• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.187-197
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• 2010

The paleoseismological study in Korea has begun along the Yangsan fault zone (YFZ) and Ulsan fault zone (UFZ) since 1994. Some evidences related to late Quaternary movement are found at only some part of the YFZ, such as Pyonghae, Yuge, and Eonyang-Tongdosa areas. However, it is found along the most of the UFZ except the northen and southern ends of the fault. The dominant time span of faulting events along the YFZ and UFZ are quite different, and 500 ka to 200 ka and 300 ka to recent time, respectively. The dominant faulting senses of the YFZ and UFZ are right-lateral strike slip and reverse, respectively. These senses correspond well with the focal mechanism of recent occurring earthquakes along these two fault zones. If we evaluate the intensity of the activity of the YFZ from the average slip rate, which is 0.1~0.04 m/ka, it is comparable with the faults of higher C class in Japan. The slip rate of UFZ, which is 0.2~0.06 m/ka, is comparable with the faults of lower B to higher C class. Based on the relationship between maximum displacement and magnitude, the maximum earthquake magnitude is evaluated to be 6.8 and 7.0 in the YFZ and UFZ, respectively. An intensive studies are needed to clarify the problems such as segmentation of faults, return period, and geological evidences related to historical earthquakes.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.19-30
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• 2009

The main fault of Yangsan Fault Zone (YFZ) and Quaternary fault were found in a trench section with NW-SE direction at an entrance of the Sinheung village in the northern Eonyang, Ulsan, Korea. We interpreted the movement history of the southern part of the YFZ from the geometric and kinematic characteristics of basement rock's fault of the YFZ (Sinheung Fault) and Quaternary fault (Quaternary Sinheung Fault) investigated at the trench section. The trench outcrop consists mainly of Cretaceous sedimentary rocks of Hayang Group and volcanic rocks of Yucheon Group which lie in fault contact and Quaternary deposits which unconformably overlie these basement rocks. This study suggests that the movement history of the southern part of the YFZ can be explained at least by two different strike-slip movements, named as D1 and D2 events, and then two different dip-slip movements, named as D3 and D4 events. (1) D1 event: a sinistral strike-slip movement which caused the bedding of sedimentary rocks to be high-angled toward the main fault of the YFZ. (2) D2 event: a dextral strike-slip movement slipped along the high-angled beddings as fault surfaces. The main characteristic structural elements are predominant sub-horizontal slickenlines and sub-vertical fault foliations which show a NNE trend. The event formed the main fault rocks of the YFZ. (3) D3 event: a conjugate reverse-slip movement slipped along fault surfaces which trend (E)NE and moderately dip (S)SE or (N)NW. The slickenlines, which plunge in the dip direction of fault surfaces, overprint the previous sub-horizontal slickenlines. The fault is characterized by S-C fabrics superimposed on the D2 fault gouges, fault surfaces showing ramp and flat geometry, asymmetric and drag folds and collapse structures accompanied with it. The event dispersed the orientation of the main fault surface of the YFZ. (4) D4 event: a Quaternary reverse-slip movement showing a displacement of several centimeters with S-C fabrics on the Quternary deposits. The D4 fault surfaces are developed along the extensions of the D3 fault surfaces of basement rocks, like the other Quaternary faults within the YFZ. This indicates that these faults were formed under the same compression of (N)NW-(S)SE direction.