• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.447-454
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• 2014

In August, 2013, we collected epifaunal megabenthos using a deep sea camera (DSC) around a benthic impact study (BIS) site. This was located in the KR5 block of the Korea Deep Ocean Study (KODOS) area in the Northeastern Pacific. The DSC was positioned at $6.8{\pm}2.9m$ (SD) from the sea bottom and was operated from a position at $131^{\circ}56.85^{\prime}-131^{\circ}55.02^{\prime}W$ for 2.3 h at a speed of 1-2 knot. The geographical features of the study area consisted of two structures; a trough in the middle and hills at the east and west sides. Sediment conditions were consistent within six blocks and were affected by slope and polymetallic nodule deposits. We analyzed 226 megafaunal species. Sipunculida comprised the highest percentage of individuals (39%), and the dominant epifaunal megabenthos were Hormathiidae sp., Primnoidae sp., Hexactinellida sp., Hyphalaster inermis, Freyella benthophila, Paelopatides confundens, Psychropotes longicauda, and Peniagone leander. More than 80% of the total density of megafauna occurred on sea plain (D- and E-blocks). We found two distinct groups in the community, one located on sea plains and the other along both sides of the sea slop. Our results suggest that geographical features such as slope and polymetalic nodule deposits are important in controlling the distribution of the epifaunal megabenthos around the KODOS area.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.341-349
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• 2004

Hyrdography and deep currents were measured from 1997 to 1999 to investigate deep-sea environments in the KODOS (Korea Deep Ocean Study) area of the northeastern tropical Pacific. KODOS area is located meridionally from the North Equatorial Current to the boundary between the North Equatorial Current and the Equatorial Counter Current. Strong thermocline exists between 10 m and 120 m depths at the study area. Since that strong thermocline does hardly allow vertical mixing between surface and lower layer waters, vertical distributions of temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and nutrients drastically change near the thermocline. Salinity-minimum layer, which indicate the North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) and the Antartic Intermediate Water (AAIW), vertically occupies vertically at the depths from 500 m down to 1400 m. The NPIW and the AAIW horizontally occur to the north and to the south of $7^{\circ}N$, respectively. The near-bottom water shows the physical characteristics of $1.05^{\circ}C$ and 34.70 psu at the depths of 10 m to 110 m above the bottom (approximately 4000-5000 m), which was originated from the Antarctic Circumpolar Water. It flows northeastwards for 2 to 4 months at the study area, and its mean velocity was 3.1-3.7 cm/s. Meanwhile, reverse (southwestward) currents appear for about 15 days with the average of 1.0-6.1 cm/s every 1 to 6 months. Dominant direction of the bottom currents obtained from the data for more than 6 months is northeastward with the average speeds of 1.7-2.1 cm/s. Therefore, it seems that deep waters from the Antarctica flow northwards passing through the KODOS area in the northeastern tropical Pacific.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.189-204
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• 1990

In the KODOS (Korea Deep Ocean Study)-89 area, western part of clarion-Clipperton fracture zones in the northeastern equatorial Pacific, magnate nodules and sediments were sampled during the 'Farnella' cruise in Oct., 1989. Bulk chemical and mineralogical analyses have been made on a suit of ferromanganese nodules and sediments to study the origin and distribution pattern of the nodules. The nodules are classified into three groups based on their origin: diagenetic nodules with high Mn/Fe ratio, Cu, Ni, Zn, Mg, todorokite contents and rough surface texture; hydrogenetic nodules with high Fe, Co, vernadite contents and smooth surface texture; and transitional nodules with intermediate characters between diagenetic and hydrogenetic nodules. Study area is divided into four zones according to the origin and abundance of nodules: far north area where nodules are hydrogenetic and intermediate in abundance; north area where nodules are diagenetic and low in abundance; south area where nodules are diagenetic and intermediate in abundance; seamount area where nodules are hydrogenetic and high in abundance. distribution pattern of manganese nodules in the KODOS-89 area seems to be controlled by latitudinal variation of productivity in water column and sea bottom morphology.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.50-62
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• 1999

Sediment core samples recovered from the Korea Deep Ocean Study (KODOS)-97 area were divided into two or three units according to their distinct changes in sediment colors and chemical and physical properties. Analyses of radiolarian faunas in the sediments and $^{10}Be$ ratios in each unit were performed to reveal stratigraphic and paleoceanographic history of the study area. In the upper part of the sediments, Tertiary radiolarians were mixed at various proportions with Quaternary assemblages probably by reworking process of bottom current and benthic animals. Dissolution of radiolarians was severe in deeper depth and in the Unit III, only few of the fragments of corroded Tertiary radiolarians were detectable. The mid layer of the Unit I belonged to Collosphaera invaginata Zone, the time period of 0.21 Ma. The Unit II belonged to Collosphaera tuberosa Zone with the time period younger than 0.42 Ma which was observed above the Stylatractus universus Zone. The Unit III is assigned to Tertiary, which is younger than the Late Eocene. Composition analyses of radiolarian assemblage and $^{10}Be$ ratio data indicated hiatus periods of more than 3 My between late of Middle Miocene and Pliocene resulting from erosion and dissolution caused by Antarctic Bottom Water. Stratigraphic evidence from radiolaria was well correlated with $^{10}Be$ data. Sedimentation rate during Quaternary can be suggested as 0.15-0.5 mm per 1000 years. Dominance of warm-water radiolaria species and the results reflected minimum climatic changes of tropical conditions.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.595-604
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• 1997

To investigate characteristics of biogeochemical environment of the Korea Deep Ocean Study(KODOSI area in the northeast Pacific Ocean, we preferentially measured Inorganic nutrients and fluorescent organic matters. Typically. the permanent thermocline was well developed at the depth of 200~1000m In the study area. Nitrate. phosphate and silicate were low In the surface mixed layer and Increased with depth. N/P and N/Si showed 15 and 0.2 respectively In the deeper layer. Two fluorophores, biomacromolecule(protein-like) and geomacromolecule (humid-like) , were observed by three dimensional fluorescence excltatlon/ emission spectra matrix. Biomacromolecule(maximum fluorescence at $Ex_{280m}/Em_{330nm}$) ranged from 41.9 to 147.0 TU with its maximum In the surface mixed layer and minimum in deeper water, This is a same trend that has been reported for DOC in the equatorial Pacific. This suggests that biomacromolecule might be labile and converted to refractory humic substance after bacterial degradation In the deeper layer. On the contrary, geomacromolecule(maximum fluorescence at $Ex_{330m}/Em_{430m}$), ranged from 7.6 to 46.5 QSU, showed minimum in the surface nixed layer(euphotic zone) Implying photodegradation and then increased with depth at all stations. In the characteristics of vertical profiles, the relationship between biomacromolecule and geomacromolecule showed negative correlation. Such trend can be attributed to biochemical regeneration or formation of fluorescent materials accompanying oxidation and rennnerallzation of settling organic matter.

• 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.

• 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.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2005

The samples for organic carbon analysis were collected between $5^{\circ}\;and\;17^{\circ}N$ along $131.5^{\circ}W$ in the northeast Pacific KODOS (Korea Deep Ocean Study) area. The mean concentration of total organic carbon (TOC) in the surface mixed layer $({\sim}50 m)$ was $100.13{\pm}2.05{\mu}M-C$, while the mean concentration of TOC in the lower 500m of the water column was $50.19{\pm}4.23{\mu}M-C$. A strong linear regression between TOC and temperature $(r^2=0.70)$ showed that TOC distribution was controlled by physical process. Results from the linear regression between chlorophyll-a and TOC, and between chlorophyll-a and particulate organic carbon (POC), decreasing of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the surface layer caused by non-biological photo-oxidation process. Below the surface layer, biological production and consumption occurred. DOC accumulation dominated in the depth range of $30{\sim}50m$ and DOC consumption occurred in the depth range of $50{\sim}200m$. TOC was inversely correlated with apparent oxygen utilization (AOU) and TOC/AOU molar ratios ranged from -0.077 to -0.21. These ratios indicated that TOC oxidation was responsible fur $10.9{\sim}30.1%$ (mean 20.2%) of oxygen consumption in the NE Pacific KODOS area. In the euphotic zone, distributions of dissolved and particulate organic matter were controlled by photo-chemical, chemical, biological and physical processes.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.529-543
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• 2003

Deep-sea surface sediments, acquired from 1997 to 2002 in the Clarion-Clipperton fracture zone of the northeast equatorial Pacific, were analyzed for index and geotechnical properties to provide background information for the design of manganese nodule minor. The sediments were classified into 16 types based on the measured properties and evaluated in terms of miner maneuverabillity and potential environmental impacts arising from mining activities. It was found that the middle part of the study area covered with coarse siliceous sediments is more favorable to the commercial production than the northern part of pelagic red clay. In particular, Area B2 in the middle part is considered the best mining site since it shows the highest abundance as well as it consists mostly of normally to over consolidated (types B, C, D) coarse siliceous sediments that are appropriate for effective minor movement and accompany weak environmental impacts. Taking account of all the analyzed core logs, the average shear-strength values are proposed as a practical guideline fur movements of a manganese nodule miner: 6.0 kPa at 10cm and 7.0kPa at 40cm below the seabed.

• 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.