• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.207-216
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• 1996

A geochemical study of three piston cores (ST.4, ST.6 and ST.20) taken from the Northwest Pacific (eastern edge of Shikoku Basin) provides information about changes in surface water paleoproductivity and sedimentation during the last 127 kys. Paleoproductivity variations were estimated on the basis of total organic carbon content and carbonate mass accumulation rate. The paleoproductivity based on total organic carbon shows significant spatial variations between glacial and interglacial periods. During the last glacial maximum (LGM) paleoproductivity increased about 1.5 times with deglaciation decrease compared with those of the Holocene at inner side of the Shikoku Basin (ST.4 and ST.6). On the other hand, paleoproductivity at outer side of Shikoku Basin (ST.20) indicating not distinctive increase but deglaciation increase. The C/N ratios fall below 10 for cores ST.4 and ST.6, but C/N ratios between 100 ka and 80 ka in ST.20 which show around 10 or larger values suggest a predominance of marine organic carbon with some admixture of terrigenous materials. The carbonate mass accumulation rate of three cores show different patterns of calcareous record with respect to organic carbon based paleoproductivity variation. In the inner side of Shikoku Basin (ST.4 and ST.6) the carbonate mass accumulation rate decreased during last glacial maximum, and significant increase of carbonate mass accumulation rate is recognized at outer side of Shikoku Basin (ST.20). Thus, this set of data reveals that spatial paleoproductivity variations between inner and outer side of Shikoku Basin during the glacial and interglacial periods.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.397-409
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• 2018

Izumi sedimentary basin (ISB), west of Shikoku, Japan, is widely distributed across the western side of the Sakuragi Bend of the Japan Median Tectonic Line (MTL). It is not obvious how the ISB formed, but this feature is similar to an asymmetric pull-apart basin. The stratigraphic succession and tuff layers show that ages tend to decrease toward the Sakuragi Bend. We investigate whether the ISB is an asymmetric pull-apart basin using analogue model experiments with running sand. A pull-apart basin of length 60 cm and width 20 cm is formed, and secondary normal faults appear on the surrounding surface. A cross-section parallel to the direction of displacement shows that the stratigraphic succession of the pull-apart basin becomes younger toward the releasing bend. A listric normal fault, which has the opposite dip to the master fault, is observed in a cross-section perpendicular to the direction of displacement. These results are consistent with the observed properties of the ISB west of Shikoku, thereby supporting the possibility that the ISB is an asymmetric pull-apart basin.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.259-269
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• 2002

Based on sedimentary structures, degree of bioturbation, and internal erosional layers, the deep-sea core sediments in the East Sea (Ulleung and Yamato basins) and the Northwestern Pacific Ocean (Shikoku Basin) can be divided into two parts (upper and lower) with the boundary of around 10,000 years B.P. in age. The upper part of core KT94-10 from Shikoku Basin is characterized by low sedimentation rate, internal erosion layer, high degree of bioturbation and cross-lamination structures. It can be interpreted as the bottom-current deposits which show some different characteristics from turbidite or hemipelagic sediment. However, its lower part consists of highly bioturbated, massive mud, suggesting that it be not related to the influence of bottom current. On the other hand, the cores in Ulleung and Yamato basins do not show any evidence of bottom-current deposits: their upper parts consist of bioturbated mud, and lower parts are characterized by laminated mud with pyrite filaments, indicating anaerobic condition. Consequently, these sedimentological characteristics suggest that deep-sea circulation would be changed from slow-moving to fast-moving one at this bounding time commonly in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean and the East Sea. Also, even in the same time, the deep-sea circulation in the Northwestern Pacific area would be relatively faster than that in the East Sea.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.80-89
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• 1998

Three cores were taken from the northwest Pacific Ocean (Shikoku Basin) to determine the accumulation rates of both biogenic and terrigeneous fractions since the last penultimate interglacial period. The sediment is characterized by large amounts of terrigenous materials with low biogenic fractions and intermittent volcanic-ash layers, suggesting a hemipelagic origin. Composition of major elements shows no significant differences among sites. Relatively small variation of TiO$_2$/Al$_2$O$_3$ ratios with respect to SiO$_2$ content is the strong evidence for the common origin of terrigenous materials. The fraction of biogenic carbonates varies from near 0% in ash layers to about 35%, with a gradual increase toward the south (St. 4 through St. 6 to St. 20). However, carbonate contents show step-wise increasing tendency from St. 4 through St. 6 to St. 20, which suggests a southward increase of carbonate production. The color reflectance indicates that the sediment of the southern sites contains relatively higher amounts of biogenic carbonates. The mass accumulation rate of terrigenous fractions during the glacial period was 2-3 times higher than that of interglacial period. This enhanced mass accumulation rate of terrigenous materials was concomitant with the high accumulation rate of biogenic fractions. The total sediment accumulation rate is considered as the most important factor controlling mass accumulation rates of the biogenic and terrigenous materials. The enhanced sediment accumulation during the glacial periods is interpreted as a consequence of climate-induced change in the supply of eolian dust from the Asian continent. Enhanced wind strength during the glacial time may have increased transportation of terrigenous materials to the ocean. Thus, variation of sediment accumulation is highly linked with climatic variations.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.98-108
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• 2000

A geochemical study on a hemipelagic core sediment taken from the northwest Pacific Ocean (eastern edge of the Shikoku Basin) was conducted to use of excess barium (Ba(ex)) for evaluate the paleoceano-graphic changes. Also, the excursion of sedimentary Ba(ex) was compared with those of biogenic opal, carbonate and organic carbon content in the sediment during the last glacial and interglacial periods. The calculated Ba(ex) derived from the major and minor element shows a distinctive glacial-interglacial variations, and the mass accumulation rate (MAR) of Ba(ex) shows coincident variations with the MARs of biogenic fractions. Especially, strong positive correlation (r$^2$=0.85) between the MAR of Ba(ex) and the MAR of biogenic carbonate is recognized. Based on the strong positive correlation(r$^2$=0.85) between the MAR of Ba(ex) and the MAR of carbonate content, we estimated the degree of carbonate dissolution rate during the glacial and interglacial periods. Assuming the proportional variation and the refractory nature of barium exist between two factors, the variation of index Ca/Ba ratio in sediment indicates the degree of carbonate dissolution. Sedimentary Ca/Ba ratios index clearly show a striking fluctuation between the glacial and interglacial periods with higher positive correlation during glacial and lower correlation during interglacial. This fact indicates enhanced carbonate dissolution during interglacial period. Thus, the sedimentary Ca/Ba ratio in sedimentary records can be used as one of the useful tools for estimation of the relative degree of carbonate dissolution. The excursion of Ba(ex) and the sedimentary Ca/Ba ratio follows the typical pacific carbonate dissolution type(enhanced dissolution during interglacial and reduced dissolution during glacial time) as suggested by previous work (e.g., Wu et al., 1990). Variation in sedimentary Ca/Ba ratio thus strongly supports that glacial-interglacial fluctuation in carbonate dissolution has been prevailed in the northwest Pacific Ocean.