• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.549-557
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• 2003

Surface wave exploration method has many advantages over other conventional exploration methods. Only limited accumulation of the study results has been made due to the recent development of the method. In this study the characteristics of the phase dispersion curves of four sites with different geo-technical properties have been identified. A generalized inversion method was used to obtain the shear wave velocity profiles of the study areas. The shear wave velocity profiles were compared with the columnar sections of the boreholes at the sites. This study shows that the rapid changes in the shear wave velocities are consistent with the changes in the sedimentary or lithologic faces found in the borehole measurements. This implicates that the surface wave exploration method could be used to identify changes in the physical properties of sediments or rocks.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.199-207
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• 2009

From 329 earthquake data in the Korean Peninsula, we separated the intrinsic and scattering quality factor ($Q_i^{-1}$ and $Q_s^{-1}$) using the Multiple Lapse Time Window Analysis (MLTW) method. For the homogeneous velocity structure, $Q_i^{-1}$ reduces the amplitudes of both direct and coda waves; $Q_s^{-1}$ diminishes the direct wave amplitude but enlarges the coda wave amplitude. Based on this phenomenon, MLTW method analytically derives theoretical curves and obtains $Q_i^{-1}$ and $Q_s^{-1}$ by least square fit with observation curves. This study is the first approach for the seismic stable region by MLTW method, and show that $Q_i^{-1}$ and $Q_s^{-1}$ in the Korean Peninsula are very low at lower than frequencies of 5 Hz. This low value seems to be related to the inactive tectonism of the Korean Peninsula.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.399-408
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• 2012

To estimate seismic source and soil-structure interaction more reliably, site amplification characteristics should be considered. Among the various estimation methods, we used Nakamura's method (1989) to estimate site amplification. This method was originally applied to background noise; however, it has recently been successfully applied to S-wave and Coda-wave energy, and is applied to S-waves in the present study. We used more than 180 observed ground motions from 23 macro-earthquakes and then analyzed site amplification characteristics at eight seismic stations. Each station showed characteristics of site amplification properties in the low-, high- and resonance-frequency ranges. Comparison of the present results with those of other studies provide successful information regarding the dynamic amplification of domestic site characteristics and site classification.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.229-238
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• 2011

S-wave, which provides lithology and pore fluid information, plays a key role in estimating gas-hydrate saturation. In general, P- and S-wave velocities increase in the presence of gas-hydrate and the P-wave velocity decreases in the presence of free gas under the gas-hydrate layer. Whereas there are very small changes, even slightly increases, in the S-wave velocity in the free gas layer because S-wave is not affected by the pore fluid when propagating in the free gas layer. To verify those velocity properties of the BSR (bottom-simulating reflector) depth in the gas-hydrate prospect area in the Ulleung Basin, P- and S-wave velocity profiles were derived from multi-component ocean-bottom seismic data which were acquired by Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) in May 2009. OBS (ocean-bottom seismometer) hydrophone component data were modeled and inverted first through the traveltime inversion method to derive P-wave velocity and depth model of survey area. 2-D multichannel stacked data were incorporated as an initial model. Two horizontal geophone component data, then, were polarization filtered and rotated to make radial component section. Traveltimes of main S-wave events were picked and used for forward modeling incorporating Poisson's ratio. This modeling provides S-wave profiles and Poisson's ratio profiles at every OBS site. The results shows that P-wave velocities in most OBS sites decrease beneath the BSR, whereas S-wave velocities slightly increase. Consequently, Poisson's ratio decreased strongly beneath the BSR indicating the presence of a free gas layer under the BSR.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.40-51
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• 2016

The problem has been pointed out that the domestic design response spectrum does not reflect site amplification, particularly in the high frequency bands, including the fact that site specific response spectrum from the observed ground motions appears relatively higher than design response spectrum. Among various methods, this study applied H/V spectral ratio of ground motion for estimating site amplification. This method, originated from S waves and Rayleigh waves, recently has been extended to Coda waves and background noise for estimating site amplification. For limited time of periods, 4 electric substation sites had operated seismic stations at two separate locations (bedrock and borehole) within each substation site. H/V spectral ratio of S wave, Coda wave, and background noise, was applied to 36 accelerations of 3 macro earthquakes (Odaesan, Jeju and Gongju earthquakes), larger than magnitude 3.4. observed simultaneously at each bedrock location within 4 electric substation sites. Site amplifications at the bedrock location of 4 sites were compared among S wave, Coda wave energy, and background noise, and then compared to the previous results from the borehole location data. The site classification was also tried using resonancy frequency information at each site and location. The results suggested that all the electric substation sites showed similar site amplification patterns among S wave, Coda wave, and background noise. Each station showed its own characteristics of site amplification property in low, high and specific resonance frequency ranges. Comparison of this study to other results using different method can give us much more information about dynamic amplification of domestic sites characteristics and site classification.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.230-241
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• 2008

Characteristics of transfer responses for arrays like triangle, hexagon and semicircle were investigated. To characterize the site near Izmit city with ambient noise measurement, dispersion curves of surface waves were derived with using array technique like F-K, High resolution F-K, MSPAC and H/V ratio was calculated. Also, MASW was surveyed to get the high frequency part of dispersion curves. The transition from fundamental mode to first high mode of surface waves for dispersion curve was observed. Dispersion curve of fundamental mode of ambient noise and first higher mode of MASW was used in inversion to get S-wave velocity structure of subsurface. None-unique problem of results of surface wave inversion was solved with comparison of result of refraction tomography performed with first arrivals of MASW data.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.329-337
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• 2007

For seven NX sized borehole models constructed from physical property data for representative geology in Korea, dispersion curves were derived and compared between models having different physical parameters. By comparing and analyzing the dispersion curves obtained from different sources (monopole and dipole) and different borehole sizes (76 mm and 150 mm), dispersion characteristics in sonic log could be understood better, particularly in the case of slim hole sonic log.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.138-142
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• 2003

Crosswell seismic data were acquired in three sections crossing a tunnel of 3 different types; one was empty, another was ailed by sand, and the other was filled by rock debris. Both the P- and S-wave first arrivals were picked and the traveltime tomography was conducted to generate the P- and S- wave velocity tomograms on the all three sections. Among six tomograms, only one tomogram shows a low velocity zone that can be interpreted as a tunnel image. The tomogram is the P wave velocity image of a section that crosses an empty tunnel. The result of numerical analysis for the spatial resolution of the traveltime tomography was consistent to this finding.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.293-308
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• 2003

New results about the crustal structure down to a depth of 60 km beneath North Korea were obtained using the seismic tomography method. About 1013 P- and S-wave travel times from local earthquakes recorded by the Korean stations and the vicinity were used in the research. All earthquakes were relocated on the basis of an algorithm proposed in this study. Parameterization of the velocity structure is realized with a set of nodes distributed in the study volume according to the ray density. 120 nodes located at four depth levels were used to obtain the resulting P- and S-wave velocity structures. As a result, it is found that P- and S-wave velocity anomalies of the Rangnim Massif at depth of 8 km are high and low, respectively, whereas those of the Pyongnam Basin are low up to 24 km. It indicates that the Rangnim Massif contains Archean-early Lower Proterozoic Massif foldings with many faults and fractures which may be saturated with underground water and/or hot springs. On the other hand, the Pyongyang-Sariwon in the Pyongnam Basin is an intraplatform depression which was filled with sediments for the motion of the Upper Proterozoic, Silurian and Upper Paleozoic, and Lower Mesozoic origin. In particular, the high P- and S-wave velocity anomalies are observed at depth of 8, 16, and 24 km beneath Mt. Backdu, indicating that they may be the shallow conduits of the solidified magma bodies, while the low P-and S-wave velocity anomalies at depth of 38 km must be related with the magma chamber of low velocity bodies with partial melting. We also found the Moho discontinuities beneath the Origin Basin including Sari won to be about 55 km deep, whereas those of Mt. Backdu is found to be about 38 km. The high ratio of P-wave velocity/S-wave velocity at Moho suggests that there must be a partial melting body near the boundary of the crust and mantle. Consequently we may well consider Mt. Backdu as a dormant volcano which is holding the intermediate magma chamber near the Moho discontinuity. This study also brought interesting and important findings that there exist some materials with very high P- and S-wave velocity annomoalies at depth of about 40 km near Mt. Myohyang area at the edge of the Rangnim Massif shield.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2018

The Northeast China is an important site geologically and geophysically because of a huge volcano called Mt. Baekdu, which is one of the largest volcanoes in the world. Signs of eruption have been recently observed and people are keen to its behavior. We carried out relative travel time tomography to investigate the velocity structure between 100 ~ 600 km depth beneath Northeast China. We used teleseismic data during 2009 ~ 2011 recorded in NecessArray provided by IRIS (Incorporated Research Institute for Seismology). The relative observations were obtained by using the multi-channel cross-correlation method. Based on the tomographic results, we observed that the locations beneath which low-velocity zones are observed coincide with the locations of several volcanic regions in Northeast China. A low-velocity anomaly is revealed beneath Mt. Baekdu down to 600 km depth, which is thought to the main origin of the magma supply for Mt. Baekdu. Another low velocity anomaly is observed beneath east of the Datong volcano down to around 300 km depth, which is inferred to be related to an upwelling from deep mantle. We observed a low velocity anomaly beneath the Wudalianchi volcano down to around 200 km depth, which may imply that this volcano has been formed by an upwelling from the asthenosphere.