• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.4E
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• pp.167-175
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• 2003

Shear wave velocity was measured and grain size analysis was conducted on two core samples obtained in unconsolidated marine sediments of the western continental margin, the East Sea. A pulse transmission technique based on the Hamilton frame was used to measure shear wave velocity. Duomorph ceramic bender transducer-receiver elements were used to generate and detect shear waves in sediment samples. Time delay was calculated by changing the sample length from the transducer-receiver element. Time delay is 43.18 μs and shear wave velocity (22.49 m/s) is calculated from the slope of regression line. Shear wave velocities of station 1 and 2 range from 8.9 to 19.0 m/s and from 8.8 to 22 mis, respectively. Shear wave velocities with depth in both cores are qualitatively in agreement with the compared model〔1〕, although the absolute value is different. The sediment type of two core samples is mud (mean grain size, 8-9Φ). Shear wave velocity generally increases with sediment depth, which is suggesting normally consolidated sediments. The complicated variation of velocity anisotropy with depth at station 2 is probably responsible for sediment disturbance by possible gas effect.

• 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.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.189-197
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• 2006

The Korea Plateau is a continental fragment rifted and partially segmented from the Korean Peninsulaat the initial stage of the opening of the East Sea (Japan Sea). We interpreted marine seismic profiles from the South Korea Plateau in conjunction with swath bathymetric to investigate processes of con-tjnental rifting and separation of the southwestern Japan Arc. The SouU-i Korea Plateau preserves funda-mental elements of rift architecture comprising a seaward succession of a rift basin and an uplifted rift flank passing into the slope, typical of a passive continental margin. Two distinguished rift basins (Onnuri and Bandal Basins) in the South Korea Plateau are bounded by major synthetic and smaller antithetic faults, creating wide and symmetric profiles. The large-offset border fault zones of these basins have convex dip slopes and demonstrate a zig-zag arrangement along strike. Rifting was primarily controlled by normal faulting resulting from extension orthogonal to the inferred line of breakup along the base ofthe slope rather U-ian strike-slip deformation. Two extension direcdons for rifdng are recog-nized; U-ie Onnuri Basin was rifted in U-ie EW direction; U-ie Bandal Basin in U-ie EW and NW-SE directions, suggesting two rift stages. We interpret that the E-W direction represents initial rifting at the inner margin; while the Japan Basin widened, rifting propagated repeatedly from the Japan Basin to the southeast toward the Korean margin but could not penetrate the strong continental lithosphere of the Korean Shield and changed direction to the south, resulting in E-W extension to create the rift basins at the Korean margin. The Hupo Basin to the south of the Korea Plateau is estimated to have formed in this process. The NW-SE direction probably represents the direction of rifting orthogonal to the inferred line of breakup along the base of the slope of the South Korea Plateau; after breakup the southwestern Japan Arc separated in the SE direction, indicating a response to tensional tectonics associated with the subduction of the Pacific Plate in the NE direction. We suggest that structural evolution of the eastern Korean margin can be explained by the processes occurring at the passive continental margin.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.65-88
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• 1982

In the last ten years, marine geological and geophysical survey and research were conducted by Japanese, Russian and American scientists in the East Sea of Korea (Japan Sea). Many research results were published. However, regional research of the geology of the continental margin of the Korean Peninsula was not conducted. This study has made on attempt to classify submarine strata and stratigraphic boundaries. The study has revealed characters of submarine geology and structure. Isopach maps of each identified stratigraphic unit have been constructed as the results of this study. The study was conducted on the basis of analyses of marine seismic surveys carried out in the continental margin of the East Sea between Kangneung and Pohang. Three depositional basins were identified in the study area and they were named as, Mukho Basin, Hupo Basin and Pohang Basin. The Mukho Basin is developed in continental slope and shelf in the area between Kangneung and Samcheog. Quaternary and Pliocene sediments attain a maximum thickness of 900 m. Basement rocks are interpreted as granite and gneiss. They are correlated with granite-gneiss of the Taebaecksan Series of Pre-cambrian age and the Daebo granite of Jurassic age. The Hupo Basin is developed in the continental shelf between Uljin and Youngdeok. Quaternary and Pliocene sediments attain a maximum thickness of 600 m. Basement rocks were interpreted as granite and gneiss and they are correlated with metamorphic rocks of Pre-cambrian age and the Daebo granites, comprising the Ryongnam Massif. The Pohang Basin is developed in the area between Pohang and Gangu. This basin contains Miocene and older sediments. Basement rocks are not shown. Many faults are developed within the continental shelf and slope. These faults strike parallel with the coast line. A north-south direction is predominant in the southern study area. However, in the northern study area the faults strike north, and north-west. The faults are parallel to each other and are step faults down-thrown to the east or west, forming horst and graben structures which develop into sedimentary basins. Such faults caused the development of submarine banks along the boundary between the continental shelf and slope. This bank has acted as a barrier for deposition in the Hupo Basin. Paleozoic sedimentary rocks distributed widely in the adjacent land area are absent in the Mukho Basin. This suggests that the area of the basin was situated above the sea level until the Pliocene time. The study area contains Pliocene sediments in general. These sediments overlie the basement complex composed of metamorphic rocks, granites, Cretaceous (Kyongsang System) sedimentary rocks and Miocene sedimentary rocks. These facts lead to a conclusion that the continental shelf and slope of the study area were developed as a result of displacements along faults oriented parallel to the present coast line in the post Miocene time.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.13-25
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• 2007

We investigated the undulation of Moho depth and the crustal structure of the continental margin in the East Sea along the Korea Peninsula from inversion and modelling using potential data and previous seismic results. Free-air gravity anomalies generally reflect topography effect. Bouguer gravity anomalies increase toward the Ulleung Basin, indicating that Moho depth is shallower under the Ulleung Basin. Positive magnetic anomalies exist along the continental margin and decrease toward the Ulleung Basin. In analytic signal, the small anomaly in the Hupo Bank infers that the Hupo Bank is uplifted by igneous intrusion and the strong anomaly on the continental slope denotes existence of SDR(seaward dipping reflectors), which are in accordance with the location of SDR detected in previous seismic studies. The inversion result of Bouguer gravity anomaly and the 2-dimensional gravity modelling indicate that the undulation of Moho depth shallows from the continental shelf toward the Ulleung Basin. This is in good agreement with the Moho depth calculated by the previous seismic velocity model using ocean bottom seismometer(OBS). The 2-dimensional gravity modelling infers magmatic underplating zone under the lower continental crust on the continental margin of the East Sea, indicating the possible rifiting of the continental margin.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.12a
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• pp.73-83
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• 2007

We interpreted marine seismic profiles in conjunction with swath bathymetric and magnetic data to investigate rifting to breakup processes at the eastern Korean margin that led to the separation of the southwestern Japan Arc. Analysis of rift fault patterns suggests that rifting at the Korean margin was primarily controlled by normal faulting resulting from extension rather than strike-slip deformation. Two extension directions of E-W and NW-SE for rifting are recognized. We interpret that the E-W direction represents initial rifting at the inner margin and the NW-SE direction probably represents the extension in response to tensional tectonics associated with the subduction of the Pacific Plate in the NW direction. No significant volcanism was involved in rifting. In contrast, the inception of sea floor spreading documents a pronounced volcanic phase which appears to reflect asthenospheric upwelling as well as rift-induced convection particularly in the narrow southern margin. We suggest that structural and igneous evolution of the Korean margin, although it is in a back-arc setting, can be explained by the processes occurring at the passive continental margin with magmatism influenced by asthenospheric upwelling.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.200-210
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• 2016

Geoacoustic modeling is used to predict sound transmission through submarine bottom layers of sedimentary strata and acoustic basement. This study reconstructed four geoacoustic models for sediments of 50 m thick at the Jeongdongjin area in the western continental margin of the East Sea. Bottom models were based on the data of the highresolution air-gun seismic and subbottom profiles (SBP) with sediment cores. P-wave speed was measured by the pulse transmission technique, and the resonance frequency of piezoelectric transducers was maintained at 1MHz. Measurements of 42 P-wave speeds and 41 attenuations were fulfilled in three core sediments. For actual modeling, the P-wave speeds of the models were compensated to in situ depth below the sea floor using the Hamilton method. These geoacoustic models of coastal bottom strata will be used for geoacoustic and underwater acoustic experiments reflecting vertical and lateral variability of geoacoustic properties in the Jeongdongjin area of the East Sea.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.131-146
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• 2014

Multi-beam echosounder data and grain size analysis data of surface sediment were acquired and analyzed in order to investigate the shelf-to-slope morphology, geological character, and their geological controlling factors in the southwestern margin of the Ulleung Basin. According to the morphological character, the continental shelf can be divided into two parts: (1) shallow (~100 m) and steep ($0.5^{\circ}$) inner shelf, (2) deep (100-300 m) and gentle ($0.2^{\circ}$) outer shelf. The continental slope is featured with eight distinct topographic depressions of various spatial dimension (~121 $km^2$ in area) and head wall gradient (${\sim}24.3^{\circ}$). They are developed adjacent to each other and presumably formed by submarine landslides which have recurred under the strong influences of earthquakes and eustatic sea-level change. The inner continental shelf and the continental slope are dominated by fine-grained sediment, whereas the outer continental shelf is dominated by coarse-grained sediment. The surface sediment distribution seems dominantly influenced by eustatic sea-level change. The outer continental shelf is mostly covered by coarse relict sediment deposited during lowstand sea-level, while the inner shelf is covered with recent sediment during highstand sea-level. The surface of the continental slope is covered with fine-grained sediments which were supplied by hemipelagic advection process.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.127-132
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• 2011

We acquired and interpreted more than 650 km of high-resolution seismic reflection profiles in the Hupo Basin, offshore east coast of Korea at $37^{\circ}N$ in the East Sea (Japan Sea) to image shallow and basement deformation. The seismic profiles reveal that the main depocenter of the Hupo Basin in the study area is bounded by the large offset Hupo Fault on the east and an antithetic fault on the west; however, the antithetic fault is much smaller both in horizontal extension and in vertical displacement than the Hupo Fault. Sediment infill in the Hupo Basin consists of syn-rift (late Oligocene. early Miocene) and post-rift (middle Miocene.Holocene) units. The Hupo Fault and other faults newly defined in the Hupo Basin strike dominantly north and show a sense of normal displacement. Considering that the East Sea has been subjected to compression since the middle Miocene, we interpret that these normal faults were created during continental rifting in late Oligocene to early Miocene times. We suggest that the current ENE direction of maximum principal compressive stress observed in and around the Korean peninsula associated with the motion of the Amurian Plate induces the faults in the Hupo Basin to have reverse and right-lateral, strike-slip motion, when reactivated. A recent earthquake positioned on the Hupo Fault indicates that in the study area and possibly further in the eastern Korean margin, earthquakes would occur on the faults created during continental rifting in the Tertiary.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.299-307
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• 2010

In conjunction with geochemical characteristics, rate of sulfate reduction was investigated at two sediment sites in the continental slope and rise (basin) of the Ulleung Basin in the East Sea. Geochemical sediment analysis revealed that the surface sediments of the basin site (D2) were enriched with manganese oxides (348 ${\mu}mol$ $cm^{-3}$) and iron oxides (133 ${\mu}mol$ $cm^{-3}$), whereas total reduced sulfur (TRS) in the solid phase was nearly depleted. Sulfate reduction rates (SRRs) ranged from 20.96 to 92.87 nmol $cm^{-3}$ $d^{-1}$ at the slope site (M1) and from 0.65 to 22.32 nmol $cm^{-3}$ $d^{-1}$ at the basin site (D2). Depth integrated SRR within the top 10 cm depth of the slope site (M1; 5.25 mmol $m^{-2}$ $d^{-1}$) was approximately 6 times higher than that at the basin site (D2; 0.94 mmol $m^{-2}$ $d^{-1}$) despite high organic content (>2.0% dry wt.) in the sediment of both sites. The results indicate that the spatial variations of sulfate reduction are affected by the distribution of manganese oxide and iron oxide-enriched surface sediment of the Ulleung Basin.