• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.145-156
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• 2012

Seafloor hydrothermal system occurs along the volcanic mid-ocean ridge, back-arc spreading center, and other submarine volcanic regions. The hydrothermal system is one of the fundamental processes controlling the transfer of energy and matter between crust/mantle and ocean; it forms hydrothermal vents where various deepsea biological communities are inhabited and precipitates metal sulfide deposits. Hydrothermal systems at convergence plate boundaries show diverse geochemical properties due to recycle of subducted material compared to simple systems at mid-ocean ridges. Sulfur isotopes can be used to evaluate such diversity in generation and evolution of hydrothermal system. In this paper, we review the sulfur isotope composition and geochemistry of hydrothermal precipitates sampled from several hydrothermal vents in the divergent plate boundaries in the western Pacific region. Both sulfide and sulfate minerals of the hydrothermal vents in the arc and backarc tectonic settings commonly show low sulfur isotope compositions, which can be attributed to input of magmatic $SO_2$ gas. Diversity in geochemistry of hydrothermal system suggests an active role of magma in the formation of seafloor hydrothermal system.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.59-70
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• 1998

Two-dimensional trend-vector model of sediment transport is first tested in the tidal flat of Garolim Bay, mid-western coast of the Korean Peninsula. Three major parameters of surface sediment, i.e., mean grain size, sorting and skewness, are used for defining the best-fitting transport trend-vector on the sand ridge and muddy sand flat. These trend vectors are compared with the real transport directions determined from morphology, field observation and bedforms. The 15 possible cases of trend vectors are calculated from total sediments. In order to find the role of coarse sediments, trend vectors from sediments coarser than < 4.5 ${\phi}$, (sand size) are separately calculated from those of total sediments. As compared with the real directions, the best-fitting transport-vector model is the "case M" of coarse sediments which is the combined trend vectors of two cases: (1) finer, better sorted and more negatively skewed and (2) coarser, better sorted and more positively skewed. This indicates sand-size grains are formed by simpler hydrodynamic processes than total sediments. Transported sediment grains are better sorted than the source sediment grains. This indicates that consistent hydrodynamic energy can make sediment grains better sorted, regardless of complicated mechanisms of sediment transport. Consequently, both transported vector model and real transported direction show that the source of sediments are located outside of bay (offshore Yellow Sea) and in the baymouth. These source sediments are transported through the East Main Tidal Channel adjacent the baymouth. Some are transported from the subtidal zone to the upper tidal flat, but others are transported farther to the south, reaching the south tidal channel in the study area. Also, coarse sediment grains on the sand ridge are originally from the baymouth, and transported through the subtidal zone to the south tidal channel. These coarse sediments are moved to the northeast, but could not pass the small north tidal channel. It is interpreted that the great amount of coarse sediments is returned back to the outside of the bay (Yellow Sea) again through the baymouth during the ebb tide. The distribution of muddy sand in the northeastern part of study area may result from the mixing of two sediment transport mechanisms, i.e., suspension and bedload processes. The landward movement of sand ridge and the formation of the north tidal channel are formed either by the supply of coarse sediments originating from the baymouth and outside of the bay (subaqueous sand ridges including Jang-An-Tae) or by the recent relative sea-level rise.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.281-291
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• 1996

Samples of Badwater greenstones from the Crystal Falls terrane in northeastern Wisconsin have been analyzed for major, trace and rare earth elements. Geochemical characteristics of the rocks provide clues to the petrologic character and paleotectonic environment of basaltic magma generation. They have chemical composition typical of continental tholeiites. The low Mg values and abundances of Ni and Cr indicate that the lavas were extensively fractionated prior to extrusion. The variations of incompatible elements suggest that the rocks were affected by interaction with crustal rocks. The samples least affected by contamination have trace element compositions similar to those of T-type mid-ocean ridge basalts. The parent was modified by crustal contamination process and this process shifted the rock compositions to that of continental tholeiites as the rock evolved. Interpretations of the chemical characteristics of the rocks, based on modem analogs, favor their emplacement in an extensional tectonic regime.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.57-69
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to identify distributional characteristics of autumn droughts in occurrence frequency and to analyze synoptic characteristics on the surface pressure fields and 500hPa levels for autumn droughts in Korea. The regional distributions of autumn droughts in occurrence frequency vary according to the monthly regional distributions of the precipitation variabilities in Korea. In september, the southwestern and the mid western parts of Korean Peninsula have high rate of drought frequency, while the eastern coast regions have low rate of it. It means that the regional distribution of the drought frequency in september indicates west-high and east-low pattern. In October, the regional distribution of the drought frequency shows low variations on regions, but in November the inland areas have low rate of drought frequency, whereas the coastal areas have high rate of it. Negative anomalies appear on the surface and 500hPa level, around Korean Peninsula during the drought period of early autumn. Positive height anomalies areas are extended from the Sea of Okhotsk to the central part of the North Pacific Ocean. It indicates that the occurrence frequencies of blocking high and ridge are high around the Sea of Okhotsk. When the pressure system, such as migratory anticyclone, stays around the Korean Peninsula, a drought occurs. In late autumn drought, the positive anomalies appear in the west and the negative anomalies in the east are generated, respectively and therefore, zonal wind is strong around Korean Peninsula. In consequence, occurrences of droughts in early autumn have a different mechanism from those of late autumn.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.19-36
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• 1983

The study revealed that the sequence of volcanism in Ulrung island can be classified into 5 stages, and the volcanic history is summerized as follow: 1st stage: Eruption of basaltic agglomerates, tuffs and lavas, 2nd stage: Eruption of trachytic and trachyandesitic agglomerates and tuffs, 3rd stage: Eruption of trachyte lavas and their lapilli tuffs, 4th stage: Eruption of trachyte lavas and nepheline phonolites, 5th stage: Eruption of pumice, trachytic ash and lapilli, and plutonic ejecta (fragments of alkali gabbro, monzonite and alkali feldspar syenite) and a subsequent caldera formation. Finally, a small scale eruption of leucite bearing trachyandesite lava in the caldera. Several evidences show that there have been long erosional intervals between the 1st and 2nd stages and between the 4th and 5th stages. A K-Ar age for trachybasalt lava of the 1st stage was determined to be 1.8 Ma, and a $C^{14}$ age, 9300Y. (Machida, 1981) is available for these volcanic events. Therefore, it is considered that volcanic activity of the island above sea level began at least in early Pleistocene, and continued to until 9300 years ago exploding large amount of pumice, prior to pouring out of leucite bearing trachyandesite from the inner caldera. Using solidification index (SI) of Kuno, microscopic texture and mineral composition as criteria of the classification, the volcanic rocks are classified into alkali basalt, trachybasalt, trachyandesite, trachyte and phonolite. These are mostly prophyritic in texture. Main constituent minerals of alkali basalt and trachybasalt are plagioclase, olivine, Ti-augite and magnetite. Principal minerals of trachyandesite are plagioclase, anorthoclase, clinopyroxenes, kaersutite, biotite and magnetite. Trachyte and phonolite consist mainly of anorthoclase, clinopyroxene and magnetite, showing typical trachytic texture in groundmass. In solidification index, alkali basalt ranges from 39 to 27, trachybasalt 17 to 14, trachyandesite 12 to 9 and trachyte 8.15 to 0.72. A trend of compositional variation showing a typical alkali volcanic rock series is revealed on $SiO_2$-oxides and SI-oxides diagrams. In $SiO_2$-total alkali diagram, alkali lime index and An-Ab'-Or diagram, the samples fall into the fields of potassic series of the alkali volcanic rock series, whereas in A-F-M diagram show a trend toward the alkali enrichment with a curve approaching toward the iron apex. In particular, trachybasalt lavas in this island have higher total iron contents which is comparable to alkali rocks in other areas, e. g. as Gough and Tristan volcanic islands located near the Mid-Oceanic ridge in South Atlantic Ocean.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.144-153
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• 2008

Sr, Nd, Pb isotopic compositions of the Cenozoic basaltic rocks distributed in Pyeongtaek-Asan area display significantly enriched values compared with mid-ocean ridge basalts just like other Cenozoic basalts of Korea. The isotopic compositions of most of the Cenozoic basaltic rocks of Korea including those from Pyeongtaek-Asan area can be explained as mixing between enriched mantle component with relatively low $^{206}Pb/^{204}Pb$ ratios and depleted mantle component. In contrast, Jejudo basalts can be explained as mixing between enriched mantle component with realtively higher $^{206}Pb/^{204}Pb$ ratios and depleted mantle componsnt. Combined with that very similar division of enriched mantle components is applied to the Cenozoic basalts of northeast China and southeast China, it is suggested that subcontinental lithospheric mantle of central and southern parts of Korea represents eastern extension of North China Block and South China Block respectively. The indentation model for the late Paleozoic to early Mesozoic continental collision of China contradicts to such an interpretation, because it cannot explain occurrence of subcontinental lithospheric mantle component of South China Block-affinity under the Jejudo area. Instead, it is more probable that suture zone of the two continental blocks crosses between central and southern Korea and its location is further south from the Pyeongtaek-Asan area. Such distinct location compared with Imjingal belt, supposedly collisional boundary suggested before, suggests that mantle boundary may not be coincide with crustal boundary for the continental collision.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.643-654
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• 2023

The West Philippine Basin, an oceanic basin half the size of the Philippine Sea Plate, lies in the western part of the plate and south of the Korean Peninsula on the Eurasian Plate. It subducts beneath the Eurasian Plate and the Philippine Islands bordering the Ryukyu Trench and the Philippine Trench with 25-50% of this basin already consumed. However, the history of the opening of the basin's southern region has been a topic of debate. The non-transform discontinuity formed during the seafloor spreading is similar to the transform fault boundaries normally perpendicular to mid-ocean ridge axes; however, it was created irregularly due to ridge propagations caused by variations of mantle convection attributable to magma supply changes. By analyzing high-resolution multi-beam echo-sounding data, we confirmed that the non-transform discontinuity due to the propagating rift evolved in the entire basin and that the abyssal hill strike direction changed from E-W to NNW-SSE from the fossil spreading center. In the early stage of basin extension, the Amami-Sankaku Basin was rotated 90 degrees clockwise from its current orientation, and it bordered the Palau Basin along the Mindanao Fracture Zone. The Amami-Sankaku Basin separated from the Palau Basin while the spreading of the West Philippine Basin began with a counter-clockwise rotation. This indicates that the non-transform discontinuities formed by a sudden change in magma supply due to the drift of the Philippine Sea Plate and simultaneously with the rapid changes in the spreading direction from ENE-WSW to N-S. The Palau Basin was considered to be the sub-south of the West Philippine Basin, but recent studies have shown that it extends into an independent system. Evidence from sediment layers and crustal thickness hints at the possibility of its existence before the West Philippine Basin opened, although its evolution continues to be debated. We performed a combined analysis using high-resolution multi-beam bathymetry and satellite gravity data to uncover new insights into the evolution of the West Philippine Basin. This information illuminates the complex plate interactions and provides a crucial contribution toward understanding the opening history of the basin and the Philippine Sea Plate.