• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.79-96
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• 2011

Volcanic landforms are classified into the volcanic edifice produced through constructive processes of eruption and the crater generated by destructive processes of eruption. Both landforms are distributed around Korean Peninsula including attaching islands. However, only a few regions such as Mt. Baekdu, Jeju Island, Ulleung Island, and Chugaryeong, which are closely related with the volcanic eruption occurred during the Quaternary, could be considered as a volcanic landform. It results in categorizing the volcanic landform as an unusual topography in Korea. The study of Korean researchers on the volcanic landform were regularized in 1970s on Jeju Island, in 1980s on Ulleung Island, and in 1990s on Mt. Baekdu, respectively. Oreums and lava tubes in Jeju Island have been also examined since 1980s. Compared with other fields of geomorphology, researches as well as researchers on the volcanic landform are very few in Korea. Geomorphologists are expected to perform an active research in that the volcanic landform of Korea have diverse values.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.413-430
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• 2012

To understand the scales of the spatial distribution and temporal duration of the subsurface chlorophyll-a maximum (SCM) observed in the Ulleung Basin of the East Sea, we analyzed physical and chemical data collected during the East Asian Seas Time-series-I (EAST-I) program. The SCM layer occurred at several observation lines from the Korea Strait to $37.9^{\circ}N$ in the Ulleung Basin during August of 2008 and 2011. At each observation line, the SCM layer extended from the coast to about 200 km off the coast. The SCM layer was observed between 30 and 40 m depth in the Ulleung Basin as well as in the northwestern Japan Basin along $132.3^{\circ}E$ from $38^{\circ}N$ to $42.3^{\circ}N$ during July 2009, and was observed around 50 m depth in the northeastern Japan Basin ($135-140^{\circ}E$ and $40-45^{\circ}N$) during July 2010. From these observed features, we hypothesize that the SCM layer observed in the Ulleung Basin may exist in most of the East Sea and may last for at least half-year (from the early May to late October). The nutrient supply mechanism for prolonged the SCM layer in the East Sea was not known, but it may be closely related to the horizontal advection of the nutrient rich and low oxygen waters observed in the Korea Strait between a 50 m depth to near the bottom. The prolonged development of the SCM layer in the Ulleung Basin may result in high primary production and would also be responsible for the high organic carbon content observed in the surface sediment of the region.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.513-523
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• 2012

The upper sedimentary layer of the Ulleung Basin in the East Sea shows stacked mass-flow deposits such as slide/slump deposits in the upper slope, debris-flow deposits in the middle and lower slope, and turbidites in the basin plain. Shallow gases or gas hydrates are also reported in many area of the Ulleung Basin, which are very important in terms of marine resources, environmental changes, and geohazard. This paper aims at studying acoustic characteristics and distribution pattern of gas-related structures such as acoustic column, enhanced reflector, dome structure, pockmark, and gas seepage in the upper sedimentary layer, by analysing high-resolution chirp profiles. Acoustic column shows a transparent pillar shape in the sedimentary layer and mainly occurs in the basin plain. Enhanced reflector is characterized by an increased amplitude and laterally extended to several tens up kilometers. Dome structure is characterized by an upward convex feature at the seabed, and mainly occurs in the lower slope. The pockmark shows a small crater-like feature and usually occurs in the middle and lower slope. Gas seepage is commonly found in the middle slope of the southern Ulleung Basin. These gas-related structures seem to be mainly caused by gas migration and escape in the sedimentary layer. The distribution pattern of the gas-related structures indicates that formation of these structures in the Ulleung Basin is controlled not only by sedimentary facies in upper sedimentary layer but also by gas-solubility changes depending on water depth. Especially, it is interpreted that the chaotic and discontinuous sedimentary structures of debris-flow deposits cause the facilitation of gas migration, whereas the continuous sedimentary layers of turbidites restrict the vertical migration of gases.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.351-373
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• 2019

The cold eddies around the Ulleung Basin in the East Sea were identified from satellite altimeter sea level data using the Winding-Angle method from 1993 to 2015. Among the cold eddies, the Dokdo Cold Eddies (DCEs), which were formed at the first meandering trough of the East Korea Warm Current (EKWC) and were pinched off to the southwest from the eastward flow, were classified and their migration patterns were analyzed. The vertical structures of water temperature, salinity, and flow velocity near the DCE center were also examined using numerical simulation and observation data provided by the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model and the National Institute of Fisheries Science, respectively. A total of 112 DCEs were generated for 23 years. Of these, 39 DCEs migrated westward and arrived off the east coast of Korea. The average travel distance was 250.9 km, the average lifespan was 93 days, and the average travel speed was 3.5 cm/s. The other 73 DCEs had moved to the east or had hovered around the generated location until they disappeared. At 50-100 m depth under the DCE, water temperature and salinity (T < $5^{\circ}C$, S < 34.1) were lower than those of ambient water and isotherms made a dome shape. Current faster than 10 cm/s circulates counterclockwise from the surface to 300 m depth at 38 km away from the center of DCE. After the EKWC separates from the coast, it flows eastward and starts to meander near Ulleungdo. The first trough of the meander in the east of Ulleungdo is pushed deep into the southwest and forms a cold eddy (DCE), which is shed from the meander in the south of Ulleungdo. While a DCE moves westward, it circumvents the Ulleung Warm Eddy (UWE) clockwise and follows U shape path toward the east coast of Korea. When the DCE arrives near the coast, the EKWC separates from the coast at the south of DCE and circumvents the DCE. As the DCE near the coast weakens and extinguishes about 30 days later after the arrival, the EKWC flows northward along the coast recovering its original path. The DCE steadily transports heat and salt from the north to the south, which helps to form a cold water region in the southwest of the Ulleung Basin and brings positive vorticity to change the separation latitude and path of the EKWC. Some of the DCEs moving to the west were merged into a coastal cold eddy to form a wide cold water region in the west of Ulleung Basin and to create a elongated anticlockwise circulation, which separated the UWE in the north from the EKWC in the south.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.263-270
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• 2008

The Gas Hydrate Research and Development Organization (KGHDO) of Korea accomplished successfully geophysical logging (LWD: Logging While Drilling, MWD: Measurement While Drilling) for five sites in 2007, in order to investigate the presence of gas hydrate in the Ulleung Basin, the East Sea of Korea. The togging parameters acquired from LWD/MWD dre electrical resistivity, acoustic velocity, neutron density and porosity, and natural gamma. In addition, pressure, temperature, and diameter of borehole were measured. LWD/MWD data showed several evidences indicating the presence of gas hydrate. Based on LWD/MWD data, three coring sites were selected for sampling of gas hydrate. Subsequently, various gas hydrate samples were collected directly from three sites. Therefore. the presence of gas hydrates was verified by coring. LWD/MWD data will be significantly used to estimate the amount of gas hydrate. Also, they will provide important information to elucidate about sedimentologic characteristics of gas-hydrate bearing formation and sedimentary environment of the Ulleung Basin.

• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.5 no.1_2 s.6
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• pp.27-35
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• 1997

The Gorae II area is located in the southwestern margin of the Ulleung Basin, East Sea and corresponds to the Ulleung Trough. The survey of 3D seismic data in this area was performed to delineate the structural leads confirmed by the previous 2D seismic data. As a part of 3D interpretation, basement related structural movements and their relationship with the stratigraphy were studied. The study shows that eight sequences were identified which are genetically related to the tectonics and sediment supply in this area. The geologic structures characterizing the study area consist of : (1) block faults developed in the early stage of basin opening, (2) late Miocene thrusts, and (3) Pliocene wrench faults. The eight sequences consist of pre-rift (acoustic basement), syn-rift (Sequence $A_1, A_2$), post-rift (Sequence $B_1{\~}B_3$), syn-compressional sequence (Sequence C), and post-compressional sequence(Sequence D) from oldest to youngest. The time structure and isochron maps were constructed for each sequence and also used in seismic facies analysis and interpretation of sedimentary environment. The interpretation results reveal that the relative sea level changes caused by several stages of tectonic movements and sediment supply control the stratal and structural geometry of Ulleung 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.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.83-100
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• 1991

A layer of salinity-minimum which characterizes the East Sea intermediate Water (ESIW) is found at an approximate depth of 200 m in three CTD section taken in the Ulleung Basin on May 17-21, 1988. Properties at this layer vary in ranges of $1.1^{\circ}C except at stations near the east coast of Korea where temperature is as high as $4.39^{\circ}C$ and salinity is as low as $33.992{\textperthousand}$. To be distinguished from the ESIW the East Sea Proper Water (ESPW) may be characterized by temperature less than $1^{\circ}C$, Salinity at the saliently-minimum layer and 500db increases southward in general, implying that the cold waters, both ESIW and ESPW, formed in the northern basin of the East Sea are spreading southward below the permanent thermocline in the basin. Hydrography in the Ulleung Basin is very similar to that in the Alboran Sea, suggesting a possibility of an anticyclonic circulation in the Ulleung Basin which is controlled strongly by the shoaling bottom.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.191-200
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• 2014

Gas hydrates play a significant role in the global carbon cycle and climate change because methane, a greenhouse gas, can be released from the dissociation of gas hydrate. Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is an important process that consumes more than 90% of the methane released into the hydrosphere and atmosphere. In this study, the microbial community associated with the methane gas hydrate sediment in the Ulleung basin, East Sea of Korea (UBGH) was analyzed by phylogenetic analysis of the mcrA and 16S rRNA gene libraries. A vertical stratification of the dominating anaerobic methane oxidizer (ANME)-1 group was observed at the surface and the sulfate methane transition zone (SMTZ). The ANME-2c group was found to be dominant in the high methane layer. The archaea of marine benthic group B, which is commonly observed in the AOM region, accounted for more than 50% of the identifications in all sediments. Nitrate reducing bacteria were predominant at SMTZ (Halomonas: 56.5%) and high methane layer (Achromobacter: 52.6%), while sulfate reducing bacteria were not found in UBGH sediments. These results suggest that the AOM process may be carried out by a syntrophic consortium of ANME and nitrate reducing bacteria in the gas hydrates of the Ulleung Basin of the East Sea.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.63-76
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• 2012

Tachylite, black basaltic glass formed by the rapid cooling of molten basalt, locally occurs at the Basaltic Agglomerate Formation (BAF), the lowest formation of Ulleung Island. The purposes of this study are to characterize the occurrence and mineralogy of tachylite and to elucidate its formation condition, with emphasis on its fracture pattern, which can serve as implications for the early volcanic activity of Ulleung Island. To this end, we investigated the occurrence pattern of tachylite in the field and carried out mineralogical analyses using optical microscope, XRD, EPMA, and SEM. Tachylite occurs at the chilled margin of basic dikes which are distributed in Naesujeon, Dodong and Jeodong seasides, Turtle Rock, and Yaerimwon, whose widths vary from several cm to 10 cm. It is evident that the outer surface of tachylite is dense and smooth, whereas the inner surface, if fractured, is characterized by conchoidal fracture. The matrix of tachylite consists of amorphous, glass and some fine-grained phenocrysts present in tachylite include biotite, anorthoclase, sanidine, plagioclase, hornblende, and Fe-Ti oxides. The fracture patterns characteristic of tachylite are subrounded, oval, or less commonly polygonal, bounded by joints to form globule or lump. Taking into account texture and mineralogy, tachylite is interpreted to have undergone little subsequent alteration at low temperature via hydration or hydrolysis that could form clay minerals after it was formed. Because tachylite with peculiar fractures occurs as dikes in a close association with BAF, its presence is considered as reliable evidence that when tachylite formed, the most part of BAF was still under subaqueous conditions, or at least saturated with seawater.