• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2007

The MH21 Research Consortium has conducted a high-resolution 3D seismic survey and a seafloor geochemical survey, to explore methane hydrate reservoirs in the eastern Nankai Trough, offshore Japan. Excellent geological information about shallow formations was obtained from the high-resolution 3D seismic survey, which was designed to image the shallow formations where methane hydrates exist. The information is useful in constructing a geological and geochemical model, and especially to understand the complex geology of seafloor, including geochemical manifestations and the structure of migration conduits for methane gas or methane-bearing fluid. By comparing methane seep sites observed by submersibles with seismic sections, some significant relationships between methane hydrate reservoirs, free gas accumulations below the seafloor, and seafloor manifestations are recognised. Bathymetric charts and seafloor reflection amplitude maps, constructed from seismic reflections from the seafloor, are also useful in understanding the relationships over a vast area. A new geochemical seafloor survey targeted by these maps is required. The relationships between methane hydrate reservoirs and seafloor manifestations are becoming clearer from interpretation of high-resolution 3D seismic data. The MH21 Research Consortium will continue to conduct seafloor geochemical surveys based on the geological and geochemical model constructed from high-resolution 3D seismic data analysis. In this paper, we introduce a basis for exploration of methane hydrate reservoirs in Japan by fusion of 3D seismic exploration and seafloor geochemical surveys.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.289-297
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• 2011

Chirp sub-bottom profilers (SBP) data are comparatively higher-resolution data than other seismic data and it's raw signal can be used as a final section after conducting basic filtering. However, Chirp SBP signal has possibility to include various noise in high-frequency band and to provide the distorted image for the complex geological structure in time domain. This study aims at the goal to establish the workflow of Chirp SBP data processing for enhanced image and to analyze the proper parameters for the domestic continental shelf. After pre-processing, we include the dynamic S/N filtering to eliminate the high-frequency component noise, the dip scan stack to enhance the continuity of reflection events and finally the post-stack depth migration to correct the distorted structure on the time domain sections. We demonstrated our workflow on the data acquired by domestically widely used equipments and then we could obtain the improved seismic sections of depth domain. This workflow seems to provide the proper seismic section to interpretation when applied to data processing of Chirp SBP that are largely used for domestic acquisition.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.305-315
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• 2011

A total of 864 measurements for P- and S- wave velocity of acrylic and stainless steel core samples have been performed with respect to their lengths and axial load applied. S-wave velocity measurement was much harder than P-wave velocity, so that it showed higher deviation in measured S-wave velocity with respect to repeated measurement, length of the cores, and the axial load applied. Velocity measurements for acrylic cores showed more stable and less than half of the variation between the measurements than the stainless steel cores. This seems to be come from better coupling between the transducers and acrylic cores than stainless cores, and from larger value of the first arrival time in a similar system noise environments. From the analysis of the 864 measurements, it is recommended that the length of the core be 60 ~ 90 mm, axial load between 20 kg (27.7 $N/cm^2$) and 30 kg (41.6 $N/cm^2$) for measurement of wave velocity of the acrylic and stainless steel cores. Especially for measuring S-wave velocity of stainless steel core, core length should be less than 50 mm, otherwise it will be affected by mode conversion or others. These results can be used in measurement and correction for system delay in wave velocity measurement for rock cores.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.127-132
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• 2011

We acquired and interpreted more than 650 km of high-resolution seismic reflection profiles in the Hupo Basin, offshore east coast of Korea at $37^{\circ}N$ in the East Sea (Japan Sea) to image shallow and basement deformation. The seismic profiles reveal that the main depocenter of the Hupo Basin in the study area is bounded by the large offset Hupo Fault on the east and an antithetic fault on the west; however, the antithetic fault is much smaller both in horizontal extension and in vertical displacement than the Hupo Fault. Sediment infill in the Hupo Basin consists of syn-rift (late Oligocene. early Miocene) and post-rift (middle Miocene.Holocene) units. The Hupo Fault and other faults newly defined in the Hupo Basin strike dominantly north and show a sense of normal displacement. Considering that the East Sea has been subjected to compression since the middle Miocene, we interpret that these normal faults were created during continental rifting in late Oligocene to early Miocene times. We suggest that the current ENE direction of maximum principal compressive stress observed in and around the Korean peninsula associated with the motion of the Amurian Plate induces the faults in the Hupo Basin to have reverse and right-lateral, strike-slip motion, when reactivated. A recent earthquake positioned on the Hupo Fault indicates that in the study area and possibly further in the eastern Korean margin, earthquakes would occur on the faults created during continental rifting in the Tertiary.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.164-175
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• 2011

Using natural electromagnetic (EM) fields at low frequencies, magnetotelluric (MT) surveys can investigate conductivity structures of the deep subsurface and thus are used to explore geothermal energy resources and investigate proper sites for not only geological $CO_2$ sequestration but also enhanced geothermal system (EGS). Moreover, marine MT data can be used for better interpretation of marine controlled-source EM data. In the interpretation of MT data, MT modeling schemes are important. This study improves a three dimensional (3D) MT modeling algorithm which uses edge finite elements. The algorithm computes magnetic fields by solving an integral form of Faraday's law of induction based on a finite difference (FD) strategy. However, the FD strategy limits the algorithm in computing vertical magnetic fields for a topographic model. The improved algorithm solves the differential form of Faraday's law of induction by making derivatives of electric fields, which are represented as a sum of basis functions multiplied by corresponding weightings. In numerical tests, vertical magnetic fields for topographic models using the improved algorithm overcome the limitation of the old algorithm. This study recomputes induction vectors and tippers for a 3D hill and valley model which were used for computation of the responses using the old algorithm.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.298-304
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• 2011

We conducted magnetic survey using IBRV (Ice Breaker Research Vessel) ARAON of KORDI (Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute), ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) of Oceaneering Co. and three components vector magnetometer, at Apr., 2011 in the western slope of the caldera of TA25 seamount, the Lau Basin, the southwestern Pacific. The depth ranges of the survey area are from about 900 m to 1200 m, below sea level. For the deep sea magnetic survey, we made the nation's first small deep sea three components magnetometer of Korea. The magnetometer sensor and the data logger was attached with the upper part and lower part of ROV, respectively. ROV followed the planning tracks at 25 ~ 30 m above seafloor using the altimeter and USBL (Ultra Short Base Line) of ROV. The three components magnetometer measured the X (North), Y (East) and Z (Vertical) vector components of the magnetic field of the survey area. A motion sensor provided us the data of pitch, roll, yaw of ROV for the motion correction of the magnetic data. The data of the magnetometer sensor and the motion sensor were recorded on a notebook through the optical cable of ROV and the network of ARON. The precision positions of magnetic data were merged by the post-processing of USBL data of ROV. The obtained three components magnetic data are entirely utilized by finding possible hydrothermal vents of the survey area.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.316-323
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• 2011

To test the applicability of resistivity survey methods for the archaeological prospection of a large-scale tumulus, a three-dimensional resistivity survey was conducted at the $3^{rd}$ tumulus at Bokam-ri, in Naju city, South Korea. Since accurate topographic relief of the tumulus and electrode locations are required to obtain a high resolution image of the subsurface, electrodes were installed after making grids by threads, which is commonly used in the archaeological investigation. In the data acquisition, data were measured using a 2 m electrode spacing with the line spacing of 1 m and each survey line was shifted 1 m to form an effective grid of 1 m ${\times}$ 1 m. Though the 3-D inversion of data, we could obtain the 3-D image of the tumulus, where we could identify the brilliant signature of buried tombs made of stones. The results were compared with the previous excavation results and we could convince that a 3-D resistivity imaging method is very useful to investigate a large-scale tumulus.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.324-334
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• 2011

Seismic wave velocity change has been monitored due to the accumulation of micro-cracks by uniaxial loads on the rock samples from Seokmo Island with stepwise increase in 5 stages. After the load was applied up to 95% of UCS, P- and S-wave velocities varied in ranges of 0.9 ~ 18.3% and 2.8 ~ 14.8% of fresh rock sample velocities, respectively. Unlike seismic velocity of the dry rock samples that showed overall decreases after the loading, velocity changes of saturated rock samples were much more complicated. These seemed to be due to the mixture of two contradictory mechanisms; i.e. accumulation of micro-crack causes an increase in porosity and a decrease in wave velocity, while saturation causes an increase in wave velocity. Most of tested rocks showed a trend of velocity increase with low axial load and then velocity decrease at later stages. Starting stage of velocity decrease differs from samples to samples. After the failure of rock occurred, noticeable increases of porosity and decreases of wave velocity have been observed. It showed overall trend that the more the quartz contents and the lower the silicate, the higher the Young's modulus.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.274-281
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• 2011

We analysed ground motions form Mw 4.3 earthquake around Backryoung Island for the seismic source focal mechanism and horizontal response spectrum. Focal mechanism of the Backryoung Islands area was compared to existing principal stress orientation of the Korean Peninsula and horizontal response spectrum was also compared to those of the US NRC Regulatory Guide (1.60) and the Korean National Building Code. The ground motions of 3 stations, including vertical, radial, and tangential components for each station, were used for grid search method of moment tensor seismic source. The principal stress orientation from this study, ENE-WSW, is consistent fairly well with that of the Korean Peninsula. The horizontal response spectrum using 30 observed ground motions analysed and then were compared to both the seismic design response spectra (Reg Guide 1.60), applied to the domestic nuclear power plants, and the Korean Standard Design Response Spectrum for general structures and buildings (1997). Response spectrum of 30 horizontal ground motions were used for normalization with respect to the peak acceleration value of each ground motion. The results showed that the horizontal response spectrum revealed higher values for frequency bands above 3 Hz than Reg. Guide (1.60). The results were also compared to the Korean Standard Response Spectrum for the 3 different soil types and showed that the vertical response spectra revealed higher values for the frequency bands below 0.8 second than the Korean Standard Response Spectrum (SD soil condition). However, through the qualitative improvements and quantitative enhancement of the observed ground motions, the conservation of horizontal seismic design response spectrum should be considered more significantly for the higher frequency bands.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.34-44
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• 2014

Because offshore plant industry needs to design, deploy and operate much of equipment especially, the latest trend shows the installation of production facilities is augmented in the subsea. The installed facilities are very difficult to be repaired or changed because they are located in the subsea. For solving these problems, both the directly related information of the production like the optimal number, position and depth of wells and the distribution for effective operation and safety of equipment of subsea should be considered at the preliminary stage of FEED (Front End Engineering Design). The marine exploration is introduced in this paper for providing the fundamental technology to answer the questions related to above considering points. First, some kinds of the offshore plant facilities are enumerated and aims of marine exploration for the offshore oil/gas development are summarized. In addition to it, the main roles of marine survey, in the step of designing and installing offshore oil-gas plant, development are briefly listed. And then foreign examples are shown to help the reader's understand. This paper is hoped to be helpful for understanding the marine exploration that can be applied to offshore oil/gas plant and to be contributed to developing the domestic techniques in this field for the future.