 950 m/s at a depth of 30 m directly beneath the dam and 1650 m/s and 940 m/s at a depth of 10 m at the toe of the dam, respectively. The dynamic Poisson's ratio for these strata were therefore in the range of 0.24 to 0.25, which is consistent with ratios for consolidated sedimentary strata. Near a 45-m borehole 152 m downstream from the dam crest, an SH tomogram indicates a refraction boundary with an average ${\nu}_s$ of 870 m/s at depths of 10 ~ 12 m. At this site, the overburden comprises the upper layer with relatively constant ${\nu}_p$ and ${\nu}_s$ around 500 and 200 m/s, respectively, and the lower layer in which both ${\nu}_p$ and ${\nu}_s$ increase with depth almost linearly. The dynamic Poisson's ratios for the overburden were in the range of 0.30 to 0.43.

• 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.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.185-190
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• 2007

In this study, we developed the 2.5D EM modeling and inversion algorithm for cross-hole source and receiver geometry. Considering the cross-hole environment, we use a VMD (vertical magnetic dipole) as a source and vertical magnetic fields as a measuring data. Developed inversion algorithm is tested for the isolated block model which has a conductive and a resistivity anomaly respectively. For the conductive anomaly, its size and resistivity are inverted well on the inversion results, while for the resistive anomaly, the location of anomalous block is shown on the inverted section, but its values are far from the exact value. Furthermore, artificial conductive anomalies are shown around the resistive anomalous zone. If we consider the inversion artifact shown in the test inversion of restive block, it is almost impossible to image the resistive zone. However, the main target of EM tomography in the engineering problem is conductive target such as fault zone, and contaminated zone etc., EM tomography algorithm can be used for detecting the anomalous zone.