• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.129-138
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• 2009

The XRF core scanner was used, to analyze high resolution chemical elements in deep sea sediment cores from Clarion-Clipperton fracture zone of the northeastern Pacific. Comparison of data estimated by the XRF core scanner with ICP-AES showed relatively weak correlation coefficients between elements (especially Ba, Pb, Sr, Zr) except for Mn contents ($r^2$ > 0.89). However down-core variations of most elements seemed to be well matched each other and furthermore, XRF core scanner data reflected changes of sedimentary facies characterized by sediment colors. Mn/Al ratio dramatically changed at boundaries of facies in BC08-02-05 and BC08-02-13 but progressive changes occured in BC08-02-02, BC08-02-09 and BC08-02-10 where the sediments have been affected by bioturbations. The difference of Mn/Al ratio in each facies (Facies I, Facies II, Facies III) has been caused by redox condition of depositional environment. Vertical change of Mn/Al ratio were divided into two types probably affected by activities of benthic organisms in the study area.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.241-253
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• 2021

Manganese nodules have been found in the shallow water depth of the Arctic Ocean as well as in the abyssal plains of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, but detailed study for them were rarely investigated. Manganese nodules, collected from the East Siberian Sea through the Arctic Expedition using Araon ice braking vessel, have a high potential for Mn mineral resources because they have high Mn content with high Mn/Fe ratio. This study investigated the external form, size and weight, internal texture for the non-spherical manganese nodule, which has about 7 % of total nodule from the East Siberian Sea. This study also researched the relative Mn-oxide mineral composition using the peak area ratio of X-ray diffraction pattern and their chemical composition. All data obtained from non-spherical nodules were compared with the spherical ones. Ellipsoidal, platy and irregular types are common among 5 groups of non-spherical manganese nodule based on the external form, and major axis and weight have positive relationship. All non-spherical manganese nodules have core mainly composed of mud sediments. The average Mn oxide mineral contents in nodules are birnessite, buserite and todorokite in descending order. Although mineral composition does not show any correlation with the external form, kind of core or internal structure, todorokite and buserite contents tend to increase and birnessite content decrease from the surface to the core in the nodule. Non-spherical manganese nodules have higher Mn content and Mn/Fe ratio than those from the shallow water depth of the Arctic Sea and even in the deep-sea of the Pacific and Indian Ocean. Although non-spherical nodule is larger and heavier, and has lower Mn content and Mn/Fe ratio than spherical nodule, there are not any differences in mineral composition and internal structure between them. Almost all manganese nodules collected from the East Siberian Sea are attributed to diagenetic process, because they are higher than 5 in Mn/Fe ratio.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.199-211
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• 1995

The deep sea camera system could render it possible to obtain the detailed information of the nodule distribution, but difficult to estimate nodule abundance quantitatively. In order to estimate nodule abundance quantitatively from deep seabed photographs, the nodule abundance equation was derived from the box core data obtained in KODOS area(long.: $154^{\circ}{\sim}151^{\circ}W$, lat.: $9^{\circ}{\sim}12^{\circ}N$) during two survey cruises carried out in 1989 and 1990. The regression equation derived by considering extent of burial of nodule to Handa's equation compensates for the abundance error attributable to partial burial of some nodules by sediments. An average long axis and average extent of burial of nodules in photographed area are determined according to the surface textures of nodules, and nodule coverage is calculated by the image analysis method. Average nodule abundance estimated from seabed photographs by using the equation is approximately 92% of the actual average abundance in KODOS area. The measured sampling points by box core or free fall grab are in general very sparse and hence nodule abundance distribution should be interpolated and extrapolated from measured data to uncharacterized areas. The another goal of this study is to depict continuous distribution of nodule abundance in KODOS area by using PC-version of geostatistical model in which several stages are systematically proceeded. Geostatistics was used to analyse spatial structure and distribution of regionalized variable(nodule abundance) within sets of real data. In order to investigate the spatial structure of nodule abundance in KODOS area, experimental variograms were calculated and fitted to a spherical models in isotropy and anisotropy, respectively. The spherical structure models were used to map out distribution of the nodule abundance for isotropic and anisotropic models by using the kriging method. The result from anisotropic model is much more reliable than one of isotropic model. Distribution map of nodule abundance produced by PC-version of geostatistical model indicates that approximately 40% of KODOS area is considered to be promising area(nodule abundance > $5kg/m^2$) for mining in case of anisotropy.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.87-102
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• 2022

To clarify the spatial distribution pattern of macrozoobenthos in Korean coastal waters in the summer season and investigate the relationship between community structure and benthic environmental factors, field surveys on community structure and benthic environmental factors were conducted at 117 stations in August 2017. A total of 613 macrobenthic species were identified, with the mean density of 1,228 ind./m² and the mean biomass (wet weight) of 110.9 g WW/m². Rich biodiversity was found at stations near Wando and along the coast of the East Sea, and there is a trend that stations with greater biodiversity also showed higher mean density as well. The dominant species in all the coastal areas in Korea was Heteromastus filiformis, which were found at most of the stations during the survey. The relatively deep areas in the East Sea were dominated by Magelona johnsoni and Maldane cristata, which were the third and ninth dominant species in the study areas, respectively. Pseudopolydora kempi and Rhynchospio sp. were observed only at the station located in the Nakdong River estuary. From the cluster analysis the stations could be clustered into three station groups with more similar faunal composition. Group A was located in the eastern coast, characterized with deep water depth and low levels of sand contents, while Group B was located in the southern coast, characterized by shallow depth of water and high content of mud and organic matter. Lastly, Group C was in the western coast, demonstrating low levels of mud content and organic matters. The biodiversity of macrobenthic species in the study area showed high positive correlation coefficients with benthic environmental factors such as sorting, clay, silt, and contents of organic matter in sediments, but negatively correlated with the sand contents. Major dominant species, Theora lata and Eriopisella sechellensis, both showed negative correlation coefficients with the sand contents, but a relatively high positive correlation with the levels of organic contents.It can be concluded that the spatial distribution patterns of macrobenthic organisms in Korean coastal waters are affected by depth, sediment type, and contents of organic matters.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.401-411
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• 1995

Flavobacterium spp., Pseudomonas spp., and Vibrio spp. were isolated from samples(sediments) of Sagami Bay and Suruga Bay(in Japan) at 810-4,000m in depth. Among isolated strains, Vibvio sp.-86 and sp.-87 strains were identified as barophilic and psychrophilic ones. They grew in 400 atm and showed best growth at 100 atm. Marine bacteria grown at 400 atm were long rod shape and 30 to 50times longer than those grown at 1 atm. which were short rod shape and formed flocks (aggregates). Vibrio sp,-86 strain grew at $5-37^{\circ}C\;and\;0,5-9.0\%\;NaCl\;(3.0\%\;of\;optimum\;concentration),$ while Vibrio sp.-87 strain grew at $1-7\%\;NaCl\;(2,0\%\;of\;optimum\;concentration).$ The fatty acid compositions of Vibrio sp.-86 strain grown at 1 atm were $C_{20}-C_{22:0},\;C_{l6:1},\;and\;C_{16:0}$ in the order of their abundance and at 400 atm the order were $C_{18:1},\;C_{18:0},\;and\;C_{20}-C_{22}$, whereas those of Vibrio sp.-87 strain at 1 atm were $C_{6:1},\;C_{14:1},\;and\;C_{20}-C_{22}$ and at 400 atm the order were $C_{14:1},\;C_{12:0},\;and\;C_{16:1}$ The amino acids compositon of Vibrio sp.-86 strain grown at 1 atm were abundant in the order of aspartic acid, methionine, and glutamic acid and those at 400 atm were abundant in the order of methionine, glutamic acid, and aspartic acid. The amino acids composition of Vibrio sp.-87 strain grwon at 1 atm were abundant in the order of methionine, glutamic acid, and aspartic acid and those at 400 atm were abundant in the order of methionine, glutamic acid, and isoleucine.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2013

To analyze the distribution pattern of flood sediment deposits near the mouth of Chucheoncheon (river), side scan sonar images and seafloor sediment properties were investigated in the offshore area within about 50 m deep in water. Based on the analysis result of the sonar images, the seafloor of the study area is divided into three areas of basement, sandy-mud, and dispersed flood sediment. The colors of sonar images in each area are represented by dark black, light grey, and greyish black, respectively. The sediment composition in the grey black area shows 33.73% of gravel, 62.88% of sand, 3.37% of silt, and 0.02% of clay. On the other hand, the composition of the light grey area is 10.31% of sand, 56.42% of silt, and 33.27% of clay. Especially the sediment of the grey black area contains the considerable amount of burned plant fragments in black color, which could distinctly be differentiated from those in the offshore. The distribution pattern of the flood sediment deposits suggests that the land-originated detrital sediments seem to be transported from the Chucheon river into offshore along the shore rather than transversely. In conclusion, the longshore current of the study area is probably dominant to affect the spatial distribution of bottom features.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.48-55
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• 2009

To investigate the paleoceanographic environmental changes around the Okinawa Trough, Japan, a piston core (RN88-PC5) was conducted on benthic foraminiferal species composition, assemblage, sedimentological and geochemical analyses. Trubidite sediment intercalated in studied core contains different benthic foraminiferal species, dwelling in shallow coral reef species, from normal hemipelagic sediment. These different benthic foraminiferal species and its assemblage are interpreted as reworked sediment when turbidite current occurred, synchronically. Grain size analysis clearly showed that mean grain size difference occurred between trubidite and hemipelagic sediments. Geochemical analysis also showed the difference of chemical composition between two sedimentary facies. Results of the foraminiferal oxygen isotope analysis showing global surface water warming records since the last 10 ka. The geochemcial analysis and previous works showed that turbidite sediment of studied core indicating sporadic occurrence of regional paleoceanographic events. Assemblage of shallow coral reef benthic foraminifera especially occurred with turbidite layer clearly support the sporadic occurrence of paleoceanographic events such as regional earthquake.

• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2008

As conventional oil and gas reservoirs become depleted, interests for oil sands has rapidly increased in the last decade. Oil sands are mixture of bitumen, water, and host sediments of sand and clay. Most oil sand is unconsolidated sand that is held together by bitumen. Bitumen has hydrocarbon in situ viscosity of >10,000 centipoises (cP) at reservoir condition and has API gravity between $8-14^{\circ}$. The largest oil sand deposits are in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada. The reverves are approximated at 1.7 trillion barrels of initial oil-in-place and 173 billion barrels of remaining established reserves. Alberta has a number of oil sands deposits which are grouped into three oil sand development areas - the Athabasca, Cold Lake, and Peace River, with the largest current bitumen production from Athabasca. Principal oil sands deposits consist of the McMurray Fm and Wabiskaw Mbr in Athabasca area, the Gething and Bluesky formations in Peace River area, and relatively thin multi-reservoir deposits of McMurray, Clearwater, and Grand Rapid formations in Cold Lake area. The reservoir sediments were deposited in the foreland basin (Western Canada Sedimentary Basin) formed by collision between the Pacific and North America plates and the subsequent thrusting movements in the Mesozoic. The deposits are underlain by basement rocks of Paleozoic carbonates with highly variable topography. The oil sands deposits were formed during the Early Cretaceous transgression which occurred along the Cretaceous Interior Seaway in North America. The oil-sands-hosting McMurray and Wabiskaw deposits in the Athabasca area consist of the lower fluvial and the upper estuarine-offshore sediments, reflecting the broad and overall transgression. The deposits are characterized by facies heterogeneity of channelized reservoir sands and non-reservoir muds. Main reservoir bodies of the McMurray Formation are fluvial and estuarine channel-point bar complexes which are interbedded with fine-grained deposits formed in floodplain, tidal flat, and estuarine bay. The Wabiskaw deposits (basal member of the Clearwater Formation) commonly comprise sheet-shaped offshore muds and sands, but occasionally show deep-incision into the McMurray deposits, forming channelized reservoir sand bodies of oil sands. In Canada, bitumen of oil sands deposits is produced by surface mining or in-situ thermal recovery processes. Bitumen sands recovered by surface mining are changed into synthetic crude oil through extraction and upgrading processes. On the other hand, bitumen produced by in-situ thermal recovery is transported to refinery only through bitumen blending process. The in-situ thermal recovery technology is represented by Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage and Cyclic Steam Stimulation. These technologies are based on steam injection into bitumen sand reservoirs for increase in reservoir in-situ temperature and in bitumen mobility. In oil sands reservoirs, efficiency for steam propagation is controlled mainly by reservoir geology. Accordingly, understanding of geological factors and characteristics of oil sands reservoir deposits is prerequisite for well-designed development planning and effective bitumen production. As significant geological factors and characteristics in oil sands reservoir deposits, this study suggests (1) pay of bitumen sands and connectivity, (2) bitumen content and saturation, (3) geologic structure, (4) distribution of mud baffles and plugs, (5) thickness and lateral continuity of mud interbeds, (6) distribution of water-saturated sands, (7) distribution of gas-saturated sands, (8) direction of lateral accretion of point bar, (9) distribution of diagenetic layers and nodules, and (10) texture and fabric change within reservoir sand body.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.80-87
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• 2011

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) present the important advantage of being able to approach the seafloor more closely than surface vessel surveys can. To collect bathymetric data, bottom material information, and sub-surface images, multibeam echosounder, sidescan sonar (SSS) and subbottom profiler (SBP) equipment mounted on an AUV are powerful tools. The 3000m class AUV URASHIMA was developed by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). After finishing the engineering development and examination phase of a fuel-cell system used for the vehicle's power supply system, a renovated lithium-ion battery power system was installed in URASHIMA. The AUV was redeployed from its prior engineering tasks to scientific use. Various scientific instruments were loaded on the vehicle, and experimental dives for science-oriented missions conducted from 2006. During the experimental cruise of 2007, high-resolution acoustic images were obtained by SSS and SBP on the URASHIMA around the northern Kumano Basin off Japan's Kii Peninsula. The map of backscatter intensity data revealed many debris objects, and SBP images revealed the subsurface structure around the north-eastern end of our study area. These features suggest a structure related to the formation of the latest submarine fan. However, a strong reflection layer exists below ~20 ms below the seafloor in the south-western area, which we interpret as a denudation feature, now covered with younger surface sediments. We continue to improve the vehicle's performance, and expect that many fruitful results will be obtained using URASHIMA.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.168-178
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• 1994

Acid sulfate soils occur extensively in Gimhae area where they have been formed from the brackish alluvial sediments along the sea coast and river estuary. The strong acid environment enhances silicate weathering and thus affects the soil clay minerals. The minerals were identified through chemical, X-ray diffraction and thermal methods. The ratio of $SiO_2$ and $Al_2O_3$ in the clay fractions ranged from 3.14 to 3.77, indicating that the distribution of the clay minerals were 1 : 1 and 2 : 1 minerals. Cation exchange capacity in the clay fractions was low due to high contents of 1 : 1 minerals and hydroxy interlayered vermiculite(HIV). The B and C horizon rich in jarosite have large amounts of yellow streaks which reflect high content of $Fe_2O_3$ and $K_2O$. Vermiculite and illite were quantified from thermogravimetry(TG), kaolin minerals from both TG and differential thermal analysis(DTA), and HIV from X-ray diffraction analysis. The dominant clay minerals were kaolin minerals, vermiculite, illite and HIV. HIV considered to be formed, especially, in acid soil environments. The minor minerals were quarts, feldspar, jarosite, pyrite, hematite and goethite. Kaolin minerals were the most abundant clay minerals throughout the acid sulfate soil. Kaolin minerals, however, increased towards the top of horizons throughout the soils and HIV decreased towards the top of horizons in the soil of Gimhae series and Haecheog series. Alteration of HIV to kaolin minerals during weathering of low pH condition in deep soil horizons may explain the high quantities of kaolin minerals and the relatively low quantities of HIV in the soil at top horizons.