• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 2006

The shortage of proven hydrocarbon reserves has resulted in exploration progressing from the offshore into progressively deeper water of the continental shelf. Despite the success of seismic acquisition at ever greater depths, there are marine geological terrenes in which the interpretation of seismic data is difficult, such regions dominated by scattering or high reflectivity that is characteristic of carbonate reefs, volcanic cover and submarine permafrost. A marine controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) method has recently been applied to the oil and gas exploration thanks to its high-resistivity characteristics of the hydrocarbon. In particular, this method produces better results in terms of sensitivity under the deep water environment rather than the shallow water. Only in the last five years has the relevance of CSEM been recognized by oil companies who now use it to help them make exploration drilling decisions. Initial results are most promising and several contractors now offer magnetotelluric and CSEM services.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2020

The acquisition and processing of long-offset data are essential for imaging deep geological structures in marine seismic surveys. It is challenging to derive an accurate subsurface image by employing conventional data processing to long-offset data owing to the normal moveout (NMO) stretch and non-hyperbolic moveout phenomena induced by seismic anisotropy. In 2017, the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources conducted a simultaneous two-dimensional multichannel streamer and ocean-bottom seismic survey using a 5.7-km streamer and an ocean-bottom seismometer to identify the deep geological structure of the Ulleung Basin. Herein, the actual geological subsurface structure was obtained via the sequential iterative updating of the velocity and anisotropic parameters of the long-offset data obtained using a multichannel streamer, and anisotropic prestack Kirchhoff migration was performed using the updated velocity and anisotropic parameters as input parameters. As a result, the reflection energy in the long-offset traces, which showed non-hyperbolic moveout owing to seismic anisotropy, was well aligned horizontally and NMO stretches were also reduced. Thus, a more precise and accurate migrated image was obtained, minimizing the distortion of reflectors and mispositioned reflection energy.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.27-38
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• 1999

The errors between track segments or at the cross-over points of shipborne gravity were successfully reduced by applying a cross-over error adjustment technique using satellite gravity. The integration of shipborne and satellite altimeter-implied free-air gravity anomalies after the cross-over error adjustment resulted in a high resolution gravity map which contains both short and long wavelength components. The successful adjustment of the cross-over errors in the shipborne gravity using the satellite gravity suggests that the shipborne gravity can be combined with the satellite anomalies characterized by a stable and long wavelength component. The resulting free-air anomaly map is evenly harmonized with both short and long wavelength anomalies. Thus the corrected anomaly map can be better used for the geological interpretation. Free-air anomalies with more than 140 mGal in total variations generally correspond to the seafloor topographic changes in their regional patterns. A series of gravity highs are aligned from the Korea Plateau to the Oki Island, which are interpreted to be caused by seamounts or volcanic topographies. The gravity minima along the western and southern shelf edge are associated not only with the local basement morphology and thick sediment fill at the continental margin, but also possibly with the crustal edge effect known for passive continental margins. Series of NE-trending linear anomalies are possibly caused by a swarm of volcanic intrusions followed the initial opening of the Ulleung Basin. The linear high anomalies in the Ulleung Plateau are terminated by the straightly NNW-trending anomalies with a sharp gradient in its western boundary which indicates a fault-line scarp. The opposite side adjoined with the fault-line scarp shows no correlation with the fault-line scarp in geometry indicating that the block might be horizontally slided from the north. A gravity high in contrast to the deepening in seafloor toward the northeastern central Ulleung Basin is probably responsible for the thin crust and shallow seated mantle. The gravity minima along the western and southern shelf edge are associated not only with the local basement morphology and thick sediment fill at the continental margin, but also possibly with the crustal edge effect known for passive continental margins. Series of NE-trending linear anomalies are possibly caused by a swarm of volcanic intrusions followed the initial opening of the Ulleung Basin. The linear high anomalies in the Ulleung Plateau are terminated by the straightly NNW-trending anomalies with a sharp gradient in its western boundary which indicates a fault-line scarp. The opposite side adjoined with the fault-line scarp shows no correlation with the fault-line scarp in geometry indicating that the block might be horizontally slided from the north. A gravity high in contrast to the deepening in seafloor toward the northeastern central Ulleung Basin is probably suggestive of a thin crust and shallow seated mantle.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.295-300
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• 2010

Recently, many tsunamis triggered by impulsive undersea ground motions occurred in subduction zones around the Pacific Ocean area including the East Sea surrounded by Korea, Japan and Russia. The wave height of a tsunami may be in the order of several meters, while the wavelength can be up to 1,000 km in the ocean, where the average water depth is about 4 km. A tsunami could cause a severe coastal flooding and property damage not only at neighboring countries but also at distant countries. A fundamental and economic way to mitigate unusual tsunami attacks is to construct tsunami hazard maps along coastal areas vulnerable to tsunami flooding. These maps should be developed based on the historical tsunami events and projected scenarios. The map could be used to make evacuation plans in the event of a real tsunami assault.

• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.7 no.1_2 s.8
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• pp.13-18
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• 1999

Methane hydrate is an ice-like solid material and it has a structure which water molecules enclose gas molecules. For low temperature and high pressure, hydrocarbon gas forms hydrate and due to this condition, it is existed in the arctic region or deep sea. Presently, the amount of methane hydrate is unpredictable, but it is assumed that the amount will be enormous. For this reason, it is expected that it will play a major role as natural gas resources in the future. However, the production technologies are stayed on the low level and the economical technology was not developed yet. Also, emission of natural gas from methane hydrate will cause global warming and thus it is considered as a critical environmental problem. In this paper, the state of the art of the production technologies and environmental effects of methane hydrate were summarized.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.34-44
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• 1998

Analysis of gravity, magnetic, and seismic reflection data from the Ulleung Basin, East Sea has provided some insights into the opening mechanism and crustal type of the basin. Free-air gravity anomaly data show positive anomalies of about 40~60 mgal near the Korea Plateau and Oki Bank and of about -20~20 mgal in the central basin. Bouguer gravity anomaly data exhibit NE-SW trending positive anomalies of about 150 mgal in the central basin which is interpreted to be related to high-density crustal material. Abrupt changes in both Free-air and Bouguer gravity anomaly profiles across the basin margins may be due to transition between continental and oceanic crusts. Magnetic anomalies in the basin are generally less than -400 nT. No stripe pattern is evident in the magnetic anomaly map but a NW-SE trending symmetric pattern is seen in some magnetic profiles. The symmetric pattern is probably associated with the high-density crustal material in the central basin suggested by Bouguer gravity anomaly. The acoustic basement in the deep part of the basin has only a small amount of local relief. No graben or half-graben structures are seen in the acoustic basement from which mechanical extension might be inferred. The lack of high-relief structures in the acoustic basement may suggest that the basin is underlain by oceanic crust or that the basement is overlain by thick volcanic layer which obscures the structures and relief of the basement. High-density crust in the central basin inferred from gravity data, abrupt changes in gravity anomalies across the basin margins, symmetric pattern seen in some magnetic anomaly profiles, and lack of relief in the acoustic basement may suggest sea-floor spreading origin of the Ulleung Basin.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.257-266
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• 2000

A vertically-averaged, two-dimensional version of the Princeton Ocean Model has been applied to the South Sea to simulate the circulation driven by tides and inflows/outflows across open boundaries. To incorporate both forcing properly, a two-step modeling approach is adopted, in which the tidal circulation is first simulated by specifying the tides along the open boundaries, and then both the calculated tidal currents and the observed steady mean currents are prescribed across the open boundaries. Model results show that the steady, subtidal circulation of the South Sea is different from the residual circulation due to tidal rectification, and subtidal currents become locally as strong as tidal currents. The Cheju Current entering the model domain across the Cheju Strait flows eastward in general while shifting onshore or offshore areas following local isobaths. The Tsushima Current entering across the southern boundary reaches farther to the north in the eastern vicinity of Cheju-Do as compared to that entering across other parts of the southern boundary. The Tsushima Current turns to the east, merges with the Cheju Current, and both the Cheju and Tsushima Current exit to the East Sea through the western channel of the Korea Strait. An intensification of the outflow occurs over the deep trough adjacent to the Tsushima Island, which appears to be due to the formation of the frictional boundary layer in order to remove excess positive relative vorticity generated by an increase in the layer thickness. The circulation driven by both the tidal and inflows/outflows is different from that driven by each forcing separately in coastal areas, which implies that both forcings should be considered simultaneously in the simulation of more realistic coastal circulation.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.6 s.181
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• pp.719-738
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• 2006

Simrad EM950 multibeam data and surficial sediment grab samples were acquired to correlate backscatter strength with surficial sediment properties in the eastern Yellow Sea which tidal sand ridges are dominantly developed. The study area is divided into the western sand ridge zone characterized by well sorted, fine sandy sediment, and the eastern non-sand ridge zone characterized by poorly sorted, medium sand with some gravels and shell fragments. In spite of minor difference in grain size between two zones, the variations of backscatter strength between two zones are distinct. Multibeam backscatter strength of study area shows good correlation with the grain size of surface sediment as well as the carbonate contents. High occurrence of carbonate shell fragments can increase grain size and bottom roughness. The dominance of higher backscatter strength in the eastern non-sand ridge zone may reflect the effects of coarse grain size and high shell fragments contents.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.527-535
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• 2016

The Manseongri Coast meets the sea on the southeast and is composed of coarse sediment as a mesotidal beach. The waves that strike the beach are stronger than the tides or tidal currents as external forces of beach deformation. Storm waves frequently reach significant wave heights of 2-3m and hit in spring and summer, leaving the sea calm during fall and winter. Incident waves reach remarkable heights that correspond with observed shoreline changes. The shoreline erodes in spring and summer due to these strong waves but recovers in fall and winter as a result of the more moderate waves. On the basis of these observed results, a numerical calibration for experiments on shoreline change was established. Results revealed that according to hindcast data, calculated shoreline changes agreed with the observed shoreline, with a minimum RMS error of 1.26m with calibration parameters $C_1=0.2$ and $C_2=1C_1$. Using these calibration parameters, long-term shoreline change was predicted after the construction of submerged breakwaters and jetties, etc. The numerical model showed that the shoreline would move forward by 5-15m behind the submerged breakwaters and recede by 5-15m north of the structure.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.117-132
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• 1991

Marine total magnetic intensity over the southern part of the Ulleung Basin and geomagnetic data measured at a land base station are analyzed. Fourteen days observation of geomagnetic field at a fixed on-land base station showed how the geomagnetic field around the study area behaves. geomagnetic data at the base station can also be used as correction data for a diurnal variation. Magnetic anomalies in the study area do not reflect an effect of sea bottom topography but mainly subsurface basement. The southern part of the Ulleung Basin can be devided into two zones according to a different anomaly pattern; along the coastal shelves the isolated anomalies with a short wave and a strong amplitude are dominant, and toward the open sea the anomalies become much more subdued. The high anomaly zone adjoined to land is interpreted to be caused by granitic intrusives or volcanic rocks, and the weak anomaly zone to the outer sea to be arisen from an existence of deep basement. A spectrum analysis is applied to estimate magnetic basement depths from three anomaly profiles with a long period and a weak amplitude toward the outer sea. The calculated depths are 7.0km, 5.0km, and 2.6km respectively from outer profile. The basement might be correlated with the mixed layer of tuff, basalt, and sediment, which had been defined as L-2 layer in the Yamato basin and the Japan Basin.