• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.379-390
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• 2015

Multibeam backscatter strength is dependent not only on seafloor sediment facies but also on changed incidence angle due to the actual bottom slope. Therefore, the correction for actual bottom slope should be considered before the analysis of backscatter strength. This paper demonstrates the backscatter correction technique for the actual incidence angle and ensonified area. The target area is a part of the eastern Yellow Sea with water depths of 46~55 m. The area is located between the sand ridges and covered by large dunes with various bottom slopes. The dunes usually have the gentle slopes of about $1{\sim}3^{\circ}$, but show some steep slopes of $5{\sim}15^{\circ}$ on the crest. The backscatter strength values on the crest range from -34 to -23 dB, assuming that the bottom is flat. However, this study shows that the backscatter strength range was somewhat reduced (-32~-25 dB) after correction for actual bottom slope. In addition, the backscatter imagery was significantly improved; high and low backscatter strength values on the crest due to the actual bottom slope were normalized. The results demonstrate that the correction technique in this study is an effective tool for processing backscatter strength.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.887-911
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• 2016

The empirical law that transverse dunes migrate inversely with their heights leads logically to the prediction that multiple dune ridges will converse to a single huge dune by merging. This contradicts the existence of the steady state dune fields on the Earth. The recent studies have emphasized dune collisions as a key mechanism to the stability of dunefield. The roles of wind shadow aspect ratio, however, have yet to be fully explored. This research aims to investigate the potential roles of wind shadow aspect ratio in the dynamical behaviors of transverse dune field. The simplified model is established for this, based upon allometric properties of transverse dunes, wind speedup on the stoss slope and sand trapping efficiency. The derived governing equations can be transformed to the zoning criteria and vector field for dune evolution. The dynamics analysis indicates that wind shadow aspect ratios do not produce convergent areas on the behavior space; rather, they just act as one of the factors that affect the trajectories of dune evolution. Though the model cannot represent the stability of dune field, but seem to produce a reasonable exponent for dune spacing-height relations.

• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.5 no.1_2 s.6
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• pp.9-15
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• 1997

The study area is located in the Central Bransfield Basin, Antarctica. To analyze the morphology of seafloor, structure of basement, and seismic stratigraphy of the sedimentary layers, we have acquired, processed, and interpreted the multi-channel seismic data. The northwest-southeastern back-arc extension dramatically changes seafloor morphology, volcanic and fault distribution, and basin structure along the spreading ridges. The northern continental shelf shows a narrow, steep topography. In contrast, the continental shelf or slope in the south, which is connected to the Antarctic Peninsula, has a gentle gradient. Volcanic activities resulted in the formation of large volcanos and basement highs near the spreading center, and small-scale volcanic diapirs on the shelf. A very long, continuous normal fault characterizes the northern shelf, whereas several basinward synthetic faults probably detach into the master fault in the south. Four transfer faults, the northwest-southeastern deep-parallel structures, controlled the complex distributions of the volcanos, normal faults, depocenters, and possibly hydrocarbon provinces in the study area. They have also deformed the basement structure and depositional pattern. Even though the Bransfield Basin was believed to be formed in the Late Cenozoic (about 4 Ma), the hydrocarbon potential may be very high due to thick sediment accumulation, high organic contents, high heat flow resulted from the active tectonics, and adequate traps.