• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.40-52
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• 2003

Despite the various opening models of the southwestern part of the East Sea (Japan Sea) between the Korean Peninsula and the Japan Arc, the continental margin of the Korean Peninsula remains unknown in crustal structure. As a result, continental rifting and subsequent seafloor spreading processes to explain the opening of the East Sea have not been adequately addressed. We investigated crustal and sedimentary velocity structures across the Korean margin into the adjacent Ulleung Basin from multichannel seismic reflection and ocean bottom seismometer data. The Ulleung Basin shows crustal velocity structure typical of oceanic although its crustal thickness of about 10 km is greater than normal. The continental margin documents rapid transition from continental to oceanic crust, exhibiting a remarkable decrease in crustal thickness accompanied by shallowing of Moho over a distance of about 50 km. The crustal model of the margin is characterized by a high-velocity (up to 7.4 km/s) lower crustal (HVLC) layer that is thicker than 10 km under the slope base and pinches out seawards. The HVLC layer is interpreted as magmatic underplating emplaced during continental rifting In response to high upper mantle temperature. The acoustic basement of the slope base shows an igneous stratigraphy developed by massive volcanic eruption. These features suggest that the evolution of the Korean margin can be explained by the processes occurring at volcanic rifted margins. Global earthquake tomography supports our interpretation by defining the abnormally hot upper mantle across the Korean margin and in the Ulleung Basin.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.397-409
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• 1994

The seemingly scattered plot of heat flow versus crustal thickness is explained by geodynamic processes and simple thermal relaxation in two contrasting tectonic elements. Elevated heat flow is characteristic of rift provinces where the crust is attenuated by stretching but also of orogenic belts where thrust tectonics thickens the crust and significantly enhances crustal heat production. With the progression of time, isostatic processes thin the thickened crust through uplift and erosion and thicken the rifted crust through subsidence and sedimentation. Heat flow relaxes to a value in equilibrium with background mantle heat flow.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.339-347
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• 1998

The purpose of this study is to find P-wave crustal velocity structure and the Moho characteristics beneath Seoul (SEO) and Inchon (INCN) stations using broadband teleseismic records. The use of broadband receiver function analysis is increasing to estimate the fine-scale velocity structure of the lithosphere. The broadband receiver functions are developed from teleseismic events of P waveforms recorded at Seoul (SEO) and Inchon (INCN) stations, and are analyzed to examine the crustal structure beneath the stations. The teleseismic receiver functions are inverted in the time domain of the vertical P wave velocity structures beneath the stations. The crustal velocity structures beneath the stations are estimated using the receiver function inversion method (Ammon et al., 1990). The general features of inversion results are as follows: (1) For the Seoul station, the Conrad and Moho discontinuities exist at 22 km and 30 km depth in the south ($BAZ=180^{\circ}$) direction. (2) For the Inchon station, the Conrad discontinuity exists at 22 km depth in the direction of SE ($BAZ=145^{\circ}$) and the Moho discontinuity exists at 30~34 km depth with a 4 km thick, which consists of a laminated velocity transition layers with thickness, whereas a crust-mantle boundary beneath the Seoul station consists of a more sharp boundary compared with the Moho shape of INCN station.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.21-33
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• 2001

Simultaneous inversion of first-arrivals of local earthquakes recorded by the Korea Meteorological Administration(KMA) seismograph network from 1991 to 1998 is made to derive 1D crustal velocity structure of the Korean peninsula. Twenty-nine events with 178 observations are used in the inversion. Average crustal P-wave velocity turns out to be about 6.3 km/sec, and crustal thickness and upper mantle P-wave velocity are estimated as 33 km and 7.9 km/sec, respectively. Results of inversion indicate the possibility of the low velocity layer in the lower crust. Joint inversion is applied to estimate hypocenters, station delays, and velocities simultaneously. Relative station corrections for 11 stations range from zero to about 1.2 sec. Analysis of the synthetic data shows that estimates of hypocenter locations and station corrections as well as averaged crustal structure are reliable for the given data set..

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.235-247
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• 1998

A new technique of simultaneons inversion for 3-D seismic velocity structure by using direct, reflected, and refracted waves is applied to the center of the Korean Peninsula including Pyongnam Basin, Kyonggi Massif, Okchon Fold Zone, Taebaeksan Fold Zone, Ryongnam Massif and Kyongsang Basin. Pg, Sg, PmP, SmS, Pn, and Sn arrival times of 32 events with 404 seismic rays are inverted for locations and crustal structure. 5 ($1^{\circ}$ along the latitude)${\times}6$ ($0.5^{\circ}$ along the longitude) ${\times}8$ block (4 km each layer) model was inverted. 3-D seismic crustal velocity tomography including eight sections from the surface to the Moho, eight profiles along latitude and longitude and the Moho depth distribution was determined. The results are as follows: (1) the average velocity and thickness of sediment are 5.15 km/sec and 3-4 km, and the velocity of basement is 6.12 km/sec. (2) the velocities fluctuate strongly in the upper crust, and the velocity distribution of the lower crust under Conrad appears basically horizontal. (3) the average depth of Moho is 29.8 km and velocity is 7.97 km/sec. (4) from the sedimentary depth and velocity, basement thickness and velocity, form of the upper crust, the Moho depth and form of the remarkable crustal velocity differences among Pyongnam Basin, Kyonggi Massif, Okchon Zone, Ryongnam Massif and Kyongsang Basin can be found. (5) The different crustal features of ocean and continent crust are obvious. (6) Some deep index of the Chugaryong Rift Zone can be located from the cross section profiles. (7) We note that there are big anisotropy bodies near north of Seoul and Hongsung in the upper crust, implying that they may be related to the Chugaryong Rift Zone and deep fault systems.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.91-98
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• 2005

On board satellite magnetometer measures all possible magnetic components, such as the core and crustal components from the inner Earth, and magnetospheric, ionospheric and' its coupled components from the outer Earth. Due to its dipole and non-dipole features, separation of the respective component from the measurements is most difficult unless the comprehensive knowledge of each field characteristics and the consequent modeling methods are solidly constructed. Especially, regional long wavelength magnetic signals of the crust are strongly masked by the main field and dynamic external field and hence difficult to isolate in the satellite measurements. In particular, the un-modeled effects of the strong auroral external fields and the complicated behavior of the core field near the geomagnetic poles conspire to greatly reduce the crustal magnetic signal-to-noise ratio in the polar region relative to the rest of the Earth. We can, however, use spectral correlation theory to filter the static lithospheric and core field components from the dynamic external field effects that are closely related to the geomagnetic storms affecting ionospheric current disturbances. To help isolate regional lithospheric anomalies from core field components, the correlations between CHAMP magnetic anomalies and the pseudo-magnetic effects inferred from satellite gravity-derived crustal thickness variations can also be exploited, Isolation of long wavelengths resulted from the respective source is the key to understand and improve the models of the external magnetic components as well as of the lower crustal structures. We expect to model the external field variations that might also be affected by a sudden upheaval like tsunami by using our algorithm after isolating any internal field components.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 1998

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 the three stations. The teleseismic receiver functions are inverted in the time domain to the vertical P wave velocity structure beneath the stations. Clear P-to-S converted phases from the Moho interface are observed in teleseismic seismograms recorded at the three stations. We estimated the crustal velocity structures beneath the stations using the receiver function inversion. The general features of inversion results are as follows: (1) For Pohang station, there is a high velocity gradient at a 4~5 km deep for SE and NW back azimuth and a low velocity zone at around 10 km deep. The Moho depth is 28 km for NW direction. (2) The shallow crustal structure beneath Wonju station is somewhat complex and there is a high-velocity zone ($V_p{\simeq}6.8km/sec$) at 3 to 4 km deep. The average crustal thickness is 33 km, and a transition zone exists at a 30~33 km deep of lower crust, of which velocity is abruptly changed 6.4 to 7.9 km/sec. (3) For Inchon station, the crustal velocity gradient monotonously increases up to the Moho discontinuity and the velocity is abruptly changed from 6.2 km/sec to 7.9 km/sec at 29 km deep.

• 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.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.6 s.175
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• pp.643-656
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• 2005

The East Sea, a marginal sea or back-arc basin, consists of Japan Basin, Yamato Basin, and Ulleung Basin and is surrounded by the Pacific Plate and Philippine Sea Plate. Ulleung Basin locates in the southwestern part of the East Sea and shows the depth of 1,500 m in average and 2,500 m in maximum, connecting to the Japan Basin along 2,000 m contour. The slope of the seafloor is greater in the western side of the basin than in the southern and the eastern side. The crustal thickness of the Ulleung Basin from the OBS tends to get thicker toward the north and the west side and the sediment thickness of the Ulleung Basin is getting thicker toward the southeast side and reaches up to 12 km. The crustal type of the Ulleung Basin was variously suggested as like as a rifted continental crust, an extended continental crust, and an incipient oceanic trust. The origin of the crustal formation and the Ulleung Basin, however, is still controversial. Based on the bathymetry and gravtiy anomaly data for this study, the axis of the Ulleung Basin shows that the basin develops along the axis trending NW-SE direction and reveals a general symmetry of the bathymetry. And also the free-air gravity anomalies show a very similar pattern to the bathymetry of the basin. The sediment thickness is relatively thicker in the southeastern side of the basin than in the northwestern side. Although the crustal age of the Ulleung Basin is supposed to be younger than them of the Japan Basin and the Yamato Basin, the free-air gravity anomalies of the Ulleung Basin ranging -40 to 50 mGals are lower than the other basins, which suggests that the densities of crust and sediment of the Ulleng Basin are lower than the Japan Basin and the Yamato Basin.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.151-157
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• 1985

Events detected by the KIER microearthquake network operated in the Southern Part of Korea for 265 days in 1982~1984 were reviewed, and some of them were identified to be a dynamite explosion from several construction sites. The purpose of the present work is to determine the crustal structure of the Southern Korea using the time-destance data obtained from such explosion seismic records. The time·distance data can be well explained by a crustal model composed of four horizontal layers of which thickness, p and s-wave velocity ($V_p$ and $V_s$) are characterized as follows. 1st layer (surface) ; 0~2km, $V_p=5.5km/sec$, $V_s=3.3km/sec$ 2nd layer (upper crust) ; 2~15km, $V_p=6.0km/sec$, $V_s=3.5km/sec$ 3rd layer (lower crust) ; 15~29km, $V_p=6.6km/sec$, $V_s=3.7km/sec$ 4th layer (upper mantle) ; 29km~ , $V_p=7.7km/sec$, $V_s=4.3km/sec$ The relatively shallow crust·mantle boundary and low $P_n$ velocity compared with the mean values for stable intraplate region are noteworthy. Supposedely, it is responsible for the high heat flow in the South-eastern Korea or an anomalous subterranean mantle. The mean $V_p/V_s$ ratio calculated from the relation between p-wave arrival and s-p arrival times appears to be 1.735 which is nearly equivalent to the elastic medium of ${\lambda}={\mu}$. However, the ratio tends to be slightly larger with the depth. The ratio is rather high compared with that of the adjacent Japanese Island, and the fact suggests that the underlying crust and upper mantle in this region are more ductile and hence the earthquake occurrences are apt to be interrupted. As an alternative curstal model, a seismic velocity structure in which velocities are successively increased with the depth is also proposed by the inversion of the time·distance data. With the velocity profile, it is possible to calculate a travel time table which is appropriate to determine the earthquake parameters for the local events.