• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.41-49
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• 2006

This paper demonstrates the feasibility of using shallow S-wave, high-resolution seismic reflection surveys to characterize geological structure and stratigraphy of basement rocks for civil engineering purposes. S-wave seismic reflections from depths less than 20 m were recorded along the top of steep readout slopes. Seismic reflection data were recorded using a standard CDP acquisition method with a 24-channel seismograph and a sledge-hammer SH-wave source. The data were acquired using a split-spread source-receiver geometry with a 2 m shot-and-receiver interval, and then were processed to enhance S/N ratio of the data, to improve resolvable power of the seismic section, and to get velocity information of the basement rock. The final seismic reflection profiles using the CDP technique has imaged surfaces as shallow as less than 1m and resolved beds as thin as 1m. The migrated reflection sections possess sufficient quality to correlate the prominent reflection events to the bedding planes and faults identified on the readout outcrops. Similar S-wave reflection surveys could also be used to produce the necessary details of a geological structure of shallow bedrocks to pinpoint optimum locations for monitor wells of civil engineering purposes.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.239-246
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• 2000

The 3.5kHz sub-bottom profiling was carried out over both Gwangyang Bay and the Yeo Sound . High -resolution digital images of uppermost sediment layers are obtained from the field data which were originally recorded in analog mode. Most prominent feature along the acoustic profiles is the chaotic reflections which imply the presence of shallow gas within the silty sediments. In the western part of Gwangyang Bay, the gas-charged sediments are assoicated with the acoustic turbidity of the blanket type. Across the Seomjin Delta in the eastern part of Gwangyang Bay, the gas-charged seismic facies are observed just beneath the sea bottom. In the western Yeoul Sound , the gassy seiments occur widely , whereas it is rare in the eastern counterpart with the <30-m-deep channel. We postulate that this gas was biogenetically produced within the organic-rich deposits.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.425-434
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• 2000

The 3.5 KHz seismic survey was carried out for studying the distribution pattern of the unconsolidated sediments of the Yeosu Sound on the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula. Field data originally recorded in analog are converted and processed digitally to recover the high-resolution acoustic profiles. Across the north-south trending channel with the depth of 20~30 m, different seismic facies types are observed in the top section of sediments. The western part is characterized by the continuous high-amplitude subparallel reflectors within which the acoustic turbidity as a token of the presence of gas is commonly observed, whereas the counterpart largely shows poor reflectors and has shallow acoustic basement toward the north. The dissimilarity of the seismic expression across the channel can be interpreted as the result of the change of depositional environment caused by relative sea-level fluctuations of the late-Quaternary. During the last glacial period, the Yeosu Sound was exposed and eroded by the paleo-Seomjin River. By the following rapid rise of sea level, it was covered by the transgressive sand sheet. When the sea level reached near the present position, the muddy sediment has accumulated only in the western part of the Yeosu Sound as its depositional front has moved toward the north. It is partly caused by the asymmetrical tidal current in the Yeosu Sound where the flood near the bottom has stronger current flow and contains more suspended sediments.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.65-74
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• 1999

From refraction data along four seismic profiles near Eonyang which the Yangsan fault passes through, the Slope Variation Indicators (SVI) are computed and interpreted in terms of fault distribution. The average velocities of 2,250-2,870 m/s are estimated using velocity-analysis functions for the target boundary along those profiles. The average velocity for Line 1 is approximately 600 m/s lower than ones for the other lines. The SVI's with amplitude greater than or equal to 0.5 ms/m are turned out to be located near faults shown on the high-resolution reflection section, as closely as one station spacing (3 m). Large amplitude SVI's are densely distributed near National Road 35, and the fault having the largest vertical slip is indicated to be located approximately 930 m west of the inferred fault on the published geologic map.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.67-84
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• 2002

A shallow high-resolution seismic reflection survey was carried out at the Mineopo tidal flat on the western coast of Korea. The purpose of the survey was to investigate shallow sedimentary structure of the tidal (fat associated with the recent sea level change. A total of 795 shots were generated at 1 m interval from a 5-kg hammer source and recorded on 48 channels of 100 Hz geophones along two mutually perpendicular profiles. The water-saturated ground condition resulted in suppressed ground rolls by significantly decreasing rigidity. In addition, seismic velocities over 1500 m/s provided easy segregation of reflected arrivals from lower velocity noise. As a consequence, seismic sections were created that are high in resolution and signal to noise ratio as well. The stack sections show that the tidal flat consists of 5 sedimentary sequences above acoustic basement. Although deposition is largely characterized by the transgressive sedimentary facies resulting from sea level rise, erosional surfaces are well-resolved within the sequences.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.197-203
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• 2008

A shallow high-resolution seismic reflection survey was carried out at the Mineopo tidal flat on the western coast of Korea. The purpose of the survey was to investigate shallow sedimentary structure of the tidal flat associated with the recent sea level change. A total of 795 shots were generated at 1 m interval from a 5-kg hammer source and recorded on 48 channels of 100 Hz geophones along two mutually perpendicular profiles. The water-saturated ground condition resulted in suppressed ground rolls by significantly decreasing rigidity. In addition, seismic velocities over 1500 m/s provided easy segregation of reflected arrivals from lower velocity noise. As a consequence, seismic sections from the study area show significantly higher resolution and signal to noise ratio than conventional land seismic sections. The tidal flat consists of 5 sedimentary sequences above acoustic basement. The seismic sections reveal the continuous structure of the tidal flat formed in association with sea level rise during the Holocene.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.313-322
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• 1993

The Western south Sea of Korea can be divided into 4 acoustic facies (AF I-AF IV) according to the variations of acoustic characters. Typical acoustic characters revealed in high-resolution seismic profiles (3.5kHz) are prolonged, internal reflected, non-penetrated, and transparent types. These acoustic types probably controlled by bottom condition and sediment properties such as composition and compaction of sediments. Acoustic facies I is characterized by prolonged type which is produced by absorbing of acoustic signals on the coarse sediments including gravels and shell fragments and irregular bedforms. Acoustic facies II is characterized by internal reflected type which is probably produced by differential sediments compaction. Acoustic facies III is characterized by non-penetrated type caused by scattering of acoustic signals on the well sorted fine ad very fine sand sediments. Acoustic facies IV is characterized by transparent type with non-internal reflector in limited thickness. Acoustic types in high-resolution profiles provide important information not only about the stratigraphy of sub bottom but also abut the sedimentary processes in shallow sea.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.207-215
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• 2004

As the sea connecting with the East Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk is the most potential area of gas hydrates in the world. In other to examine geophysical structures of gas hydrate-bearing sediments in the Sea of Okhotsk, the CHAOS (hydro-Carbon Hydrate Accumulation in the Okhotsk) international research expedition was carried out in August 2003. In the expedition, high-resolution seismic and geochemical survey was also conducted. Sparker seismic profiles show only diffusive high-amplitude reflections without BSRs at BSR depth. It means that BSR appears to be completely different images on seismic profiles obtained using different frequencies. Many gas chimneys rise up from BSR depth to seafloor. The chimneys can be divided into two groups with different seismic characteristics; wipe-out (WO) and enhanced reflection (ER) chimneys. Different seismic responses in the chimneys would be caused by amount of gas and gas hydrates filling in the chimneys. In hydroacoustic data, a lot of gas flares rise up several hundreds meters from seafloor to the water column. All flares took placed at the depths within gas hydrate stability zone. It is interpreted that gas hydrate-bearing sediments with low porosity and permeability due to gas hydrate filling in the pore space make good pipe around gas chimneys in which gas is migrating up without loss of amount. Therefore, large-scale gas flare at the site on gas chimney releases into the water column.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.159-169
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• 2004

Sedimentation and depositional pattern of the fine-grained sediments in the southeastern inner shelf of Korea were studied using a very high-resolution seismic profiles and sediment data. The recent mud deposits up to 45 m thick are distributed in the inner shelf forming a nearshore belt from the eastern part of Geoje Island to off the Pohang along the coast. The sediment in this area consists of homogeneous mud with mean grain size between $8.6\;to\;5.3\phi$ and does not show any distinct variability It gradually becomes finer and well sorted northeastward along the coast. Sediments normally appear as structureless massive mud but X-radiographs show that some bioturbation and faint lamination are present. The sediments accumulate at a rate of 0.18-0.44 cm/yr and the rate coincides well with the long-term (a 1000-year scale) accumulation based on very high-resolution seismic data. Distribution of wet bulk density and velocity shows a gradual increase from the southeastern part of Ulsan to off Pohang, whereas porosity shows a reverse pattern. Correlations between velocity and porosity/mean grain size are different from other regions compared, due to the difference of sediment texture and sedimentary environment. The recent shelf deposits are seismically characterized by three distinct facies: 1) well-stratified (near the river mouth), 2) semi-transparent (eastern part of Geoje Island), and 3) transparent (off Ulsan). The results suggest that fine-grained sediment derived from rivers, forming a nearshore mud belt, have been transported northeastward by the northeastward-flowing coastal current.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.411-418
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• 2007

We studied the bottom morphology and sedimentary environments of the Masan Bay using high-resolution Chirp seismic profiles and sediments data. According to deep-drilled core samples (up to 20 m thick) penetrated into the weathered rock basement, the sediments consist largely of three sediment types: the lower sandy gravel facies (Unit I) of 1-4 m in thickness, the middle sandy mud and/or muddy sand facies(Unit II) of 1-2 m thick and the upper mudfacies (Unit III) of over 10 m in thickness. The sedimentary column above the acoustic basement can be divided into two major sequences by a relatively strong mid-reflector, which show the lower sedimentary sequenc e(T) with parallel to subparallel internal reflectors and the upper sedimentary sequence(H) with free acoustic patterns. Acoustic basement, the lower sedimentary sequence (T), and the upper sequence (H) are well correlated with poorly sorted massive sandy gravels (Unit I), the sand/mud-mixed sediment (Unit II), and the muddy facies(Unit III), respectively. The acoustic facies and sediment data suggest that the Masan bay is one of the most typical semi-enclosed coastal embayments developed during the Holocene sea-level changes. The area of the Masan Bay reduced from about $19\;km^2$ in 1964 to about $13\;km^2$ in 2005 by reclamation, and its bottom morphology changed as a result of dredging of about $2{\times}10^7\;m^3$.