• Title/Summary/Keyword: Bottom sediments

Search Result 303, Processing Time 0.024 seconds

Acoustic images of the submarine fan system of the northern Kumano Basin obtained during the experimental dives of the Deep Sea AUV URASHIMA (심해 자율무인잠수정 우라시마의 잠항시험에서 취득된 북 구마노 분지 해저 선상지 시스템의 음향 영상)

  • Kasaya, Takafumi;Kanamatsu, Toshiya;Sawa, Takao;Kinosita, Masataka;Tukioka, Satoshi;Yamamoto, Fujio
    • Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
    • /
    • v.14 no.1
    • /
    • pp.80-87
    • /
    • 2011
  • Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) present the important advantage of being able to approach the seafloor more closely than surface vessel surveys can. To collect bathymetric data, bottom material information, and sub-surface images, multibeam echosounder, sidescan sonar (SSS) and subbottom profiler (SBP) equipment mounted on an AUV are powerful tools. The 3000m class AUV URASHIMA was developed by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). After finishing the engineering development and examination phase of a fuel-cell system used for the vehicle's power supply system, a renovated lithium-ion battery power system was installed in URASHIMA. The AUV was redeployed from its prior engineering tasks to scientific use. Various scientific instruments were loaded on the vehicle, and experimental dives for science-oriented missions conducted from 2006. During the experimental cruise of 2007, high-resolution acoustic images were obtained by SSS and SBP on the URASHIMA around the northern Kumano Basin off Japan's Kii Peninsula. The map of backscatter intensity data revealed many debris objects, and SBP images revealed the subsurface structure around the north-eastern end of our study area. These features suggest a structure related to the formation of the latest submarine fan. However, a strong reflection layer exists below ~20 ms below the seafloor in the south-western area, which we interpret as a denudation feature, now covered with younger surface sediments. We continue to improve the vehicle's performance, and expect that many fruitful results will be obtained using URASHIMA.

Pollution of the Imgok Creek and the East Sea by the Abandoned Coal Mine Drainage in Gangdong-myeon, Gangreung, Kangwon-do (강원도 강릉시 강동면에 분포하는 폐탄광으로부터의 배수에 의한 임곡천 및 동해의 오염)

  • Heo, Bong;Yu, Jae-Young
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
    • /
    • v.5 no.1
    • /
    • pp.44-55
    • /
    • 1998
  • Imgok creek is the most severly polluted one out of the streams which have been being polluted by acid drainages from the abandoned coal mines in the Gangdong-Myeon area, the central part of the so called Gangreung coal field. Imgok creek is being mainly polluted by the drainage from Youngdong coal mine, which supplies such pollutants as Mg, Fe, Al, Si, Ca, Mn, and SO$_4$as major dissolved components and Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Cd, Pb, and U as minor dissolved components. After the influx, the pollutants migrate mainly as dissolved solid, rather than as suspended solids along Imgok creek. The suspended solids in Imgok creek are very rich in Fe and Al, indicating that they mainly consist of the precipitates of present and past from the polluted water. Most of the dissolved components in the stream waters of Imgok creek removed from the aqueous phase by precipitation and dilution before reaching the East Sea, so that water quality of the downstreams of Imgok creek is very similar to that of unpolluted tributaries. It suggests that Imgok creek itself is now being severly polluted by the acid drainages from the abandoned coal mines, but the East Sea is relatively safe from the same pollution. The estuary and sea waters around the Goonseon estuary, which accepts Imgok creek water, certainly show no significant difference in chemical compositions from the mean oceanic water. The bottom sediments at the sampling sites of the sea waters also show no significant trend of their component variation, especially the variations of Fe, SO$_4$ and Al concentrations. These facts again supper that the acid mine drainage is not considerablly polluting the East Sea. However, the tributaries supplying the fresh water to the Imgok creek will be certainly polluted by the acid mine drainage as time passes and pollutants will have more chance to migrate in significant amount to the downstream area, which all can be a real threats to the East Sea on the pollution possibility. Therefore, it is suggested that urgently required are not only water quality and environmental improvement of the severely polluted Imgok creek but also preparation of the measures on the possible future pollution of the East Sea by the acid drainage from the abandoned coal mines in the area, while the East Sea is still not much affected by the pollution of the same kind.

  • PDF

Seasonal and Spatial Distribution of Soft-bottom Polychaetesin Jinju Bay of the Southern Coast of Korea (진주만에서 저서 다모류의 시 · 공간 분포)

  • Kang Chang Keun;Baik Myung Sun;Kim Jeong Bae;Lee Pil Yong
    • Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
    • /
    • v.35 no.1
    • /
    • pp.35-45
    • /
    • 2002
  • Seasonal quantitative van Veen grab sampling was conducted to characterize the composition and structure of the benthic polychaete community inhabiting the shellfish farming ground of a coastal bay system of Jiniu Bay (Korea). A total of 132 polychaete species were identified and the polychaetes accounted for about $80\%$ of overall abundance of benthic animals. There was little significant seasonal difference in densities (abundances) of polychaetes, Maximum biomass was obseued in summer (August) and minimum value was recorded in winter (February) and spring (May). Conversely, diversity and richness were lowest in summer, indicating a seasonal variability in the polychaetous community structure, The cluster analysis indicated that such a seasonal variability resulted mainly from the appearance of a few small, r-selected opportunists in spring and the tubiculous species of the family Maldanidae in summer. On the other hand, several indicator species for the organically enriched environments such as Capitelia capitata, Notoniashs Jatericeus and hmbrineris sp. showed high densities during all the study period. Density and biomass of univariate measures of community structure were significantly lower in the arkshell-farming ground of the southern area than in the non-farming sites of the bay, A similar general tendency was also found in the spatial distributions of species diversity and richness. Principal component analysis revealed the existence of different groups of benthic assemblages between the arkshell-farming ground and non-farming sites, The lack of colonization of r-selected opportunists and/or tubiculous species in the former ground seemed to contribute to the spatial differences in the composition and structure of the polychaetous communities. Although finer granulometric composition and high sulfide concentration in sediments of the arkshell-farming ground and low salinity in the northern area were likely to account for parts of the differences, other environmental variables observed were unlikely. The spatial distribution of polychaetes in Jiniu Bay may be rather closely related to the sedimentary disturbance by selection of shells for harvesting in spring.

Considerations of Environmental Factors Affecting the Detection of Underwater Acoustic Signals in the Continental Regions of the East Coast Sea of Korea

  • Na, Young-Nam;Kim, Young-Gyu;Kim, Young-Sun;Park, Joung-Soo;Kim, Eui-Hyung;Chae, Jin-Hyuk
    • The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
    • /
    • v.20 no.2E
    • /
    • pp.30-45
    • /
    • 2001
  • This study considers the environmental factors affecting propagation loss and sonar performance in the continental regions of the East Coast Sea of Korea. Water mass distributions appear to change dramatically in a few weeks. Simple calculation with the case when the NKCW (North Korean Cold Water) develops shows that the difference in propagation loss may reach in the worst up to 10dB over range 5km. Another factor, an eddy, has typical dimensions of 100-200km in diameter and 150-200m in thickness. Employing a typical eddy and assuming frequency to be 100Hz, its effects on propagation loss appear to make lower the normal formation of convergence zones with which sonars are possible to detect long-range targets. The change of convergence zones may result in 10dB difference in received signals in a given depth. Thermal fronts also appear to be critical restrictions to operating sonars in shallow waters. Assuming frequency to be 200Hz, thermal fronts can make 10dB difference in propagation loss between with and without them over range 20km. An observation made in one site in the East Coast Sea of Korea reveals that internal waves may appear in near-inertial period and their spectra may exist in periods 2-17min. A simulation employing simple internal wave packets gives that they break convergence zones on the bottom, causing the performance degradation of FOM as much as 4dB in frequency 1kHz. An acoustic experiment, using fixed source and receiver at the same site, shows that the received signals fluctuate tremendously with time reaching up to 6.5dB in frequencies 1kHz or less. Ambient noises give negative effects directly on sonar performance. Measurements at some sites in the East Coast Sea of Korea suggest that the noise levels greatly fluctuate with time, for example noon and early morning, mainly due to ship traffics. The average difference in a day may reach 10dB in frequency 200Hz. Another experiment using an array of hydrophones gives that the spectrum levels of ambient noises are highly directional, their difference being as large as 10dB with vertical or horizontal angles. This fact strongly implies that we should obtain in-situ information of noise levels to estimate reasonable sonar performance. As one of non-stationary noise sources, an eel may give serious problems to sonar operation on or under the sea bottoms. Observed eel noises in a pier of water depth 14m appear to have duration time of about 0.4 seconds and frequency ranges of 0.2-2.8kHz. The 'song'of an eel increases ambient noise levels to average 2.16dB in the frequencies concerned, being large enough to degrade detection performance of the sonars on or below sediments. An experiment using hydrophones in water and sediment gives that sensitivity drops of 3-4dB are expected for the hydrophones laid in sediment at frequencies of 0.5-1.5kHz. The SNR difference between in water and in sediment, however, shows large fluctuations rather than stable patterns with the source-receiver ranges.

  • PDF

Distribution Characteristic of Exploitable Macrobenthic Invertebrates of Beach Sediments in the Southern Coastal Water of Jeju Island (제주남부해역 사질대 유용생물 분포특성)

  • Ko, Jun-Cheol;Ko, Hyuck-Joon;Kim, Bo-Yeon;Cha, Hyung-Kee;Chang, Dae-Su
    • The Korean Journal of Malacology
    • /
    • v.28 no.3
    • /
    • pp.197-213
    • /
    • 2012
  • This study was performed to know the community structure of macrobenthos and environmental factors at each 16 stations in the subtidal sandy bottoms of the southern coastal water of Jeju Island from July to November, 2011. Mean temperature and mean salinity were $20.2-22.7^{\circ}C$, 33.7-34.9 psu which shows stable water messes. Chlorophyll a concentrations of phytoplankton ranged from 0.71 to 1.71 mg/L (1.11 mg/L), showing higher July than September and November with a blooming in summer. The mean concentration values (the ranges in parentheses) of nitrate, phosphate, and silicate are 0.029-0.206 mg/L (0.101 mg/L), 0.001-0.027 mg/L (0.007 mg/L), 0.024-0.682 mg/L (0.454 mg/L), respectively. However, the values higher coastal zone due to influxes from the land. A total of 37 species was identified. of these mollusca comprised 29 secies (78.4%); Echinodermata 5 (13.5%); Arthropoda 3 (8.1%). density and biomass were estimated to be 550 ind./$m^2$ and 20,951.8 gwwt/$m^2$, respectively. Mollusca were the most dominant faunal group in terms of abundance (481 ind./$m^2$) and number of species as well, whereas bivalves were predominant in biomass (16,647.6 gwwt/$m^2$). The dominant species were Vasticardium burchardi, Oblimopa japonica, Mactar achatina, Bornatemishistrioiw akawai, Paphia vernicosa, Amusium japonicum, Glycymeris albolineata, Astriclypeus manni in 15-30 m. The seasonal variation appeared as distinct, Mollusca of individual and biomass. When summer was make a slow increase, after the highest decrease in autumn. The abundance of macrobenthic invertebrates showed significant correlation with environmental factors (Chlorophyll a, DIN, $SiO_2$, Fine sand, Very fine sand) in almost all sampling depths. The biodiversity, evenness richness index were appeared 1.56-2.50 (H'), 0.49-0.80 (E'), 4.12-4.67 (R) in each stations. The dominace index were appeared Highest in November and lowest in September.

Characteristics of Variation of Suspended Matters in the Cheju Coastal Area of Korea (제주 연안해역의 부유물질 변화특성)

  • Youn, Jeung-Su;Pyen, Choong-Kyu
    • Journal of Aquaculture
    • /
    • v.5 no.1
    • /
    • pp.93-108
    • /
    • 1992
  • This study was conducted to understand the variation of suspended matters in coastal waters of Cheju Island. Water sampling was carried out at 22 stations along the coast of this island from March 1988 to November 1989. Analyzed and/or observed items were water temperature, salinity, total solids (TS), total dissolved solids (TDS), volatile suspended solids (VSS), and fixed suspended solids (FSS). Inter-relationships between wind velocity, precipitation and total suspended solids (TSS) were also investigated. More windy days prevail in winter season (December, January and February) in Cheju Island. Thirty-six points seven percent of total windy days of a year appeared in this season. The rate of windy days in spring was $27.3\%$ and those in summer and fall were $17.9{\%}$ each. From February to July, the heaviest precipitation was observed in the southeastern area and that from August to January was observed in the eastern part of this island. TS and TDS were firmly related with the fluctuation of salinity. Therefore, there were higher in spring and lower in summer. The highest TSS (7.73 $mg/{\ell}$) was observed in February and was the lowest (4.73 $mg/{\ell}$) in September. Annual mean value of TSS was 6.3$mg/{\ell}$. The highest VSS (2.03 $mg/{\ell}$) was observed in July and lowest (1.42 $mg/{\ell}$) in September. The percentage of VSS per 755 was $30.6{\%}$ in average that was not much higher level compared to the other polluted areas. This value became higher in summer (av. $34.17{\%}$) and lower in winter (av. $24.2{\%}$). Fluctuation of TSS was mainly related with the freshwate. discharge, tidal action, and re-suspension of bottom sediments by the wind waves. Therefore, TSS concentration was low in summer and hish in winter.

  • PDF

Prediction of Seabed Topography Change Due to Construction of Offshore Wind Power Structures in the West-Southern Sea of Korea (서남해에서 해상풍력구조물의 건설에 의한 해저지형의 변화예측)

  • Jeong, Seung Myung;Kwon, Kyung Hwan;Lee, Jong Sup;Park, Il Heum
    • Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
    • /
    • v.31 no.6
    • /
    • pp.423-433
    • /
    • 2019
  • In order to predict the seabed topography change due to the construction of offshore wind power structures in the west-southern sea of Korea, field observations for tides, tidal currents, suspended sediment concentrations and seabed sediments were carried out at the same time. These data could be used for numerical simulation. In numerical experiments, the empirical constants for the suspended sediment flux were determined by the trial and error method. When a concentration distribution factor was 0.1 and a proportional constant was 0.05 in the suspended sediment equilibrium concentration formulae, the calculated suspended sediment concentrations were reasonably similar with the observed ones. Also, it was appropriate for the open boundary conditions of the suspended sediment when the south-east boundary corner was 11.0 times, the south-west was 0.5 times, the westnorth 1.0 times, the north-west was 1.0 times and the north-east was 1.0 times, respectively, using the time series of the observed suspended sediment concentrations. In this case, the depth change was smooth and not intermittent around the open boundaries. From these calibrations, the annual water depth change before and after construction of the offshore wind power structures was shown under 1 cm. The reason was that the used numerical model for the large scale grid could not reproduce a local scour phenomenon and they showed almost no significant velocity change over ± 2 cm/s because the jacket structures with small size diameter, about 1 m, were a water-permeable. Therefore, it was natural that there was a slight change on seabed topography in the study area.

Effect of a Freshwater Bivalve (Unio douglasiae) and a Submerged Plant (Potamogeton crispus) on the Growth Inhibition of a Cyanobacterium Oscillatoria sp. (담수패류(Unio douglasiae)와 침수식물(Potamogeton crispus)의 유해 남조 Oscillatoria sp. 성장억제 효과)

  • Kim, Keun-Hee;Kim, Baik-Ho;Park, Myung-Hwan;Hwang, Soon-Jin
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
    • /
    • v.41 no.spc
    • /
    • pp.68-76
    • /
    • 2008
  • This study examined the inhibition effects of a freshwater bivalve (Unio douglasiae) and a submerged plant (Potamogeton crispus) on the cyanobacterial bloom (Oscillatoria sp.). The experiment were conducted in aquarium $(50cm{\times}65cm{\times}120cm)$ with lake sediments in the bottom of the aquarium in 10 cm thick. Before the experiments, artificial cyanobacterial bloom was induced with the addition of lake sediment and CB medium. Total 12 transparent acrylic cylinders (${\Phi}19cm$, height 40 cm) were placed in the aquarium, and within which bivalves and plants were placed in various conditions such as the control (C), plant addition (P:5 stems), mussel addition (U:2 individuals), and both mussel and plant addition (PU: the same quantity as used in each treatment). The experiment was conducted in triplicate during 7 days. pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), electric conductivity (EC), salinity, cyanobacterial cell density, chlorophyll-${\alpha}$ concentration, and mussel filtering rate were monitored daily. At the end of the experiment, total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), and plant height and weight were measured. Overall, a large degree of cyanobacterial growth inhibition appeared in both P and U treatments, and the effect was highest in the U treatment, followed by P and PU. The combined treatment of both U and P did not show any synergic effects compared to the effect in separated treatment. In all enclosures of the treatments chlorophyll-${alpha}$ (Chl-${alpha}$) concentration decreased until 36 hours after the additions of the plants and mussels. In contrast, Chl-${alpha}$ concentrations increased in PU enclosures after 36 hours. The same trend was shown in the cell density of Oscillatoria. pH and DO gradually decreased until 120 and 144 hours, respectively, in the P and PU enclosures. TP concentration increased in the mussel enclosures (U and PU), while TN concentration largely decreased in the plant enclosures (P and PU). Our results suggest that applied bivalve (Unio) and submerged plant (Potamogeton) seemed to have a potential effect on the growth inhibition of cyanobacteria, but their combined application may have an antagonistic effect to diminish the degree of the inhibition.

The Geochemical Characteristics and Environmental Factors on the Marine Shellfish Farm in Namhae-po Tidal Flat of Taean (태안 남해포 갯벌 패류양식해역의 환경특성)

  • Choi, Yoon Seok;Park, Kwang Jae;Yoon, Sang Pil;Chung, Sang Ok;An, Kyoung Ho;Song, Jae Hee
    • The Korean Journal of Malacology
    • /
    • v.29 no.1
    • /
    • pp.51-63
    • /
    • 2013
  • To assess the effect of environmental factors on the sustainability of cultured production shellfish, we investigated the habitat characteristics of tidal flat (Namhae-po in Taean). We measured the physiochemical parameters (temperature, salanity, pH, dissolved oxygen and nutrients) and the geochemical characteristics (chemical oxygen demand, ignition loss, C/N ratio and C/S ratio). Surface sediments were collected from several site of tidal flat to examine the geochemical characteristics of both the benthic environment and heavy metal pollution. The grain size for research area of tidal flat were similar at the ratio of silt and clay in comparison with the other site of it. The C/N ratio was more than 5.0, reflecting the range arising from the mix of marine organism and organic matter. The C/S ratio (about 2.8) showed that survey area had anoxic or sub-anoxic bottom conditions. The enrichment factor (Ef) and index of accumulation rate (Igeo) of the metals showed that those research areas can be classified as heavily polluted, heavily to moderately polluted, or more or less unpolluted, respectively. Adult surf clam (Mactra veneriformis) density was highest at St. 2 (middle part of the Namhae-po), on the other hand, surf clam spat density was highest at St. 3 (lower part of the Namhae-po). Heavy rain, terrigenous suspended clay with fresh water from neighboring agricultural land, and severe high air temperature during summer could be thought as detrimental causes of spat and adult mortality in Namhae-po tidal flat. We suggested that the growth of shellfish in the tidal flat was effected by the various environmental conditions, so an improvement in the cultured method was needed.

A Experimental Study on Exclusion Ability of Riprap into Bypass Pipe (저층수 배사관 내 유입된 사석 배출능력에 대한 연구)

  • Jeong, Seok Il;Lee, Seung Oh
    • KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
    • /
    • v.37 no.1
    • /
    • pp.239-246
    • /
    • 2017
  • There are various transversal structures (small dams or drop structures) in median and small streams in Korea. Most of them are concrete structures and it is so hard to exclude low-level water. Unless drainage valves and/or gates would not be installed near bottom of bed, sediment from upstream should be deposited and also contaminants attached to the sediments would devastatingly threaten the water quality and ecosystem. One of countermeasures for such problem is the bypass pipe installed underneath the transversal structure. However, there is still issued whether it would be workable if the gravels and/or stones would roll into and be not excluded. Therefore, in this study, the conditions to exclude the rip stone which enter into the bypass pipe was reviewed. Based on sediment transport phenomenon, the behavior of stones was investigated with the concepts from the critical shear stress of sediment and d'Alembert principle. As final results, the basis condition (${\tau}_c{^*}$) was derived using the Lagrangian description since the stones are in the moving state, not in the stationary state. From hydraulic experiments the relative velocity could be obtained. In order to minimize the scale effect, the extra wide channel of 5.0 m wide and 1.0 m high was constructed and the experimental stones were fully spherical ones. Experimental results showed that the ratio of flow velocity to spherical particle velocity was measured between 0.5 and 0.7, and this result was substituted into the suggested equation to identify the critical condition wether the stones were excluded. Regimes about the exclusion of stone in bypass pipe were divided into three types according to particle Reynolds number ($Re_p$) and dimensionless critical shear force (${\tau}_c{^*}$) - exclusion section, probabilistic exclusion section, no exclusion section. Results from this study would be useful and essential information for bypass pipe design in transveral structures.