• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.57-66
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• 2000

The location and geometry of the Ulsan Fault play important roles in interpreting tectonic evolution of the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula. Dipole-dipole electrical resistivity surveys and seismic refraction surveys were carried out in the Yaksoo area, Ulsan in order to measure the thickness of the alluvium covering the Ulsan Fault and to find associated fracture zones and possibly the location of its major fault plane. The collected data were analyzed and interpreted. Some results reported previously by others were also used in this interpretation. No low resistivity anomalies were found in the cross-sectional resistivity image of the survey line located in the east of the Dong River. In contrast, well-developed continuous low resistivity anomalies were detected in the west of the Dong River. This strongly suggests that the major fault plane of the Ulsan Fault is located under or in the west part of the Dong River. Two refraction boundaries corresponding to the underground water level and the bottom of the alluvium were found by refraction surveys carried out on the limited part of the east survey line. The thickness of the alluvium was found to be about 30 m. Small faults in the basement rock identified by reflection surveys were not detected by both resistivity and refraction seismic surveys. This might be explained by assuming that low resistivity anomaly is more closely related to the clay contents than the water contents. On the other hand, it may be resulted by the limited resolution of the resistivity and refraction surveys. Detailed study is required to clarify the reason. Resistivity survey is frequently considered to be a good exploration method to detect subsurface faults. However, it appears to be less useful than reflection seismic survey in this work. In dipole-dipole resistivity survey, the number of separation should be increased to survey deeper subsurface with the same resolution. However, signal to noise ratio decreases as the number of separation increases. In this survey area, the signal to noise ratio of up to sixteen separations was good enough based on the statistical properties of measurements.

• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.7 no.1_2 s.8
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• pp.7-12
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• 1999

A new high-resolution rnagnetotelluric (MT) survey was conducted for pull-apart basin analysis (Cretaceous Eumsung Basin), combined with surface sedimentological results. Two cross-basinal MT profiles represent an asymmetric form with a subbasin in the southeastern part. These basinal architectures are well compatible with paleoflow directions and facies transitions of surface sedimentology. The results also suggest that the basin fills reflect pull-apart opening with rapid subsidence of the central blocks. Combined with the surface sedimentological data on asymmetric lithofacies distribution, facies transitions, and paleoflow directions of the alluvio-lacustrine systems, the MT data help explain basin-fill processes during the basin formation. For petroleum exploration and basin analysis, the high-frequency MT technique can be a useful substitute for the costly burden of a seismic-reflection survey on land.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.40-52
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• 2003

Despite the various opening models of the southwestern part of the East Sea (Japan Sea) between the Korean Peninsula and the Japan Arc, the continental margin of the Korean Peninsula remains unknown in crustal structure. As a result, continental rifting and subsequent seafloor spreading processes to explain the opening of the East Sea have not been adequately addressed. We investigated crustal and sedimentary velocity structures across the Korean margin into the adjacent Ulleung Basin from multichannel seismic reflection and ocean bottom seismometer data. The Ulleung Basin shows crustal velocity structure typical of oceanic although its crustal thickness of about 10 km is greater than normal. The continental margin documents rapid transition from continental to oceanic crust, exhibiting a remarkable decrease in crustal thickness accompanied by shallowing of Moho over a distance of about 50 km. The crustal model of the margin is characterized by a high-velocity (up to 7.4 km/s) lower crustal (HVLC) layer that is thicker than 10 km under the slope base and pinches out seawards. The HVLC layer is interpreted as magmatic underplating emplaced during continental rifting In response to high upper mantle temperature. The acoustic basement of the slope base shows an igneous stratigraphy developed by massive volcanic eruption. These features suggest that the evolution of the Korean margin can be explained by the processes occurring at volcanic rifted margins. Global earthquake tomography supports our interpretation by defining the abnormally hot upper mantle across the Korean margin and in the Ulleung Basin.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.39-53
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• 2015

Analysis of multi-channel seismic reflection profiles acquired from the southwestern margin of Ulleung Basin reveals that the cut and fill structures, which show U-shaped or V-shaped morphology, occur on variable size. The cut and fill structure mostly consists of fine-grained sediments on the well data and is characterized by transparent or semitransparent seismic facies on the seismic section. Such cut and fill structures dominantly occur in the syn-compressional megasequence (MSQ3), which was deposited during basin deformation of late Miocene, among the four megasequences of the study area. These cut and fill structures can be divided into three groups based on their size and formation time. The cut and fill structures of Group I were formed when Dolgorae structure was active, and occurred on a small scale. The cut and fill structures of group II were formed when both Dolgorae structure and Gorae V structure were active, and the number and size of those increased compared with group I. The cut and fill structures of group III were formed when Dolgorae structure was weaken gradually but Gorae V structure kept active, and the number and size of those decreased in comparison with group II. Consequently the cut and fill structures in the southwestern margin of Ulleung basin are interpreted as submarine canyon based on spatial distribution, size and fill sediment. They were controlled by the tectonic movement in response to basin closure and tectonic-induced sediment supply variation.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.203-213
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• 2022

To understand an underlying geological structure via seismic imaging, the velocity information of the subsurface medium is crucial. Although the full-waveform inversion (FWI) method is considered useful for estimating subsurface velocity models, 3D FWI needs a lot-of computing power and time. Herein, we compare the calculation efficiency and accuracy of frequency-domain 2D and 3D acoustic FWIs. Thereafter, we demonstrate that the artifacts from 2D approximation can be partially suppressed via frequency-domain 2D FWI by employing diffraction angle filtering (DAF). By applying DAF, which employs only big reflection angle components, the impact of noise and out-of-plane reflections can be reduced. Additionally, it is anticipated that the DAF can create long-wavelength velocity structures for 3D FWI and migration.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2016

Two representative residual static methods of traveltime decomposition and stack-power maximization are discussed in terms of application to land seismic data. For the model data with synthetic shot/receiver statics (time shift) applied and random noises added, continuities of reflection event are much improved by stack-power maximization method, resulting the derived time-shifts approximately equal to the synthetic statics. Optimal parameters (maximum allowable shift, correlation window, iteration number) for residual statics are effectively chosen with diagnostic displays of CSP (common shot point) stack and CRP (common receiver point) stack as well as CMP gather. In addition to removal of long-wavelength time shift by refraction statics, prior to residual statics, processing steps of f-k filter, predictive deconvolution and time variant spectral whitening are employed to attenuate noises and thereby to minimize the error during the correlation process. The reflectors including horizontal layer of reservoir are more clearly shown in the variable-density section through repicking the velocities after residual statics and inverse NMO correction.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.232-240
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• 2017

Normal moveout correction is one of the main procedures of seismic reflection data processing and a crucial pre-processing step for AVO analysis. Unfortunately, stretch phenomenon, which is the intrinsic problem of NMO correction, degrades the quality of stack section and reliability of AVO analysis. Although muting is applied to resolve this problem, it makes far-offset traces more useful to develop an advanced NMO correction technique without stretch. In this paper, easy and detailed explanations are provided on the definition and methodology of NMO correction, and then the cause of stretch is explained with its characteristics. A graphical explanation for NMO correction is given for the intuitive understanding of stretch phenomenon. Additionally, the theoretical formulation is derived to quantitatively understand the NMO correction. Through explaining the muting process to remove NMO stretch, the limitations of conventional methods are investigated and the need for a new resolution comes to discussion. We describe a stretch-free NMO correction based on inverse theory among many different stretch-free NMO corrections. Finally, the stretch-free NMO correction is verified through synthetic example and real data.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.663-666
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• 2005

Gas hydrates are ice-like compounds that form at the low temperature and high pressure conditions common in shallow marine sediments at water depths greater than 300-500 m when concentrations of methane and other hydrocarbon gases exceed saturation. Estimates of the total mass of methane carbon that resides in this reservoir vary widely. While there is general agreement that gas hydrate is a significant component of the global near-surface carbon budget, there is considerable controversy about whether it has the potential to be a major source of fossil fuel in the future and whether periods of global climate change in the past can be attributed to destabilization of this reservoir. Also essentially unknown is the interaction between gas hydrate and the subsurface biosphere. ODP Leg 204 was designed to address these questions by determining the distribution, amount and rate of formation of gas hydrate within an accretionary ridge and adjacent basin and the sources of gas for forming hydrate. Additional objectives included identification of geologic proxies for past gas hydrate occurrence and calibration of remote sensing techniques to quantify the in situ amount of gas hydrate that can be used to improve estimates where no boreholes exist. Leg 204 also provided an opportunity to test several new techniques for sampling, preserving and measuring gas hydrates. During ODP Leg 204, nine sites were drilled and cored on southern Hydrate Ridge, a topographic high in the accretionary complex of the Cascadia subduction zone, located approximately 80km west of Newport, Oregon. Previous studies of southern Hydrate Ridge had documented the presence of seafloor gas vents, outcrops of massive gas hydrate, and a pinnacle' of authigenic carbonate near the summit. Deep-towed sidescan data show an approximately $300\times500m$ area of relatively high acoustic backscatter that indicates the extent of seafloor venting. Elsewhere on southern Hydrate Ridge, the seafloor is covered with low reflectivity sediment, but the presence of a regional bottom-simulating seismic reflection (BSR) suggests that gas hydrate is widespread. The sites that were drilled and cored during ODP Leg 204 can be grouped into three end-member environments basedon the seismic data. Sites 1244 through 1247 characterize the flanks of southern Hydrate Ridge. Sites 1248-1250 characterize the summit in the region of active seafloor venting. Sites 1251 and 1252 characterize the slope basin east of Hydrate Ridge, which is a region of rapid sedimentation, in contrast to the erosional environment of Hydrate Ridge. Site 1252 was located on the flank of a secondary anticline and is the only site where no BSR is observed.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.38-49
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• 2020

Full-waveform inversion (FWI) is an optimization process of fitting observed and modeled data to reconstruct high-resolution subsurface physical models. In acoustic FWI (AFWI), pressure data acquired using a marine streamer has mainly been used to reconstruct the subsurface P-wave velocity models. With recent advances in marine seismic-acquisition techniques, acquiring multi-component data in marine environments have become increasingly common. Thus, AFWI strategies must be developed to effectively use marine multi-component data. Herein, we proposed an AFWI strategy using horizontal and vertical particle-acceleration data. By analyzing the modeled acoustic data and conducting sensitivity kernel analysis, we first investigated the characteristics of each data component using AFWI. Common-shot gathers show that direct, diving, and reflection waves appearing in the pressure data are separated in each component of the particle-acceleration data. Sensitivity kernel analyses show that the horizontal particle-acceleration wavefields typically contribute to the recovery of the long-wavelength structures in the shallow part of the model, and the vertical particle-acceleration wavefields are generally required to reconstruct long- and short-wavelength structures in the deep parts and over the whole area of a given model. Finally, we present a sequential-inversion strategy for using the particle-acceleration wavefields. We believe that this approach can be used to reconstruct a reasonable P-wave velocity model, even when the pressure data is not available.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.34-40
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• 2008

Underwater seismic refraction with advanced interpretation approaches makes important contributions to shallow marine exploration and geotechnical investigations in Australia's coastal areas. A series of case studies are presented to demonstrate the recent applications of continuous and static USR methods to river crossing and port infrastructure projects at various sites around Australia. In Sydney, static underwater seismic refraction (USR) with bottom-placed receivers and borehole seismic imaging assisted the development of improved geotechnical models that reduced construction risk for a tunnel crossing of the Lane Cove River. In Melbourne, combining conventional boomer reflection and continuous USR with near-bottom sources and receivers improved the definition of a buried, variably weathered basalt flow and assisted dredging assessment for navigation channel upgrades at Geelong Ports. Sand quality assessment with continuous USR and widely spaced borehole information assisted commercial decisions on available sand resources for the reclamation phase of development at the Port of Brisbane. Buried reefs and indurated layers occur in Australian coastal sediments with the characteristics of laterally limited, high velocity, cap layers within lower velocity materials. If these features are not recognised then significant error in depth determination to deeper refractors can occur. Application of advanced refraction inversion using wavefront eikonal tomography to continuous USR data obtained along the route of a proposed offshore pipeline near Fremantle allowed these layers and the underlying bedrock refractor to be accurately imaged. Static USR and the same interpretation approach was used to image the drowned granitic regolith beneath sediments and indurated layers in the northern area of Western Australia at a proposed new berthing site where deep piling was required. This allowed preferred piling sites to be identified, reducing overall pile lengths. USR can be expected to find increased application to shallow marine exploration and geotechnical investigations in Australia's coastal areas as economic growth continues and improved interpretation methods are developed.