• Title/Summary/Keyword: Submarine slope

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Sedimentary Facies and Architecture of a Gigantic Gravelly Submarine Channel System in a Cretaceous Foredeep Trough (the Magallanes Basin, Southern Chile)

  • Sohn, Young Kwan;Jo, Hyung Rae;Woo, Jusun;Kim, Young-Hwan G.;Choe, Moon Young
    • Ocean and Polar Research
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    • v.39 no.2
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    • pp.85-106
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    • 2017
  • The Lago Sofia conglomerate in southern Chile is a deep-marine gravelly deposit, which is hundreds of meters thick and kilometers wide and extends laterally for more than 100 km, filling the foredeep trough of the Cretaceous Magallanes Basin. For understanding the depositional processes and environments of this gigantic deep-sea conglomerate, detailed analyses on sedimentary facies, architecture and paleoflow patterns were carried out, highlighting the differences between the northern (Lago Pehoe and Lago Goic areas) and southern (Lago Sofia area) parts of the study area. The conglomerate bodies in the northern part occur as relatively thin (< 100 m thick), multiple units intervened by thick mudstone-dominated sequences. They show paleoflows toward ENE and S to SW, displaying a converging drainage pattern. In the southern part, the conglomerate bodies are vertically interconnected and form a thick (> 400 m thick) conglomerate sequence with rare intervening fine-grained deposits. Paleoflows are toward SW. The north-to-south variations are also distinct in sedimentary facies. The conglomerate bodies in the southern part are mainly composed of clast-supported conglomerate with sandy matrix, which is interpreted to be deposited from highly concentrated bedload layers under turbidity currents. Those in the northern part are dominated by matrix- to clast-supported conglomerate with muddy matrix, which is interpreted as the products of composite mass flows comprising a turbidity current, a gravelly hyperconcentrated flow and a mud-rich debris flow. All these characteristics suggest that the Lago Sofia conglomerate was formed in centripetally converging submarine channels, not in centrifugally diverging channels of submarine fans. The tributaries in the north were dominated by mass flows, probably affected by channel-bank failures or basin-marginal slope instability processes. In contrast, the trunk channel in the south was mostly filled by tractive processes, which resulted in the vertical and lateral accretion of gravel bars, deposition of gravel dunes and filling of scours and channels, similar to deposits of terrestrial gravel-bed rivers. The trunk channel developed along the axis of foredeep trough and its confinement within the trough is probably responsible for the thick, interconnected channel fills. The large-scale architecture of the trunk-channel fills shows an eastward offset stacking pattern, suggesting that the channel migrated eastwards most likely due to the uplift of the Andean Cordillera.

Modeling of internal wave generation near a shelf slope by ocean finite element method

  • Lee, Kwi-Joo;Joa, Soon-Won;Eom, Ki-Chang
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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    • v.42 no.1
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    • pp.38-43
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    • 2006
  • The 3-D modeling of ocean finite element method(OFEM) using $k-{\varepsilon}$ turbulent model and tetrahedron grids has been used to investigate the internal wave generation during the expansion of the deep water from the open sea to the shelf with a simple shape, which can be widely used in the fields of submarine development, ocean environment and meteorology, etc. In this paper, the detailed configuration of internal wave with its length and height and also the distribution of salinity and turbulent kinematic energy, etc. were derived. It is hoped that this OFEM method can be successfully applied to the numerical calculation of internal wave for and the oceanographic problems (tidal flows around underwater hill, plateau, Georges Bank, etc.) and ocean engineering problems(flow past artificial sea reefs) in future.

Natural gas hydrate occurrence and detection in the Sea of Okhotsk

  • Jin Young-Keun;CHAOS Scientific Party CHAOS Scientific Party
    • 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 2006.11a
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    • pp.47-49
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    • 2006
  • The Sea of Okhotsk is the unique area providing the highest methane production rate of the northern hemisphere. The area of focused fluid venting offshore the NE Sakhalin continental slope was investigated during the CHAOS (Hydro-Carbon Hydrate Accumulations in the Okhotsk Sea) expeditions onboard of RV "Akademik Lavrentyev" In 2003, 2005 and 2006. The International Research Project CHAOS (Russia-Korea-Japan) aimed at the study of gas hydrate formation processes associated with the fluid venting in the Sea of Okhotsk. Several new gas hydrate accumulations were discovered during the cruise. Hydrate-associated structures have been named as KOPRI, VNIIOKeangeologia, POI and KIT (the names of cruise participant institutes) Some of hydrate-bearing cores contain big amount of gas hydrates: massive gas hydrate layers (up to 35cm thick) were recovered. The shallowest submarine gas hydrate accumulations in the world (at the depth less then 400m) were discovered during the cruise.

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A Study on Detailed Bathymetry and Geophysical Characteristics of the Summit of the Dokdo Volcano (독도 화산체 정상부해역의 정밀해저지형 및 지구물리학적 특성 연구)

  • Kim, Chang Hwan;Park, Chan Hong;Lee, Myoung Hoon;Choi, Soon Young;Jou, Hyeong Tae
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.45 no.6
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    • pp.685-695
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    • 2012
  • We studied the detailed bathymetry and the geophysical characteristics of the summit of the Dokdo volcano using mutibeam echosounding and geophysical survey data. The bathymetry around the main east and west islets of the Dokdo volcano shows very shallow within about 10 m water depth. From near islets to about 30 m b.s.l., the shallow water area has very steep slope and many irregular sunken rocks. The area from about 30 m to about 80 m b.s.l. shows gentle rises and falls, and less steep slope. The area from 80 m b.s.l. has gradually flat undulation and smooth slope seabaed and is extended to offshore. The main islets of the Dokdo volcano and the rocky sea bottom elongated from the islets might be the residual part of the eroded and collapsed main crater of the Dokdo volcano. The bathymetry and the seafloor image(from backscattering) data show small craters, assumed to be formed by the eruption of later volcanism. The seafloor images propose that, except some areas with shallow sand sedimentary deposits, there are typical rocky bottom such as rocky protrusions and lack of sediments in the main morphology of the survey area. The stepped slopes of the seabed are deduced to be submarine terraces. The several prominent submarine terraces are found at the summit of the Dokdo volcano, suggesting repetition of sea level changes(transgressions and regressions) in the Quaternary. The results of the magnetic anomaly and the analytic signal have a good coherence with other geophysical consequences regarding to the location of the residual crater.

High-resolution Echo Facies Analysis of Sedimentary Deposits around Dok-Island Volcanoes (독도 화산군 주변 퇴적층의 고해상 탄성파상 분석)

  • Lee, Yong-Kuk;Han, Sang-Joon;Yoon, Seok-Hoon
    • The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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    • v.6 no.2
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    • pp.103-113
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    • 2001
  • This study presents Quaternary sedimentation pattern around Dok-Island volcanoes (Dok Island and Dok Seamount), based on analysis of high-resolution (chirp) echo characters. Echo facies If, showing sharp, continuous bottom echo without subbottom reflectors, is recorded mainly from the flat tops of the volcanoes. This facies indicates sands and gravels (re) deposited by shallow marine processes. Echo facies IIA in the basin floor and basal slopes of the volcanoes and Oki Bank is characterized by semi-prolonged bottom and several parallel subbottom echoes. This facies reflects hemipelagic settling with intermittent influences of turbidity currents in the slope areas. Echo facies IIC is recorded from acoustically-transparent debrite masses on the basal slopes of the volcanoes and Oki Bank. Echo facies IIIA is characterized by irregular hyperbolic echoes in the slope areas of the volcanoes. It suggests hard rock basement or irregular volcanic edifices. Echo facies IIIC shows regularly-overlapping hyperbolic bottom echoes. It is interpreted to represent rock-fall deposits (talus) accumulated in the mid-slope area. Echo characters and topography suggest that the tops of Dok-Island volcanoes were flattened and lowered by shallow-marine erosional processes. The eroded sediments were transported to and deposited in the base of slope and basin plain mainly by debris flows and turbidity currents along submarine canyons and valleys.

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Interpretation of depositional setting and sedimentary facies of the late Cenozoic sediments in the southern Ulleung Basin margin, East Sea(Sea of Japan), by an expert system, PLAYMAKER2 (PLAYMAKER2, 전문가 시스템을 이용한 동해 울릉분지 남부 신생대 후기 퇴적층의 퇴적환경 해석)

  • Cheong Daekyo
    • The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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    • v.6 no.1_2 s.7
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    • pp.20-24
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    • 1998
  • Expert system is one type of artificial intelligence softwares that incorporate problem-solving knowledges and experiences of human experts by use of symbolic reasoning and rules about a specific topic. In this study, an expert system, PLAYMAKER2, is used to interpret sedimentary facies and depositional settings of the sedimentary sequence. The original version of the expert system, PLAYMAKER, was developed in University of South Carolina in 1990, and modified into the present PLAYMAKER2 with some changes in the knowledge-base of the previous system. The late Cenozoic sedimentary sequence with maximum 10,000 m in thickness, which is located in the Korean Oil Exploration Block VI-1 at the southwestern margin of the Ulleung Basin, is analysed by the expert system, PLAYMAKER2. The Cenozoic sedimentary sequence is divided into two units-lower Miocene and upper Pliocene-Pleistocene sediments. The depositional settings and sedimentary facies of the Miocene sediments interpreted by PLAYMAKER2 in terms of belief values are: for depositional settings, slope; $57.4\%$, shelf; $21.4\%$, basin; $10.1\%$, and for sedimentary facies, submarine fan; $35.7\%$, continental slope; $26.3\%$, delta; $16.1\%$, deep basinplain; $6.1\%$ continental shelf; $3.2\%$, shelf margin; $1.4\%$. The depositional settings and sedimentary facies of the Pliocene-Pleistocene sediments in terms of belief values we: for depositional settings, slope; $59.0\%$, shelf; $22.8\%$, basin; $7.0\%$, and for sedimentary facies, delta; $24.1\%$, continental slope; $22.2\%$, submarine fan; $17.3\%$, continental shelf; $7.0\%$, deep basinplain; $4.8\%$, shelf margin; $2.6\%$. The comparison of the depositional settings and sedimentary facies consulted by PLAYMAKER2 with those of the classical interpretation from previous studies shows resonable similarity for the both sedimentary units-the lower Miocene sediments and the upper Pliocene-Pleistocene sediments. It demonstrates that PLAYMAKER2 is an efficient tool to interpret the depositional setting and sedimentary facies for sediments. However, to be a more reliable system, many sedimentologists should work to refine and add geological rules in the knowledge-base of the expert system, PLAYMAKER2.

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Characterizing Magnetic Properties of TA (Tofua Arc) 22 Seamount (23° 34′ S) in the Lau Basin, Southwestern Pacific (남서태평양 라우분지 TA 22 해저산(23° 34′ S)에서의 지자기 특성 연구)

  • Choi, Soon Young;Kim, Chang Hwan;Park, Chan Hong;Kim, Hyung Rae
    • Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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    • v.21 no.2
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    • pp.67-81
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    • 2018
  • We acquired the magnetic and bathymetry data around the TA (Tofua Arc) 22 seamount in the Lau Basin for finding submarine hydrothermal deposits. From the data, we estimated the magnetic characteristics in the study area. The bathymetry shows that TA 22 seamount consists of the western and eastern summits. Each summit exhibits a caldera. The western caldera is smaller, but deeper than the eastern caldera. The slope gradients of the TA 22 are steeper around ~1000 m depth range and relatively gentle at the summit areas with the small difference of two calderas. The magnetic properties of TA 22 seamount present high anomalies at the summit and the vicinity of the caldera. Low magnetization zones appear over the outer flanks and center of the calderas. These magnetic patterns are similar to the previous studies which had represented high anomalies and low magnetization zones inside of the summit area or on the flank of the outside of the summit area. The results of the 2D magnetic forward modeling with seismic profiles show about 20 nT of RMSEs (root mean square error) between the modeled and observed values. The low RMSEs proposes a good correlation between the modeled 2D structure and the geophysical observation in this study area. Based on the modeling and magnetization distribution, hydrothermal deposits are predicted to be located at the inner area of the calderas or at small mounds around caldera rims.

Geomorphology and Volcaniclastic Deposits around Dokdo: Dokdo Caldera

  • Chun, Jong-Hwa;Cheong, Dae-Kyo;Park, Chan-Hong;Huh, Sik;Han, Sang-Joon
    • Ocean and Polar Research
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    • v.24 no.4
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    • pp.483-490
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    • 2002
  • Detailed investigations on both submarine and subaerial volcaniclastic deposits around Dokdo were carried out to identify geomorphologic characteristics, stratigraphy, and associated depositional processes of Dokdo caldera. Dokdo volcano has a gently sloping summit (about 11km in diameter) and relatively steep slope (basal diameter is about 20-25 km) rising above sea level at about 2,270m. We found ragged, elliptical-form of Dokdo caldera with a diameter of about 2km estimated by Chirp (3-11 kHz) sub-bottom profile data and side scan sonar data for the central summit area of Dokdo volcano. We interpreted that the volcaniclastic deposits of Dokdo unconformably consist of the Seodo (west islet) and the Dongdo(east islet) formations based on internal structure, constituent mineral composition, and bedding morphology. The Seodo Formation mainly consisted of massive or inversely graded trachytic breccias (Unit S-I), overlain by fine-grained tuff (Unit S-II), which is probably supplied by mass-wasting processes resulting from Dokdo caldera collapse. The Dongdo Formation consists of alternated units of stratified lapilli tuff and inversely graded basaltic breccia (Unit D-I, Unit D-III, and Unit D-V), and massive to undulatory-bedded basaltic tuff breccias (Unit D-II and Unit D-IV) formed by a repetitive pyroclastic surge and reworking processes. Although, two islets of Dokdo are geographically near each other, they have different formations reflecting their different depositional processes and eruptive stages.

Region Segmentation Algorithm of Object Using Self-Extraction of Reference Template (기준 템플릿의 자동 생성 기법을 이용한 물체 영역 분할 알고리즘)

  • Lee, Gyoon-Jung;Lee, Dong-Won;Joo, Jae-Heum;Bae, Jong-Gab;Nam, Ki-Gon
    • Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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    • v.12 no.1
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    • pp.7-12
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    • 2011
  • In this paper, we propose the technique detecting interest object region effectively in the images from periscope of submarine based on self-generated template. First, we extract the sea-sky line, and divide it into sky and sea area from background region based on the sea-sky line. In each divided background region, the blocks which can be represented in each background region are set as a reference template. After dividing an image into several same size of blocks, we apply multi template matching to the divided search blocks and histogram template to divide the image into object region and background region. Proposed algorithm is adapted to various images in which objects exist in the background of sea and sky. We verified that proposed algorithm performed properly without given informmed prby prior learning.ropso, regardless of the slope of sea-sky line and the locmed p of object based on sea-sky line, we verified that the objects region was segmented effectively from the input image.

Origin of Sandstone Fragments Within Core Sediments Obtained from Southwestern Continental Shelf of the Ulleung Basin, East Sea (동해 울릉분지 남서부 대륙붕에서 채취된 시추퇴적물내 사암편의 기원)

  • Lee, Eui-Hyeong;Lee, Yong-Kuk;Shin, Dong-Hyeok;Huh, Sik;Kim, Seong-Ryul;Jeong, Baek-Hoon;Han, Sang-Joon;Chun, Jong-Hwa
    • The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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    • v.6 no.3
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    • pp.126-134
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    • 2001
  • Several angular sandstone fragments (about 7 cm in longest diameter) occur in two piston cores, obtained from the submarine trough in the northeastern part of Korea Strait. The origin of the sandstone fragments and the paleoenvironment of trough sediment could be suggested from sedimentary facies analysis of cores and identification of ostracod within sandstone fragments. Echo characteristics around two core sites in submarine trough represent the prolonged bottom echoes with diffuse or no subbottom reflectors. The cores consist of a lower bioturbated mud and an upper gravelly sand sediments with sandstone/shell fragments. The bioturbated mud sediments show low water contents (27-44%) and high shear strength (19.2->37 kPa) compared with those of Holocene sediments (60-219% and 1.0-2.7 kPa, respectively) in the inner shelf and continental slope. However, clay contents (48-56%) of the bioturbated mud sediments are similar to those of fluviatile Holocene sediments in the inner shelf. The mean grain size of gravelly sand sediments ranges from 2.3 to 3.0 ${\phi}$ and shows coarsening upward with sandstone/shell fragments. The Holocene palimpsest in the continental shelf are composed of muddy sand sediments or sandy mud sediments (mean grain size: 4.6-7.6 ${\phi}$). Those suggest that two core sediments might be formed from Paleofluvial and paleocoastal deposits during sea-level lowstand. However, sandstone fragments mainly consist of quartz grains and bioclasts, with carbonate matrix, hollow pore, and glauconite. Two extinct ostracod species, Normanicythere sp. and Kotoracythere sp., are recovered in the sand-stone fragments of core EP-7, and they continued to exist from late Pliocene to early Pleistocene in cold water environment of this area. Thus, the sandstone fragments are interpreted to be formed at the paleocoastal environment derived from the Plio-Pleistocene outcrops exposed around the submarine trough during the LGM (Last Glacial Maximum) period.

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