• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.227-233
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• 2011

Attention has been focused on geothermal energy as an alternative energy because it is continuously operable without external supply. Most of geothermal anomalies in Korea are related to deep circulation of groundwater through a fracture system in granite area. Therefore it is very important to understand the distribution of the fracture system which is the main channel of ground water. In this research, we constructed the velocity models with a fracture system and the layered sediments, respectively, and generated synthetic data sets with them to verify the presented vertical seismic profiling (VSP) preprocessing scheme. We compared the results from conventional VSP preprocessing flow to those from VSP preprocessing flow considering fracture system. We noticed that the preprocessing flow considering fracture system retains more sufficient signal including down-going wave than conventional preprocessing. In addition, we applied 3D VSP prestack phase screen migration to the preprocessed reversed VSP (RVSP) data from Seokmo Island so that we were able to image fracture structure of the geothermal site in Seokmo Island.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.242-249
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• 2008

Recently, AVO analysis has been widely used in oil exploration with seismic subsurface section as a direct indicator of the existence of the gas. In the case of the deep reservoirs like the gas reservoirs in the East-sea, it is often difficult to observe AVO responses in CMP gathers even though the bright spots are shown in the stacked section. Because the reservoir becomes more consolidated as its depth deepens, P-wave velocity does not decrease significantly when the pore fluid is replaced by the gas. Thus the difference in Poisson's ratio, which is a key factor for AVO response, between the reservoir and the layer above it does not increase significantly. In this study, we analyzed the effects of Poisson's ratio difference on AVO response with a variety of Poisson's ratios for the upper and lower layers. The results show that, as the difference in Poisson's ratio between the upper and lower layers decreases, the change in the reflection amplitude with incidence angle decreases and AVO responses become insignificant. To consider the limitation of AVO responses shown in the gas reservoir in East-sea, the velocity model was made by simulation Gorae V structure with seismic data and well logs. The results of comparing AVO responses observed from the synthetic data with theoretical AVO responses calculated by using material properties show that the amount of the change in reflection amplitude with increasing incident angle is very small when the difference in Poisson's ratio between the upper and lower layers is small. In addition, the characteristics of AVO responses were concealed by noise or amplitude distortion arisen during preprocessing. To overcome such limitations of AVO analysis of the data from deep reservoirs, we need to acquire precisely reflection amplltudes In data acquisition stage and use processing tools which preserve reflection amplitude in data processing stage.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.71-78
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• 2013

The one-way wave equation migration is much more computationally efficient comparing with reverse time migration and it can provide better image than the migration algorithm based on the ray theory. We have developed the prestack depth migration module adopting (GS) propagator designed for vertical transverse isotropic media. Since GS propagator considers the higher-order term by expanding the Taylor series of the vertical slowness in the thin slab of the phase-screen propagator, the GS migration can offer more correct image for the complex subsurface with large lateral velocity variation or steep dip. To verify the validity of the developed GS migration module, we analyzed the accuracy with the order of the GS propagator for VTI media (GSVTI propagator) and confirmed that the accuracy of the wavefield propagation with the wide angles increases as the order of the GS propagator increases. Using the synthetic seismic data, we compared the migration results obtained from the isotropic GS migration module with the anisotropic GS migration module. The results show that the anisotropic GS migration provides better images and the improvement is more evident on steeply dipping structures and in a strongly anisotropic medium.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
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• v.1 no.1 s.1
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• pp.139-155
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• 2001

We investigate the vertical velocity models beneath the newly installed broadband seismic network of KMA (Korea Meteorological Administration) by using receiver function inversion technique. The seismic phases are primarily P-to-S conversions and reverberations generated at the two highest impedance interfaces like the Moho (crust-mantle boundary) and the sediment-basement contact. We obtained the teleseismic P-wave receiver functions, which were derived from teleseismic records of Seoul (SEO), Inchon (INCN), Tejeon (TEJ) , Sosan (SOS/SES), Kangnung (KAN), Ulchin (ULC/ULJ), Taegu (TAG), Pusan (PUS), and Ullung-do (ULL) stations. For Kwangju (KWA/KWJ) and Chunchon (CHU) stations, the Moho conversion Ps arrivals and waveforms of radial receiver functions are azimuthally inconsistent and unclear. From the receiver function inversion result, we found that crustal thickness is 29 km at INCN, SEO, and SOS (SES) stations, 28 km at KAN station in the Kyonggi Massif, 32 km at TEJ station in Okchon Folded Belt, 34 km at TAG, 33 km at PUS station in the Kyongsang Basin, 32 km at KWJ station (readjusted station by prior KWA station) included in the Youngdong-Kwangju Depression Zone, 28 km at ULC station in the eastern margin of the Ryongnam Massif, and 17 km at ULL station in the Ullung Island of the East Sea, respectively. The Moho configuration of INCN, SOS, KWJ, and KAN stations show a laminated smooth transition zone with a 3-5 km thick. The upper crusts(${\sim}5km$) of KAN, ULC, and PUS stations show complex structures with a high velocity. The unusually thick crusts are found at the TAG and PUS stations in the Kyongsang Basin compared to the thin (29-32 km) crust of the western part (INCN, SEO, SOS, TEJ, and KWA stations) The crustal thickness beneath Ullung Island (ULL station) shows the suboceanic crust with about 17 km thickness and complex with a high velocity layer of the upper crust, and the amplitudes of Incoming Ps waves from the western direction are relatively large compared to those from othor directions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
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• v.4 no.4 s.15
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• pp.43-54
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• 2004

The broadband receiver functions are developed from teleseismic P waveforms recorded at Wonju(KSRS), Inchon(IRIS), and Pohang(PHN), and are analyzed to examine the crustal structure beneath these stations. The teleseismic receiver functions are inverted in the time domain of the vertical P wave velocity structures beneath the stations. Clear P-to-S converted phases from the Moho interface are observed in teleseismic seismograms recorded at these stations. The crustal velocity structures beneath the stations are estimated by using the receiver function inversion method(Ammon et al., 1990). The general features of inversion results are as follows: (1) For the Inchon station, the Conrad discontinuity exists at 17.5 Km(SW) deep and the Moho discontinuity exists at 29.5 Km(NW) and 30.5 Km(SE, SW) deep. (2) The shallow crustal structure beneath Wonju station may be covered with a sedimentary rock of a 3 Km thickness. The average Moho depth is assumed about 33.0 Km, and the Conrad discontinuity may exist at 17.0 Km(NE) and 21.0 Km(NW) deep. (3) For Pohang station, the thickness of shallow sedimentary layer is a 3.0 Km in the direction of NE and NW. The Moho depth is 28.0 Km in the direction of the NE and NW. The Conrad discontinuity can be estimated to be existed at 21.0 Km deep for the NE and NW directions.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.81-92
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• 2001

According to analyses of high-resolution seismic profiles (air gun, sparker, and SBP) and a deep-drill core(YSDP 105) in the mid-eastern Yellow Sea, stratigraphic and geoacoustic models have been established and seismo-acoustic modeling has been fulfilled using ray tracing of finite element method. Stratigraphic model reflects seismo-, litho-, and chrono-stratigraphic sequences formed under a significant influence of Quaternary glacio-eustatic sea-level fluctuations. Each sequence consists of terrestrial to very-shallow-marine coarse-grained lowstand systems tract and tidal fine-grained transgressive to highstand systems tract. Based on mean grain-size data (121 samples) of the drill core, bulk density and P-wave velocity of depositional units have been inferred and extrapolated down to a depth of the recovery using the Hamilton's regression equations. As goo-acoustic parameters, the 121 pairs of bulk density and P-wave velocity have been averaged on each unit of the stratigraphic model. As a result of computer ray-tracing simulation of the subsurface strata, we have found that there are complex ray paths and many acoustic-shadow zones owing to the presence of irregular layer boundaries and low-velocity layers.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.2 s.177
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• pp.111-128
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• 2006

Three dimensional crustal structure and source features of earthquake hypocenters on the Korean peninsula were investigated using P and S-wave travel time tomography. The main goal of this research was to find Vp/Vs anomalies at earthquake hypocenters as well as those of crustal structure of basins and deep tectonic settings. This allowed fer the extrapolation of more detailed seismotectonic force from the Korean peninsula. The earthquake hypocenters were found to have high Vp/Vs ratio discrepancies (VRD) at the vertical sections. High V/p/Vs ratios were also found in the sedimentary basins and beneath the Chugaryong Rift Zone (CRZ), which was due to mantle plume that subsequently solidified with many fractures and faults which were saturated with connate water. The hypocenters of most earthquakes were found in the upper crust for Youngwol (YE), Kyongju (KE), Hongsung (HE), Kaesong (KSE), Daekwan (DKE), and Daehung (DHE) earthquakes, but near the subcrust or the Moho Discontinuity for Mt. Songni (SE), Sariwon (SRE) and Mt. Jiri (JE) earthquakes. Especially, we found hot springs of the Daekwan, Daehung and Unsan regions coincide with high VRD. Also, this cannot rule out the possibility that there are some partial meltings in the subcrust of this region. High VRD might indicate that many faults and fractures with connate water were dehydrated when earthquakes took place, reducing shear modulus in the hypocenter areas. This is can be explained by due to the fact that a point source which is represented by the moment tensor that may involve changes in volume, shear fracture, and rigidity. High Vp/Vs ratio discrepancies (VRD) were also found beneath Mt. Backdu beneath 40 km, indicating that magma chamber existed beneath Mt. Backdu is reducing shear modulus of S-wave velocity.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.313-324
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• 2009

We explore the effect of particle shape and size on 3-dimensional (3D) network and pore structure of porous earth materials composed of glass beads and silica gel using NMR micro-imaging in order to gain better insights into relationship between structure and the corresponding hydrologic and seismological properties. The 3D micro-imaging data for the model porous networks show that the specific surface area, porosity, and permeability range from 2.5 to $9.6\;mm^2/mm^3$, from 0.21 to 0.38, and from 11.6 to 892.3 D (Darcy), respectively, which are typical values for unconsolidated sands. The relationships among specific surface area, porosity, and permeability of the porous media are relatively well explained with the Kozeny equation. Cube counting fractal dimension analysis shows that fractal dimension increases from ~2.5－2.6 to 3.0 with increasing specific surface area from 2.5 to $9.6\;mm^2/mm^3$, with the data also suggesting the effect of porosity. Specific surface area, porosity, permeability, and cube counting fractal dimension for the natural mongolian sandstone are $0.33\;mm^2/mm^3$, 0.017, 30.9 mD, and 1.59, respectively. The current results highlight that NMR micro-imaging, together with detailed statistical analyses can be useful to characterize 3D pore structures of various porous earth materials and be potentially effective in accounting for transport properties and seismic wave velocity and attenuation of diverse porous media in earth crust and interiors.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.40 no.1 s.182
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• pp.87-101
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• 2007

A variety of informations obtained from satellite image, digital elevation relief map (DEM), borehole logging, televiewer, geophysical prospecting, etc were synthetically analyzed to investigate subsurface geological and structural characteristics and to evaluate geohazard pertinent to fault-damage in the Busan metropolitan city. It is revealed that the geology is composed of the Cretaceous andesitic$\sim$dacitic volcanics, gabbro, and granitoid and that at least three major faults including the Dongrae fault are developed in the study area. Based on characteristics of topography, fault-fractured zone, and isobath maps of the Quaternary sediments and weathered residuals of the basement, the Dongrae fault is decreased in its width and fracturing intensity of damaged zone from south toward north, and the fault is segmented around the area between the Seomyeon and Yangieong junctions. Meanwhile, we drew a geohazard sectional map using the five major parameters that significantly suggest damage intensity of basement by fault, i.e. distance from fault core, TCR, RQD, uniaxial rock strength, and seismic velocity of S wave. The map is evaluated as a suitable method to express the geological and structural characteristics and fault-damaged intensity of basement in the study area. It is, thus, concluded that the proposed method can contribute to complement and amplify the capability of the present evaluation system of rock mass.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.180-191
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• 2013

The purpose of this research was to find an optimal quarrying for marble by analyzing the applicability and the work efficiency of a chain saw machine newly introduced in the underground Baekwoon mine. From the test results of the physical properties of Baekwoon marble, which affects the efficiency of rock cutting, it was found to have similar physical characteristics as the ones which are now being produced in the other areas in Korea. And especially it shows isotropic property, which can be thought to be advantageous as a dimensional stone. To check the long-term quality of the marble as a stone material, several tests such as corrosion resistance test and abrasion test were carried out. It was found to be vulnerable to acid rain with decrease of weight and seismic wave velocity after applying artificial rain at pH 5.6 for 50 times. The percentage of wear from abrasion test was 22.67%. The working time and cutting speed of the chain saw machine were recorded and analyzed during the test-run at the quarry. The overall work cycle was assorted into 9 unit operations and the operating time per each unit was drawn. The operating times for the two cutting patterns, which could be possibly applicable to the work site, were compared. The results indicated that the pattern B, that the cutting sequence was set to minimize the movement of the machine, showed 6% less working hours than the pattern A, which first cuts the outer boundary. With cutting pattern analysis, the ore body in the Baekwoon mine was 3 dimensionally modeled and a quarrying plan considering the existing conditions of the marble was suggested.