• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.9-26
• /
• 1999

The Ulleung Basin (Tsushima Basin) in the southwestern East Sea (Japan Sea) is floored by a crust whose affinity is not known whether oceanic or thinned continental. This ambiguity resulted in unconstrained mechanisms of basin evolution. The present work attempts to define the nature of the crust of the Ulleung Basin and its tectonic evolution using seismic wide-angle reflection and refraction data recorded on ocean bottom seismometers (OBSs). Although the thickness of (10 km) of the crust is greater than typical oceanic crust, tau-p analysis of OBS data and forward modeling by 2-D ray tracing suggest that it is oceanic in character: (1) the crust consists of laterally consistent upper and lower layers that are typical of oceanic layers 2 and 3 in seismic velocity and gradient distribution and (2) layer 2C, the transition between layer 2 and layer 3 in oceanic crust, is manifested by a continuous velocity increase from 5.7 to 6.3 km/s over the thickness interval of about 1 km between the upper and lower layers. Therefore it is not likely that the Ulleung Basin was formed by the crustal extension of the southwestern Japan Arc where crustal structure is typically continental. Instead, the thickness of the crust and its velocity structure suggest that the Ulleung Basin was formed by seafloor spreading in a region of hotter than normal mantle surrounding a distant mantle plume, not directly above the core of the plume. It seems that the mantle plume was located in northeast China. This suggestion is consistent with geochemical data that indicate the influence of a mantle plume on the production of volcanic rocks in and around the Ulleung Basin. Thus we propose that the opening models of the southwestern East Sea should incorporate seafloor spreading and the influence of a mantle plume rather than the extension of the crust of the Japan Arc.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.47 no.4
• /
• pp.381-393
• /
• 2014

Seismic reflection data are integrated with fieldwork data in order to understand startigraphy, structural geology and hydrocarbon potentials of Cretaceous strata in the Mesopotamian basin, Northeastern Iraq. Cretaceous strata in the basin divided into the Qamchuqa, Kometan, Bekhme and Shiranish formations, which are composed of carbonates deposited in shallow marine environment. The geological structures in these formations are mainly recognized as thrusts, detachment folds, fault propagation folds and fault bend folds. As well, NW-SE trending fractures are regularly developed, and are horizontal or perpendicular to the structures. The distribution and frequency of fractures are related to the development of the thrusts. In terms of hydrocarbon potentials, Cretaceous strata in the basin have limited capacities for source rocks and seal rocks due to the lack of organic carbon content and the well-developed fractures, respectively. Although these carbonates have limited primary porosity, however, development of the secondary porosity derived from the fractures contributes to enhance the reservoir quality. Most important factor for the reservoir quality of Cretaceous strata seems to be the frequency and connectivity of fractures relative to locations of folds and faults. The results delineated in this study will use as reference for recognizing stratigraphy and structures of Cretaceous strata and will provide useful information on hydrocarbon potentials of Cretaceous strata in the Mesopotamian basin, NE Iraq.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.53 no.5
• /
• pp.505-515
• /
• 2020

The Yellow Sea and northern East China Sea contain a transgressive sand layer. Numerous sedimentary studies have been carried out in these sand deposits using seismic exploration and core sediment techniques, but few mineralogical studies have been reported. The major purposes of this study are to describe the distributions of heavy minerals throughout the Yellow sea and northern East China Sea and to identify the provenance of coarse sediments using the mineral chemistry. Eight heavy mineral species were identified in the study area (epidote, amphibole, garnet, zircon, sphene, rutile, apatite, and monazite). The study region was divided into six areas (areas A to F) based on heavy mineral distributions and sampling locations. In mineral chemistry, the amphiboles present are classified as edenite and hornblende in the calcic amphibole group, and the garnets are identified primarily as almandine in the pyralspite group. A combined data set of heavy mineral distributions and mineral chemistry showed clear differentiation of the characteristics of the six classified areas, enabling determination of provenance and sedimentary environment. Area A and B in the eastern Yellow Sea were originated from the Korean peninsula, and these regions showed different heavy mineral characteristics by tidal current and coastal current. In addition, monazite was only found in the area B and could be used as an indicator from the southwestern Korean peninsula. Area D and E in the western Yellow Sea showed the characteristics of sediments originating from the Huanghe, and sediment in the area E was derived from the Changjiang. Area C in the northern East China Sea appeared to have Changjiang-origin sediment, and abundant apatite indicated that area C was formed close to the Last Glacial Maximum.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.185-192
• /
• 1980

The rocks exposed in the investigation area are andesite of Late Cretaceous age, and syenite and aplitic granite of Bulgugsa Series of Early Cretaceous Period, which is intruded in the older andesitic rock. The strike and dip of major joint is $N10^{\circ}$ to $60^{\circ}E$, and $70^{\circ}SE$ to vertical respectively. According to seismic exploration, lower velocity zone, deemed to be fractured and/or crushed zone, is appeared along the gully center of east flank of the area. Test drilling shows that andesite bedrock is mostly very hard, massive, and very fine to medium grained and has almost 100 percent RQD and core recovery. In comparision with andesitic bedrock, intruded syenite cores show that it is highly crush especially at the depth from 55m to 63m.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2005.05a
• /
• pp.103-107
• /
• 2005

In order to investigate the velocity structure of the southern part of the Korean peninsula, exploded seismic signals were recorded for 120 s along a 294-km WNW-ESE line and 150 s along a 335-km NNW-SSE line in 2002 and 2004, respectively. Velocity tomograms were derived from inverting first arrival times. One-dimensional velocity models derived by joint analyses of teleseismic receiver functions and surface wave dispersion at several stations near the profiles were uesd to build initial models. The raypaths indicate several midcrust interfaces including ones at approximate depths of 2.0 and 14.9 km with refraction velocities of approximately 6.0 and 7.1 km/s, respectively. The deepest significant interface varies in depth from 30.8 km to 36.1 km. The critically refracting velocity varies from 7.8 to 8.1 km/s along this interface which may correspond to the Moho discontinuity. The velocity tomograms show (1) existence of a low-velocity zone centered at 6-7 km depth under the Okchon fold belt, (2) extension of the Yeongdon fault down to greater than 10 km, and (3) existence of high-velocity materials under the Gyeongsan basin whose thickness is less than 4.2 km.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2005.05a
• /
• pp.87-92
• /
• 2005

The ground-motion (GM) attenuation relations available in Korea has required the validation process for large earthquakes since most of them were developed based on small earthquake database, The Fukuoka earthquake (M=7.0) that occurred near the Korean Peninsula provides invaluable data to indirectly evaluate the attenuation characteristics of the strong GM in Korea. The GM levels (PGA, SA) obtained from the KIK-net downhole stations near the epicenter (R<100km) are reasonably predicted by the GM attenuation relation developed by KEPRI in 2003 for the Kori NPP site, the result of which validates the use of KEPRI GM attenuation relation for predicting GM induced by future large earthquakes. Also, the comparison between the Osaki spectra and response spectra of KIK-net downhole data reveals that the amplitude levels of Osaki spectra are higher than the spectra from KIK-net stations which are believed to be installed at the seismic basement.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.67-74
• /
• 2000

Subsurface structure of the Bomun basin was studied along three survey tracks of Line-1, Line-2, and Line-3 using geomagnetic, radioactive, and seismic refraction methods. Abrupt changes found at 2.55 km west and 1.6 km east in the profile of magnetic anomaly along Line-1 are correlated with geologic boundary of the basin. Profiles of radioactive intensity also represent abrupt changes at 2.55 km west of Line-1 and at 1.9 km of Line-2. Cretaceous basement rock has relatively high magnetic anomaly of $200\;{\sim}\;500\;nT$ while sedimentary rocks of the Bomun basin have relatively low magnetic anomaly of $-100\;{\sim}\;+100\;nT$. Radioactive intensity also represents charateristic differences between Cretaceous basement and sedimentary rocks of the Bomun basin. Rocks of Cretaceous basement have lower radioactive intensity than the rocks of the Bomun basin. Magnetic anomaly of of the Bomun basin represents lowest anomaly in western part and increases gradullay toward east. This phenomenon is interpreted as a half graben structure dipping westward. Black shale known by previous studies near the western boundary has high magnetic anomalies and low radioactive intensity. This phenomenon provide a possibility of volcanic rock rather than black shale near the western boundary of the basin along Line-1. Sedimentary layers having velocities of 455 m/s, 1904 m/s, and 2662 m/s are developed to have westward dipping of $2.3^{\circ}$ in the central area of the Bomun basin. The result is consistent with a half-graben model dipping westward which were derieved from magnetic anomaly data.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
• /
• v.3 no.3
• /
• pp.141-152
• /
• 2000

In the vicinity of the Antarctic-Scotia plate boundary off Elephant Island(EI), geophysical data(multichannel seismic and gravity data) reveal rapid structural variation of the Shackleton Fracture Zone(SFZ) along its strike. The SFZ ridge terminates in front of the Antarctic Peninsula margin, whereas the transform fault of the SFZ continues farther southeast near EI and the width of the SFZ broadens toward the southeast. Accordingly, the SFZ transform fault changes its morphology along its strike as (1) a graben structure along the high Shackleton ridge in Drake Passage, (2) a half-graben structure in oceanic crust just southeast of the Antarctic-Scotia plate boundary, and (3) splay faults deforming the margin of EI. Two phases of tectonic deformation are clearly observed along the transform fault. Major extensional deformation had formed a large-scale half-graben during roughly about $10{\sim}20$ Ma when Drake Passage had opened. And then, the Shackleton fault has been reactivated with reverse sense, which has been caused by recent convergence between Antarctic and Scotia plates due to westward movement of the Scotia plate since 6 Ma.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.37-48
• /
• 2000

In order to investigate in-line ground motions caused by earthquakes, we examine the multicomponent complex trace analysis method (MCTAM) for the synthetic data and apply it to real earthquake data. An experimental result for synthetic data gives correct information on the arrival times, duration of individual phases, and approaching angles for body waves. Rayleigh waves are also easily identified with the MCTAM. A deep earthquake with magnitude of 7.3 was chosen to test various polarization attributes of ground motions. For P waves, instantaneous phase difference between the vertical and the in-line horizontal components ${\phi}(t)$, instantaneous reciprocal ellipticity ${\rho}(t)$, and approaching angle ${\tau}(t)$ are computed to be ${\pm}180^{\circ},\;0{\sim}0.25,\;and\;-30^{\circ}{\sim}-45^{\circ}$, respectively. For S waves, ${\phi}(t)$ tends to vary while ${\rho}(t)$ have values of $0{\sim}0.3\;and\;{\tau}(t)$ remains near vertical, respectively. A relatively low frequency signal registered just prior to the S wave event is interpreted as a P-wave phase based on its polarization characteristics. Velocities of P and S waves are computed to be 8.633 km/s and 4.762 km/s, and their raypath parameters 0.074 s/km and 0.197 s/km. Dynamic Poisson's ratio is obtained as 0.281 from the velocities of P and S waves.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.111-129
• /
• 2002

Generally, investigation methods of cut slope are conucted only geological surface survey to gain engineering geological data of cut slopes. These methods have many problems such as limitations of investigation for a special area. So geophysical investigations such as geotomography, seismic and electrical resistivity methods have been used to search for failure surface in potential failure slopes or failed slopes. But investigation method using the borehole camera is recently a used method and it is thought that this method is more reliable method than other investigation methods because of being able to see by the eyes. Therefore, this paper was conducted investigations of borings and BIPS(Borehole Image Processing System) to search for potential sliding surfaces and was applied to obtain information of discontinuity on failed and potential failure slope in highway. As the results of BIPS, we could decide potential sliding surface in the slope, conducted to check slope stability and decided slope stability measures.