• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.240-249
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• 2013

The seismic data quality of marine geological and engineering survey deteriorates because of the sea swell. We often conduct a marine survey when the swell height is about 1 ~ 2 m. The swell effect correction is required to enhance the horizontal continuity of seismic data and satisfy the resolution less than 1 m. We applied the swell correction to the 8 channel high-resolution airgun seismic data and 3.5 kHz subbottom profiler (SBP) data. The correct sea bottom detection is important for the swell correction. To detect the sea bottom, we used maximum amplitude of seismic signal around the expected sea bottom, and picked the first increasing point larger than threshold value related with the maximum amplitude. To find sea bottom easily in the case of the low quality data, we transformed the input data to envelope data or the cross-correlated data using the sea bottom wavelet. We averaged the picked sea bottom depths and calculated the correction values. The maximum correction of the airgun data was about 0.8 m and the maximum correction of two kinds of 3.5 kHz SBP data was 0.5 m and 2.0 m respectively. We enhanced the continuity of the subsurface layer and produced the high quality seismic section using the proper methods of swell correction.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.308-314
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate the sea floor using a seismic profiler in the northern part of Chagwi-do of Jeju Island in order to select the optimal location for the 60-m-class berth of a sea test bed for wave energy converters and provide basic environmental data for designing a suction anchor. The echo types of the seismic profiles were classified based on the study of Kim et al. (2016a), and the location for installing the suction anchor was selected based on a sediment thickness of more than 10 m. The physical properties of the surface sediments were determined by analyzing the sediment samples obtained from 16 grab sample points. Based on the investigation and analysis, we proposed a survey area in the North-Eastern sea as an optimum location for the 60-m-class berth where the suction anchor could be installed.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.193-206
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• 2004

Geophysical data including chirp (3 7 kHz) subbottom profile and detailed bathymetry were obtained over three seamounts in the Ogasawara Fracture Zone (OFZ) of the western Pacific, as a part of manganese crust survey onboard R/V Onnuri in 2003. The OFZ is a 150-km-wide, 600-km-long rift zone, which separates the East Mariana and Pigafetta Basin. The OFZ is unique in that it includes many seamounts (e.g., Magellan Seamounts andseamounts on the Dutton Ridge). The sub-seafloor acoustic echoes obtained near the OFZ were classified into following types on the basis of their characteristics: types I-1(pelagic sediment with parallel or subparallel reflectors), I-2 (pelagic sediment with no internal reflectors), and III-1 (reef build-up complex) on summit; types II-1 and III-2 (basement outcrop) on flank rift zone and upper slope, respectively; type III-3 (slump) on the lower slope and embayment between the flank rift zones; types II-2 (debrite) on the base of slope and basin floor; and types II-3 (turbidite or pelagic sediment) and II-4 (turbidite) on the basin floor. The mass-wasting that produced the complex of type II-2 debrite and III-3 slump on the lower slope and basin may have been caused by (1) strong tensional stress in the OFZ which may cause the numerous fissures or basement faults and (2) complex of the faults on the summit and steep upper slope. The variations in the echo type of pelagic sediment in the summit of seamounts may be related with the changes in the depositional and/or erosional environments. Type I-2 pelagic sediment, which is characterized by a thin and intermittent coverage, was probably deposited at a sheltered area when the current was strong, whereas type I-1 pelagic deposit occurred during a stage of progressive sedimentation.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.126-133
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• 2003

High-resolution shallow marine seismic surveys have been carried out for the resources exploration, engineering applications and Quaternary mapping. To improve the resolution of subsurface structure image, multichannel digital technique has been applied. The quality of the image depends on the vertical and horizontal resolution and signal to noise (S/N) ratio which are associated with the data acquisition parameters such as sample interval, common midpoint (CMP) interval and CMP fold. To understand the effect of the acquisition parameters, a test survey was carried out off Yeosu and the acquired data were analyzed. A 30 $in^3$ small air gun was used as a seismic source and 8 channel streamer cable with a 5 m group interval was used as a receiver. The data were digitally recorded with a shot interval of 2 s and sample interval of 0.1 ms. The acquired data were resampled with various sample intervals, CMP intervals and CMP folds. The resampled data were processed, plotted as seismic sections and compared each other. The analysis results show that thin bed structure with ${\~}1m$ thickness and ${\~}6^{\circ}$ slope can be imaged with good resolution and continuity and low noise using the acquisition parameters with a sample interval shorter than 0.2 ms, CMP interval shorter than 2.5 m and CMP fold more than 4. Because seismic resolution is associated with the acquisition parameters, the quality of the subsurface structure can be imaged successfully using suitable and optimum acquisition parameters.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.163-175
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• 2017

In land seismic exploration, irregular surface topography and weathering layer in near surface distorts the reflected signals of data. Therefore, typical land seismic data should be compensated for this distortion by static correction. To perform the static correction, near-surface velocity is required, which can be obtained by seismic refraction survey. However, land seismic data is often acquired in a limited form of geometry depending on the equipment availability, accessibility condition, and permission for the survey site. In this situation, refraction analysis should be performed using reflection data because it is impossible to acquire refraction-oriented data due to limited source and receiver geometry. In this study, we aimed to analyze the reliability of the results obtained by refraction traveltime tomography when using reflection data with a limited number of sources and receivers from irregular surface topography. By comparing the inversion result from irregular topography with that from flat surface, we found that the surface topography affects the reliability of the inversion results to some degree. We also found that the number of sources has little effect on the inversion results unless the number of sources are very small. On the other hand, we observed that velocity distortion occurred in the overlapped part of receiver arrays when using a limited number of receivers, and therefore suggested the size of the least overlapping ratio to avoid the velocity distortion. Finally, we performed numerical tests for the model which simulates the surface topography and acquisition geometry of the survey region and verified the reliability analysis of inversion results. We identified reliable areas and suspicious area of the inverted velocity model by applying the analysis results to field data.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.104-111
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• 2005

Dmitri Donskoi, the Russian cruiser launched in 1883, is known to have sunk near Ulleung Island (East Sea, Korea) on May 29, 1905, while it was participating in the Russo-Japanese War. In order to find this ship, information about its possible location was obtained from Russian and Japanese maritime historical records. The supposed location of the ship was identified, and we conducted a five-year geophysical survey from 1999 to 2003. A reconnaissance three-dimensional topographic survey of the sea floor was carried out using multi-beam echo sounder, marine magnetometer, and side-scan sonar. An anomalous body identified through the initial reconnaissance survey was identified by a detailed survey using a remotely operated vehicle, deep-sea camera, and the mini-submarine Pathfinder. Interpretation of the acquired data showed that the ship is hanging on the side of a channel, at the bottom of the sea 400 m below sea level. The location is about 2 km from Port Jeodong, Uleung Island. We discovered 152 mm naval guns and other war materiel still attached to the hull of the ship. In addition, the remnants of the steering gear and other machinery that were burnt during the final action were found near the hull. Strong magnetic fields, resulting from the presence of volcanic rocks in the survey area, affected the resolution of the magnetic data gathered; as a result, we could not locate the ship reliably using the magnetic method. Severe sea floor topography in the gully around the hull gave rise to diffuse reflections in the side-scan sonar data, and this prevented us from identifying the anomalous body with the side-scan sonar technique. However, the sea-floor image obtained from the multi-bean echo sounder was very useful in verifying the location of the ship.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.76-83
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• 2016

Migration image can be distorted due to reflected waves in the source and receiver wavefields when discontinuities of input velocity model exist in seismic imaging. To remove reflected waves coming from layer interfaces, it is a common practice to smooth the velocity model for migration. If the velocity model is smoothed, however, the subsurface image can be distorted because the velocity changes around interfaces. In this paper, we attempt to minimize the distortion by reducing reflection energy in the source and receiver wavefields through acoustic impedance homogenization. To make acoustic impedance constant, we define fake density model and use it for migration. When the acoustic impedance is constant over all layers, the reflection coefficient at normal incidence becomes zero and the minimized reflection energy results in the improvement of migration result. To verify our algorithm, we implement the reverse-time migration using cell-based finite-difference method. Through numerical examples, we can note that the migration image is improved at the layer interfaces with high velocity contrast, and it shows the marked improvement particularly in the shallow part.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.63-75
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• 2016

The ratio of fractured reservoir is very high in oil & gas fields around the world. The demand of drilling technology for fractured reservoir is expected to increase continuously if oil and gas prices are economical. The purpose of the review study is to help operator or driller in selecting of proper drilling technology for preventing a lost circulation in the fractured formation. In order to achieve this goal, fractured reservoir(formation) they are classified into partial lost circulation formation and total lost circulation formation. In case of partial lost circulation formation, the drilling problem can be solved by using LCM(lost circulation material) mud additive and squeezing cement. For shallow depth, total lost circulation formation can be drilled safely and economically with casing drilling method. Also, for deeper depth, problems of total lost circulation in formation can be solved by applying mud cap, which is one of the drilling methods. This was confirmed through field application such as Italy's Medusa-1 field and Qatar's North field.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.66-77
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• 1992

Tidal sand ridges and sand waves are well developed in the Yellow Sea off Tae-An Peninsula, Korea. Their transport directions were inferred based on high resolution seismic profiles, surficial sediment characteristics and tidal regime. Tidal sand ridges are asymmetric, with long axes parallel to or slightly oblique to the dominant NE-SW tidal current direction. They show steep south and/or southeast flanks, which are in concordance with the apparent direction of internal cross-bedding in the south. Holocene sediments occur in accordance with distributional patterns of tidal sand ridges. These features indicate that Holocene active tidal sand ridges move toward the open sea in southeast, south and southwest direction. Sand waves which are distributed in flat sea floor with depth of about 40-60m show also asymmetric forms with a steep east-to-northeast face. Surficial sediments in the sand wave field are characterized by well sorted fine sands compared with poorly sorted adjacent areas. The sand waves appear to undergo easterly or northeasterly landward movement.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.178-184
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• 2002

For economy and convenience, seismic refraction survey is widely used in surveying for large civil engineering work. The purpose of this study is to obtain the numerical responses of various models using Kirchhoff migration, and to analyze its application to the real data processing. Synthetic traveltime curve was calculated by vidale's algorithm, and various models such as 2 or 3 layer model and irregular topography model are tested to simulate the response of real structure. In order to compare the effect of initial velocity model, true velocity models, inversion results by tomography, smooth velocity models are used as an initial guess. The responses of model data show that the algorithm of this study is more sensitive to initial velocity model than the reflection survey, so choosing a suitable initial velocity model will be the most important thing in real data processing.