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

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2015

To estimate the shear-wave velocity (${\nu}_s$ beneath the OTVZ seismic station on Ngauruhoe volcano in New Zealand, we calculated receiver functions (RFs) using 127 teleseismic data ($Mw{\geq}5.5$) with high signal-to-noise ratios recorded during November 11, 2011 to September 11, 2013. The genetic inversion algorithms was applied to 21 RFs calculated by the iterative time-domain deconvolution method. In the 1-D ${\nu}_s$ model derived by the inversion, the Moho is observed at a 14 km depth, marked by a ${\nu}_s$ transition from 3.7 km/s to 4.7 km/s. The average ${\nu}_s$ of the overlying crust is 3.4 km/s, and the average ${\nu}_s$ of a greater than 9-km thick low-velocity layer (LVL) in the lower crust is 3.1 km/s. The LVL becomes thinner with increasing distance from the station. Another LVL thicker than 10 km with ${\nu}_s$ less than 4.3 km/s is found in the upper mantle. Those LVLs in the lower crust and the upper mantle and the relatively thin crust might be related to the magma activity caused by the subducting Pacific plate.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.762-774
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate misconceptions about plate tectonics which spread widely among freshmen at high school with drawing. For this, we chose 6 conceptions about plate tectonics by analysis of 7th curriculum and of 11 kinds of science textbooks. Questionnaire of drawing about plate tectonics were developed depending on them. Data was collected from 134 students who was freshmen at high school in Daegu. The result of this study was as follows. First, In structure of plate, 'upper mantle type' and 'crust type' misconceptions were more than half of the respondents. Second, In distribution of plate, 'cracked earthquake zone type' and 'earthquake frequency type' misconceptions were more than half of the respondents. Third, In formation of ocean ridge at oceanic crust- oceanic crust divergent plate boundary, 'divergence type' and 'collision type' misconceptions were more than half of the respondents. Fourth, In formation of mountain ridge at continental crust- continental crust convergent plate boundary, 'collision type' misconceptions were more than half of the respondents. Fifih, In formation of mountain ridge at oceanic crust- continental crust convergent plate boundary, 'subduction type' and 'fault type' misconceptions were more than half of the respondents. Sixth, In transform-fault at oceanic crust- oceanic crust transform-fault boundary, 'direction type' and 'section type' misconceptions were almost half of the respondents. In this study, students' drawings about plate tectonics showed similar misconceptions. This imply that drawing conceptions can be used by the strong evidence of misconceptions which spread widely among students. Furthermore, this study has a significance that this conclusion is useful to teachers as basic teaching-teaming materials of plate tectonics.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.333-341
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• 1994

The low velocity body was detected during the invesfigation of the crustal structune and upper mantle in the Korean Peninsula using ray method and observational seismic data. We observed the arrival time delays of P and S waves that pass through the Bugok hot spring area and the chugaryong rift zone in the Korean Peninsula. The present geothermal exploration accounts for the high heat flow in these regions, suggesting that the area are the 'delay shadows' produced by a deep, low velocity body(Resenberg et aL, 1980). We tried to verify the hypothesis that the low-velocity body is caused by the partial melting in the lower crust can be explained by the lateral variation(inhomogeneous model) of the lower crust velocity using Ray Method(Cerveny and Psencik, 1983).

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.187-201
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• 2007

The first magnetotelluric (MT) transect across the Korean Peninsula was obtained traversing from the East Sea shoreline to the Yellow Sea shoreline. The MT survey profile was designed perpendicular to the strike of the principal geologic structure of the Korean Peninsula $(N30^{\circ}E)$, so-called 'China direction'. MT data were achieved at 50 sites with spacings of $3{\sim}8km$ along the 240 km survey line. The impedance responses are divided into four subsets reflecting typical geological units: the Kyonggi Massif, the Okchon Belt, the western part of the Kyongsang Basin, and the eastern part of the Kyongsang Basin. In the western part of the Kyongsang Basin, the thickness of the sedimentary layer is estimated to be about 3 km to 8 km and its resistivity is a few hundred ohm-m. A highly conductive layer with a resistivity of 1 to 30 ohm-m was detected beneath the sedimentary layer. The MT data at the Okchon Belt show peculiar responses with phase exceeding $90^{\circ}$. This feature may be explained by an electrically anisotropic structure which is composed of a narrow anisotropic block and an anisotropic layer. The Kyonggi Massif and the eastern part of Kyongsang Basin play a role of window to the deep geoelectrical structure because of the very high resistivity of upper crust. The second layers with highest resistivities in 1-D conductivity models occupy the upper crust with thicknesses of 13 km in the Kyonggi Massif and 18 km in the eastern Kyongsang Basin, respectively.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.256-267
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• 2010

Earthquakes in the Korean Peninsula occur along the faults formed and boundaries between major geological units ruptured due to violent tectonic activities during the Mesozoic. E-W and/or ENE-SSW compressive stress regime resulting from collisions between the Eurasian plate and neighbouring the Indian plate, the Pacific plate and the Philippine plate trigger Korean earthquakes of thrust faulting with predominant strike-slip components along the mostly NNE-SSW trending active faults. Seismicity of the Korean peninsula has been moderate to low during the past 20 centuries except for the period from the 15th to the 18th centuries of exceptionally high seismicity, showing the typical irregularity of intraplate seismicity. The structure of the Korean peninsula is rather homogeneous without the Conrad discontinuity sharply dividing the upper and lower crust. Lateral heterogeneities exist in the crust. The crust with an average thickness of about 33 km is thicker in the mountainous region than the plain due to the Airy-type isostatic equilibrium maintained in the peninsula. Crustal P-wave velocity with average of about 6.3 km/sec increases gradually from the near surface to the Moho. The upper mantle P-wave (Pn) velocity is about 7.8 km/sec.

• Proceedings of the Mineralogical Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.54-54
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• 2003

The metasedimentary rocks together with various granitoids are the main constituents in Taebaeksan gneiss complex, northern Yeongnam Massif. Chemical compositions of sedimentary rocks may reflect the nature of the provenance and could be crucial for understanding the evolution of early continental crust. Previous workers have suggested that the provenance and tectonic studies based on the geochemistry of sediments are applicable to the Precambrian samples. In this study we analyzed the major, trace and REE elements of metasedimentary rocks to understand their provenance and tectonic setting during sedimentation. The overall geochemical characteristics of metasedimentary rocks are similar to those of average shale of the post-Archean. Major element chemistry indicates mature and sorted nature of the sediments. The degree of weathering in the source rocks the is not uniform, as inferred from a large scatter in chemical indices of weathering (CIW). The immobile trace elements such as Th, Sc, and REE can be used to discriminate various sedimentary processes. The Th/sc ratios (0.9 - 4.4) are larger than those of the upper crust and average shale, suggesting that the felsic source predominates. The contents of Ni and Cr and the variations in the ratio of compatible to incompatible elements are similar to the average post-Archean shale. Uniform chondrite-normalized REE pattern with the LREE enrichment (LaN/SmN = 4.9 ${\pm}$ 0.4) and slight negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu$\^$*/ = 0.7 ${\pm}$ 0.1) also support this observation. The presence of negative Eu anomaly indicates that intracrustal igneous processes involving plagioclase separation have affected the provenance rocks. The LREE enrichment implies the major role of felsic rocks in source rocks. The eNd (1.9 Ga) values of metasediment rocks vary from 9.4 to 6.7, corresponding to TDM of 2.9 - 2.7 Ga. On the other hand, the 147Sm/144Nd ratios are 0.1079 - 0.1101, corresponding to typical tettigenous sediments. The geochemical features of metasedimentary rocks such as high abundances of large ion lithophile elements, high ratios of Th/Sc and La/Sm, commonly high Th/U ratios, negative Eu anomalies, and negative eNd, suggest a provenance consisting virtually entirely of recycled upper continental crust in passive margin environment. Tectonic discrimination diagrams based upon major element compositions also support this suggestion. In conjunction with igneous activity and metamorphism in the convergent margin setting at 1.8 - 1. 9 Ga, the transition from passive margin to active margin characterize the Paleoproterozoic crustal evolution in northern Yeongnam Massif.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 2019

New geochronological data of U-Pb, Re-Os and the lead isotope analysis of the Cu-Mo-Au mineral deposits are reported in the Trapiche and Constancia around Apurimac province, southeastern part of Peru. The measured ages were the first regional pulse of previously reported mineralization age between 28 and 33 Ma. The lead isotopic results indicate two sources of mineralization. The first source is thought to be derived from the upper crust and the second one is thought to be derived from a mixture of the upper crust and the lower crust.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.51-61
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• 1983

By using local earthquake data, the Korean crust model and travel-time tables were determined. The upper crustal earthquakes (Hongsung event and Ssanggyesa event) were considered as auxiliary information, and the lower crustal earthquakes (Uljin event and Pohang event) played an important role in determining model parameters. The possible existence of Low Velocity Layer (LVL) in the upper mantle was suggested by discrepancy in the arrival times of Sariwon earthquake which occurred below Moho discontinuity. Computer program for the determination of the model parameters was developed in order to screened out the optimum parameters by comparing the travel times of observed data with theoretical ones. We found that the discontinuities of Conrad, Moho, and upper and lower boundaries of LVL have their depth of 15, 32, 55 and 75 Km, respectively. The velocities of P-and S-wave in the layers between those discontinities were found to be (1) 5.98, 3.40 Km/sec (2) 6.38, 3.79 Km/sec (3) 7.95, 4.58 Km/sec (4) unknown (5) 8.73, 5.05 Km/sec, respectively from the top layer. Travel-time tables were also computed for the inter-local earthquakes which have their direct wave paths above the LVL.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.3 s.172
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• pp.285-297
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• 2005

Seismic reflection profile analysis, potential field analysis, and potential field modeling using deep seismic reflection, gravity, magnetic, and geological data were performed to better understand the location and nature of the Grenville Front in Ohio, USA. The seismic reflection profile reveals a broad zone of east dipping basement reflectors associated with the Grenville Front in western Ohio and a broad region of west dipping reflectors cutting through the entire crust in eastern Ohio. Potential field analysis indicates that the Grenville Front is characterized by a gravity low, an associated gravity positive and a magnetic high. The results of the gravity and magnetic modeling using seismic data suggest that the lower crust is thickened at the interpreted position of the Grenville Front and high grade metamorphic rocks make up the Grenville Front Tectonic Zone (GFTZ). The gravity low at the Grenville Front is due to the thickened crust, while the magnetic high is due to high grade metamorphic rocks. The gravity high immediately east of the GFTZ in central Ohio is caused by thrusting of high density lower and middle crustal rocks into the upper crust. There is no compelling evidence that this gravity high is related to a Precambrian rift zone as has been suggested in previous studies.