• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.351-359
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• 2006

We investigated subsurface structures of the Bransfield Basin, the Antarctic with AUH (Autonomous Underwater Hydrophne) which was designed to record abyssal T-waves generated from submarine earthquakes. The data obtained from a multi-channel seismic survey and an AUH were used for this study. A seismic reflection method was applied to the multi-channel seismic survey data in order to identify bathymetry and sedimentary structures, and the signals recorded in the AUH were used to obtain deep structures as we applied a seismic refraction method. Even though we couldn’t investigate deeper and detailed structure in study area because of lack of Airgun’s capacity, the AUH showed possibilities for being used for a marine seismic survey. From this experiment, we decided the upper and lower sediment layer velocities, detected irregular basement topography probably caused by submarine volcanic/magmatic activities, and retrieved the velocity of the basement and the depth of the sediment layer/basement boundary.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.241-250
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• 1999

Reflection coefficients of the seafloor have been calculated from the amplitude ratio of secondary to primary water bottom reflection in seismic data obtained from Bransfield Strait, Antarctic Peninsula. Test processing for the coefficients shows that moving average is effective to reduce severe fluctuation of the coefficient measured at each point. Relationship between the coefficients and the properties of water bottom is analyzed to illuminate geological environment. In the central Bransfield Basin, the magnitude of reflection coefficients decreases as it is distant from the sedimentary sources. Reflection coefficients range from 0.12 to 0.2 near the continental slope of the basin, and from 0.1 to 0.12 in the basin floor. In the western Bransfield basin, reflection coefficients between 0.2 to 0.3 are obtained from the area eroded by glacial movement. On the volcanic structures near Deception Island, the coefficients show relatively high values more than 0.2. Paleo-geological structures uplifted by tectonic movement and outcropped by glacial erosion have relatively high coefficients.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.130-137
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• 2001

A total of 58 species of radiolarians belonging to 41 genera were identified in 44 samples from core A9-EB2 of the Bransfield Basin in the Antarctic. The radiolarian assemblages from A9-EB2 are generally very low in abundance.The dominant species are Antarctissa denticulata, A. longa, A. strelkovi, Lithomelissa setosa, Lifhomitra lineata, Peridium longispinum and Phormacantha hystrix, constituting 75% of the total assemblage. Genera Challenge개n and Protocystis belonging to family Challeneriidae, found in core A9-EB2 have been recorded in the Quaternary sediments. Therefore, the geologic age of core A9-EB2 in Bransfield Basin is regarded to be Quternary (Pleistocene-Holocene). Typical circumpolar taxa such as Antarctissa strelkovi, A. denticulata, Cycladophora davisiana and Larcopyle buetschlii are representing the influence of waters from Bellingshausen Sea and Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Plectacantha oikiskos and Phomacantha hystrix are considered as a coastal indicator. Also, low amounts of Lithomelissa setosa are related to pelagic condition and entrance of cold waters from the Western Weddell Sea into Bransfield Basin. Therefore, the core sediments in Bransfield Basin were deposited under the coastal condition mainly influenced by the waters from Bellingshausen Sea and Antarctic Circumpolar Current. but also by the water from the Western Weddell Sea of the open-water condition.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.99-112
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• 2004

The Basin, a marginal basin located between the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands, is consist of three small basins, the Central, Eastern, Western Basins. Seismic data obtained on December 1995 show well-defined spreading ridges, basement highs, faults, morphology of the basin, distribution of sediments, crustal and sedimentary deformation, diapirs, and contourites. The main spreading axis of the Central Bransfield Basin connecting Deception and Bridgeman Islands continues up to the central part of the Eastern Basin, whereas deep basin covered by thick sediments without any spreading structures develops in the northeastern part. This indicates that back-arc spreading along the axis of the Bransfield Basin has been taken place in the southwestern part of the Eastern Basin, not in the northeastern part. Many NW-SE trending faults perpendicular to the axis of the basin would be related with strike-slip movement of the Shackleton Fracture. Zone. Extensinal strutures like deep basin without any spreading structures in the northeastern part, normal faults and diapirs on both continental slopes of the Eastern Basin would be formed by extension as a consequence of the sinistral movement between Antarctic and the Scotia plates.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.41-52
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• 2003

Sediment trap samples were collected to find out characteristic behaviors of metals in the settling particles by using time-series sediment traps at 678m and 1678m water depths in the Bransfield Strait from December 27th, 1999 to December 26th, 2000. Total mass fluxes at the intermediate water depth (678m water depth) were high in the austral summer and low in the austral winter, whereas at the deep water depth (1678m water depth) they showed high values in both the summer and winter. Total mass fluxes were generally higher in the deep water depth than in the intermediate water depth, which indicates that a substantial amount of sediments are laterally transported by strong currents into the deep basin from the shallow water depths. Aluminium contents also showed large seasonal variations with high values in the winter and low values in the summer. On the contrary, organic carbon contents were high in the summer and low in the winter. Al contents were negatively correlated with organic carbon contents, which may be ascribed that detrital particles are diluted by organic matter produced by phytoplankton in the surface waters. Metals measured in this study exhibited three characteristic behaviors; 1) a positive correlation with Al-Ti, Fe, Mn, V, Co, and Ba, 2) a negative correlation with Al-Cd and Zn, 3) no relationship with Al-Sr, Cu, Cr, Ni. Terrestrial materials may act as a major source fer metals that are positively correlated with Al, and organic matter may be a major source for metals that are negatively correlated with Al. Enrichment factor (EF) of Fe, Mn, Ba, Vi Co, Sr, Cr, and Ni ranged from 0.5 to 1.5, whereas EF of Zn, Cu, and Cd showed much higher values than 1.

• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.5 no.1_2 s.6
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• pp.9-15
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• 1997

The study area is located in the Central Bransfield Basin, Antarctica. To analyze the morphology of seafloor, structure of basement, and seismic stratigraphy of the sedimentary layers, we have acquired, processed, and interpreted the multi-channel seismic data. The northwest-southeastern back-arc extension dramatically changes seafloor morphology, volcanic and fault distribution, and basin structure along the spreading ridges. The northern continental shelf shows a narrow, steep topography. In contrast, the continental shelf or slope in the south, which is connected to the Antarctic Peninsula, has a gentle gradient. Volcanic activities resulted in the formation of large volcanos and basement highs near the spreading center, and small-scale volcanic diapirs on the shelf. A very long, continuous normal fault characterizes the northern shelf, whereas several basinward synthetic faults probably detach into the master fault in the south. Four transfer faults, the northwest-southeastern deep-parallel structures, controlled the complex distributions of the volcanos, normal faults, depocenters, and possibly hydrocarbon provinces in the study area. They have also deformed the basement structure and depositional pattern. Even though the Bransfield Basin was believed to be formed in the Late Cenozoic (about 4 Ma), the hydrocarbon potential may be very high due to thick sediment accumulation, high organic contents, high heat flow resulted from the active tectonics, and adequate traps.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.190-197
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• 2015

This study investigated the paleoclimatic change using diatoms that were extracted from the high-resolution laminated layers of diatom ooze sediment cores GC08-EB01 in the eastern basin of the Bransfield Strait, Antarctica. The range of diatom valves per gram of dry sediment was from $0.4-4.2{\times}10^8g^{-1}$ in quantitative diatom assemblage analysis. Laminations are classified using visually dominant diatom species and terrigenous content. Biogenic diatom ooze laminae characterised by bloom of Corethron crilophilum, Eucampia antarctica, Fragilariopsis curta, F. kerguelensis, Odontella weissflogii, Proboscia inermis, R. styliformis, Thalassiosira antarctica, and Chaetoceros resting spores. Terrigenous laminae characterised by mixed diatom assemblage. The ratio of (Fragilariopsis curta+F. cylindrus)/Thalassiosira antarctica increase in horizons, suggesting increased sea-ice cover in the study area during the late Holocene (cold events). As a result, five cold events are identified on the basis of frequency of the critical taxa throughout the section.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.36-43
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• 2008

Many plutonic rock fragments of granitic composition were collected from the Deception Island. We obtained K-Ar ages of $62.5{\pm}1.2\;Ma$ and $140.7{\pm}2.7\;Ma$ from the two samples. Such result contradicts the general belief that most of the volcanic rocks of Deception Island are products of very recent activities and their maximum age does not exceed 200 ka. On the other hand, Mesozoic to Cenozoic rocks produced by subduction-related active magmatism have been reported from both South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula, located to the north and south of the Deception Island respectively. Also, various kinds of plutonic rocks with granitic composition are distributed widely. Therefore, plutonic rock fragments with granitic composition discovered from the Deception Island seem to indicate their derivation by capturing granitic crustal material underlying volcanic edifice during the volcanic activities, instead of differentiation from magmas related with recent volcanism. Ages and rock types of the plutonic rock fragments suggest arc-related origin just as adjacent South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninasula.