• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.199-211
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• 1995

The deep sea camera system could render it possible to obtain the detailed information of the nodule distribution, but difficult to estimate nodule abundance quantitatively. In order to estimate nodule abundance quantitatively from deep seabed photographs, the nodule abundance equation was derived from the box core data obtained in KODOS area(long.: $154^{\circ}{\sim}151^{\circ}W$, lat.: $9^{\circ}{\sim}12^{\circ}N$) during two survey cruises carried out in 1989 and 1990. The regression equation derived by considering extent of burial of nodule to Handa's equation compensates for the abundance error attributable to partial burial of some nodules by sediments. An average long axis and average extent of burial of nodules in photographed area are determined according to the surface textures of nodules, and nodule coverage is calculated by the image analysis method. Average nodule abundance estimated from seabed photographs by using the equation is approximately 92% of the actual average abundance in KODOS area. The measured sampling points by box core or free fall grab are in general very sparse and hence nodule abundance distribution should be interpolated and extrapolated from measured data to uncharacterized areas. The another goal of this study is to depict continuous distribution of nodule abundance in KODOS area by using PC-version of geostatistical model in which several stages are systematically proceeded. Geostatistics was used to analyse spatial structure and distribution of regionalized variable(nodule abundance) within sets of real data. In order to investigate the spatial structure of nodule abundance in KODOS area, experimental variograms were calculated and fitted to a spherical models in isotropy and anisotropy, respectively. The spherical structure models were used to map out distribution of the nodule abundance for isotropic and anisotropic models by using the kriging method. The result from anisotropic model is much more reliable than one of isotropic model. Distribution map of nodule abundance produced by PC-version of geostatistical model indicates that approximately 40% of KODOS area is considered to be promising area(nodule abundance > $5kg/m^2$) for mining in case of anisotropy.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.427-441
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• 2006

Sub-bottom profiler and deep tow imaging system were performed in the KODOS (Korea Deep Ocean Study) area in order to find out controlling factor in nodule formation from the relationship between distribution of Mn nodules and micro-scale topographic change. Although abundance of r- and t- types nodules increase on the seafloor of thin upper transparent layer, no significant correlation was found between the thickness of upper transparent layer and total nodule abundance in the study area. Our results show that distribution pattern of nodule, including abundance, continuity, and facies, can vary with small scale in similar abyssal plain.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1125-1139
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• 2020

This study investigated the distributional pattern of meiobenthos associated with future deep-sea mining in the Korea Deep Ocean Study area present in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCFZ) located in the southeastern part of the North Pacific Ocean. Standing stocks of meiobenthos were investigated in benthic impact experiment sites (BIS) and Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology long-term monitoring (KOMO) sites during the 2008-2014 annual field survey. A total of 14 taxa of meiobenthos were identified. Nematodes were the most abundant taxon (60-86%). Harpacticoid copepods (5-26%) and benthic foraminifera (1-12%) were also dominant at all sites. The total meiobenthic densities varied from 4 to 150 ind./10 cm2. The mean value of total meiobenthic abundance was higher at BIS than at KOMO sites, but there was no significant difference between the two sites. The mean values of the number of taxa and biomass at BIS and KOMO sites were similar. The mean abundance of nematodes that were the most dominant taxa was also higher at BIS than at KOMO sites. The standing stocks in our study sites were relatively lower than those previously reported at other CCFZ sites. These results seem to reflect a low organic concentration in the study area.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.265-272
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• 2004

This study was conducted to investigate the community structure and distributional pattern of meiobenthos in the deep-sea bottom of the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone of northeastern Pacific during July 2001. Examination of sediment samples collected on the eight survey station showed that there were 10 different types of meiobenthos. The most abundant meiobenthic animals were nematodes in all stations. Sarcomastigophorans, benthic harpacticoids were next abundant meiobenthos. Vertical distribution of meiobenthic animals showed the highest individual numbers in the surface sediment layers of 0-1 cm depth and showed more steep decreasing trend as sediment gets deeper on the stations of high latitude located in $16-17^{\circ}N$. Horizontal distribution of meiobenthic animal in the study area within CCFZ showed high densities of meiobenthos at the stations had few manganese nodules on their sediment surface in the site of low latitude. For size distribution analyses showed that animals which fit into the sieve mesh size of 0.063 mm were abundant.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.429-437
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• 1996

The purpose of this study is to correct the nodule abundance of FFG (Free Fall Grab) sampler on KODOS (Korea Deep Ocean Study) area in North-East Pacific Ocean. The image analysis of sea-floor photography was carried out for correcting the abundance of nodules, and the image enhancement techniques and edge detection method were used to discriminate between nodules and sediments. The trace of nodules on sediments was detected to reduce the fractionation effect in calculating the coverage of nodules. The three methods, using the coverage of nodules, using the volume density, and using corrected volume density, were utilized for the correction of the nodule abundance. The method using the coverage of nodules was more convenient and available for the correction of nodule abundance than the other two methods. The method using the corrected volume density had the highest confidence level compared with the other methods.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.493-498
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• 1997

The purpose of this study is to develop geostatistical model for evaluating the abundance of deep-sea manganese nodule. The abundance data used in this study were obtained from the KODOS (Korea Deep Ocean Study) area. The variation of nodule abundance was very high within short distance, while sampling methods was very limited. As the distribution of nodule abundance showed non-gaussian, indicator simulation method was used instead of conditional simulation method and/or ordinary kriging. The abundance data were encoded into a series of indicators with 6 cutoff values. They were used to estimate the conditional probability distribution function (cpdf) of the nodule abundance at any unsampled location. The standardized indicator variogram models were obtained according to variogram analysis. This SIS method had the advantage over other traditional techniques such as the turning bands method and ordinary kriging. The estimating values by indicator conditional simulation near high abundance area were more detailed than by ordinary kriging and indicator kriging. They also showed better spatial characteristics of distribution of nodule abundance.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.575-587
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• 1996

The purpose of this study is to develop geostatistical methods for selection of prospective areas of polymetallic nodule deposits in KODOS (Korea Deep Ocean Study) area of the North-East Pacific Ocean. In this study $110{\times}165$ grid system was used, and each node represents the center of an estimated block of $1km{\times}1km$. The ordinary kriging was applied to SeaBeam2000 data in order to evaluate the bathymetry. A structural analysis (variogram) of the bathymetry data was carried out for constructing digital terrain model (DTM) and the maximum slopes of the bathymetry were calculated by DTM data. The above method can be used to solve the problem that is resulted from the lack of theory of a change of support model for the maximum slope of the bathymetry. The ordinary kriging and the indicator kriging were used to evaluate the nodule abundance, and the different two kriging methods were compared to evaluate the accuracy for the estimation of the nodule abundance. It has been shown that indicator kriging was better estimation tool than the ordinary kriging. The overlay map is presented for the selection of potentially minable sites by combining the two indicator maps of the nodule abundance and the maximum slope of bathymetry. This overlay map could be utilized to establish follow-up survey and to investigate the potentially minable sites in the KODOS area.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.361-365
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• 2004

Deep-sea Resources Research Center (DRRC) has been using a free-fall grab (FFG) for the resource evaluation of polymetallic nodules in the KODOS (Korea Deep Ocean Study) area, NE Pacific, since 1992. A FFG model (Model 4200, Benthos) adapting one glass buoy system (diameter 17 inch, net buoyance 25.4 kg) has been used until 1993. Since then, DRRC has carried out a study to increase the recovery rate of FFG and it was found that a revised system adapting an additional buoy (diameter 10 inch, net buoyance 4.5 kg) gives improved results. The nodule sampling tests were performed using two different models for the same study area and the resulting recovery rates were compared. The result shows no distinct difference in recovery time between two models, but average recovery rate of the revised model was increased to 99.44% from 96.06% of the original model.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.127-136
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• 1999

Radiolarian assemblages from KODOS area were analyzed in order to understand the biostratigraphy and paleoceanography of deep-sea sediment from the Northeast Equatorial Pacific. The sediment core was divided into two or three units on the basis of the chemical and physical properties. In the upper sediment, mixtures of Quaternary and Tertiary radiolarians are found indicating active reworking processes. Dissolution of radiolarians seem to increase with depth. Radiolarians are seldom in Unit III presumably due to dissolution and corrosion. The middle part of unit I appears to correspond to Collosphaera invaginata Zone (0.21 Ma). Unit II belongs to Collosphaera tuberosa Zone. Based on the absence of Stylatractus universus, we estimate its age to be younger than 0.42 Ma. Based on our analyses of radiolarians in Unit I and II, we estimated the age of unit III as Tertiary, particularly from Oligocene to Miocene. There may to be hiatuses of more than 3 My from late Miocene to Pliocene, which probably resulted from erosion and dissolution by the Antarctic Bottom Water Sedimentation rates during Quaternary range from 0.15 to 0.50 mm/ky with significant variabilities among stations. Radiolarians in the study area were mostly warm-water species.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.288-301
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• 1995

Rates of the sedimentation and particle mixing have been estimated by applying uranium-series disequilibrium techniques to three sediment cores collected from the korea Deep Ocean Study (KODOS) site between the clarion and Clipperton Fracture Zones (CCFZ) of the Equatorial Pacific. Sedimentation rates based on the profiles of excess /SUP 230/Th activity and /SUP 230/ Th/SUB xs//SUP 232/ Th activity ratios at the southeastern part of the study area were estimated to be in the order of a few millimeters per thousand year, while at the northwestern part a factor of ten lower. Excess activities of /SUP 230/Th and /SUP 230/Th ratios showed intervals of constant values in the upper part of the sediment cores, probably generated by biological particle mixing. A "two-box" advection-diffusion steady state mixing model was employed in order to estimate particle mixing rates in the upper and the lower layers, based on the distribution profiles of excess /SUP 210/Pb activities. Particle mixing coefficients were estimated to be in the order of 10$^1$ cm$^2$/y in the upper layer and 10/SUP -1/-10/SUP 0/ cm$^2$/y in the lower layer.