• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.151-164
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• 2022

According to the records of historical and instrumental earthquakes, the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula is considered the highest seismic activity area. Owing to recent reports of numerous Quaternary faults along the Yangsan and Ulsan fault zones, paleoseismological studies are being actively conducted in these areas. The study area is located in the central part of the Ulsan fault zone, where the largest number of active faults have been reported. Based on lineament and geomorphic analysis using LiDAR images and aerial photographs, fault-related landforms showing topographic relief were observed and a trench survey was conducted. The trench length 20 m, width 5 m, depth 5 m is located approximately 300 m away to the northeast from the previously reported Malbang fault. From the trench section, we interpreted the geometric and kinematic characteristics of the fault based on the deformed features of the Quaternary sedimentary layers. The attitude of the reverse fault, N26°W/33°NE, is similar to those of the reported faults distributed along the Ulsan fault zone. Although a single apparent displacement of approximately 40 cm has been observed, the true displacement could not be calculated due to the absence of the slickenline on the fault plane. Based on the geochronological results of the cryogenic structure proposed in a previous study, the most recent faulting event has been estimated as being earlier than the late Wurm glaciation. We interpreted the thrust fault system of the study area as an imbrication structure based on the previous studies and the fault geometry obtained in this additional trench. Although several previous investigations including many trench surveys have been conducted, they found limited success in obtaining the information on fault parameters, which could be due to complex characteristics of the reverse fault system. Additional paleoseismic studies will contribute to solving the mentioned problems and the comprehensive fault evolution.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.67-83
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• 1986

Oriented hand samples were collected from Gobangsan Formation and Nogam Formation in the north of Danyang and south of Yeongchun, from Bansong Group in and around Danyang, from Nampo Group in Chungnam Coalfield, from Gyeongsang Supergroup distributed from Waegwan through Daegu to Gyeongsan and from Daegu to Goryong, and from volcanic flows in Jeongog area and Jeju Island to study the paleomagnetism of southern Korea since Permian. Stepwise alternating field and thermal demagnetization experiments were carried out to determine optimum fields and temperatures. Observed mean paleomagnetic directions are as follows: $D=331.5^{\circ}$, $I=25.1^{\circ}$, $a95=12.8^{\circ}$ for Permian, $D=325.6^{\circ}$, $I=46.1^{\circ}$, $a95=11.8^{\circ}$ for Triassic, $D=313.4^{\circ}$, $I=43.1^{\circ}$, $a95=16.0^{\circ}$ for early Jurassic, $D=41.3^{\circ}$, $I=64.6^{\circ}$, $a95=4.5^{\circ}$ for early Cretaceous, $D=28.3^{\circ}$, $I=58.1^{\circ}$, $a95=2.3^{\circ}$ for late Cretaceous, $D=2.0^{\circ}$, $I=55.8^{\circ}$, $a95=6.6^{\circ}$for Quaternary. To describe the tectonic translocation of southern Korean block, northern Eurasian continental block was used as a reference frame. For each age since Permian the expected northern Eurasian field directions in terms of paleolatitude and declination were calculated. The paleolatitudes of Permian ($13.2^{\circ}N$) and early Jurassic ($25.1^{\circ}N$) obtained from the study area are quite different from those of Permian ($66.0^{\circ}N$) and early Jurassic ($68.1^{\circ}N$) which are expected for northern Eurasia. The declinations of Permian ($331.5^{\circ}$) and early Jurassic ($313.4^{\circ}$) are also quite different from those of the Permian ($56.6^{\circ}$) and the early Jurassic ($47.5^{\circ}$) expected for northern Eurasia. The Cretaceous paleolatitude is similar to the expected within error limit, but the declination for the same period is significantly different from that of the expected for the northern Eurasia. From the above evidences it is suggested that the south Korean land mass had moved from low latitude in Permian to north and sutured to northern continental block since early Jurassic. The relative rotations of early Cretaceous($27.4^{\circ}$) and late Cretaceous($10.8^{\circ}$) to northern Eurasian continent reveal that the Korean land mass might be rotated clockwise in two different times, probably in late Early Cretaceous and in Tertiary.

• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.2 no.2 s.3
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• pp.59-70
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• 1994

The Cenozoic geological structures and the tectonic evolution of the southern Ulleung Basin were studied with seismic profiles and exploration well data. Basement structure of the Korea Strait is distinctly characterized by normal faults trending northeast to southwest. The normal faults of the basement are most likely related to the initial liking and extensional tectonics of Ulleung Basin. Tsushima fault along the west coast of Tsushima islands runs northeastward to the central Ulleung Basin. The Middle Miocene and older sequences in the Tsushima Strait show folds and faults mostly trending northeast to southwest. These folds and faults may be interpreted as a result of compressional tectonics. The Late Miocene to Qauternary sequences are not much deformed, but numerous faults mostly N-S trending are dominated in the Tsushima Strait. The Ulleung Basin was in intial rifting during Oligocene, and then active extension and subsidence from Early to early Middle Miocene. Therefore SW Japan separated from Korea Peninsula and drifted toward southeast, and Ulleung Basin was formed as a pull-apart basin under dextral transtensional tectonic regime. During rifting and extensional stage, Tsushima fault as a main tectonic line separating SW Japan block from the Korean Peninsula acted as a normal faulting with right-lateral strike-slip motion as SW Japan drifted southeastward. During middle Middle Miocene to early Late Miocene, the opening of Ulleung basin stopped and uplifted due to compressional tectonics. The southwest Japan block converging on the Korean Peninsula caused compressional stress to the southern margin of Ulleung Basin, resulting in strong deformation under sinistral transpressional tectonic regime. Tsushima fault acted as thrust fault with left-lateral strike-slip motion. From middle Late Miocene to Quaternary, the southern margin of Ulleung Basin has been controlled by compressional motion. Thus the Tsushima fault still appears to be an active thrust fault by compressional tectonic regime.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.153-171
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• 2018

This study focuses on the investigation of geologic distribution and stratigraphy in the eastern part of Yeongdeok-gun, based on Lidar imaging, detailed field survey, microscopic observations, SHRIMP and LA-MC-ICPMS U-Pb age dating, and a new geological map has been created. The stratigraphy of the study area is composed of the Paleoproterozoic metamorphic rocks consisting of banded gneisses of sedimentary origin and schists ($1841.5{\pm}9.6Ma$) of volcanic origin, Triassic Yeongdeok plutonic rocks ($249.1{\pm}2.3Ma$) and Pinkish granites ($242.4{\pm}2.4Ma$), Jurassic Changpo plutonic rocks ($193.2{\pm}1.9Ma{\sim}188.8{\pm}2.0Ma$) and Fine-grained granites ($192.9{\pm}1.7Ma$), Formations [Gyeongjeongdong Fm, Ullyeonsan Fm. (~108 Ma), Donghwachi Fm.] of the Early Cretaceous Gyeongsang Supergroup and acidic volcanic rocks and dykes erupted and intruded in the Late Cretaceous, Miocene intrusive rhyolitic tuffs ($23.1{\pm}0.2Ma{\sim}22.97{\pm}0.13Ma$) and sedimentary rocks of the Yeonghae basin, and the Quaternary sediments. The Triassic Pinkish granites, Jurassic Changpo plutonic rocks and Fine-grained granites are newly defined plutonic rocks in this study. Miocene intrusive rhyolitic tuffs bounded by the Yangsan Fault, which was first discovered in the north of Pohang city, are believed to play an important role in the understanding of the Miocene volcanic activity and the crustal deformation history on the Korean Peninsula. It is confirmed that The NNE-SSW-striking Yangsan Fault penetrating the central part of the study area and branch faults are predominant in the dextral movement and cutting all strata except the Quaternary sediments.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.145-153
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• 2013

High-resolution chirp profiles were analyzed to investigate the echo types of near-surface sediments in the Yellow Sea off the Baegryeong Island. On the basis of seafloor morphology and subbottom echo characters, 7 echo types were identified. Flat seafloor with no internal reflectors or moderately to well-developed subbottom reflectors (echo type 1-1 and 1-2) is mainly distributed in the southern part of the study area. Flat seafloor with superposed wavy bedforms (echo type 1-3) is also distributed in the middle part. Mounded seafloor with either smooth surface or superposed bedforms (echo type 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3) occurs in the middle part of the study area. Irregular and eroded seafloor with no subbottom reflectors (echo type 3-1) is present in the northern part of the study area off the Baegryeong Island. According to the distribution pattern and sedimentary facies of echo types, depositional environments can be divided into three distinctive areas: (1) active erosional zone due to strong tidal currents in the northern part; (2) formation of tidal sand ridges in response to tidal currents associated with sea-level rise distributed in the middle part; and (3) transgressive sand sheets in the southern part. Such a depositional pattern, including 7 echo types, in this area reflects depositional process related to the sea-level rise and strong tidal currents during the Holocene transgression.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.187-197
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• 2010

The paleoseismological study in Korea has begun along the Yangsan fault zone (YFZ) and Ulsan fault zone (UFZ) since 1994. Some evidences related to late Quaternary movement are found at only some part of the YFZ, such as Pyonghae, Yuge, and Eonyang-Tongdosa areas. However, it is found along the most of the UFZ except the northen and southern ends of the fault. The dominant time span of faulting events along the YFZ and UFZ are quite different, and 500 ka to 200 ka and 300 ka to recent time, respectively. The dominant faulting senses of the YFZ and UFZ are right-lateral strike slip and reverse, respectively. These senses correspond well with the focal mechanism of recent occurring earthquakes along these two fault zones. If we evaluate the intensity of the activity of the YFZ from the average slip rate, which is 0.1~0.04 m/ka, it is comparable with the faults of higher C class in Japan. The slip rate of UFZ, which is 0.2~0.06 m/ka, is comparable with the faults of lower B to higher C class. Based on the relationship between maximum displacement and magnitude, the maximum earthquake magnitude is evaluated to be 6.8 and 7.0 in the YFZ and UFZ, respectively. An intensive studies are needed to clarify the problems such as segmentation of faults, return period, and geological evidences related to historical earthquakes.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.211-221
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• 2011

Contents of biogenic components [opal, $CaCO_3$, TOC (total organic carbon)] were measured in Core LHB-3PC sediments collected off Lutzow-Holm Bay, in order to understand glacial-interglacial cyclic variation of the high-latitude surface-water paleoproductivity, in the Indian Sector of the Southern Ocean. An age model was established from the correlation of ARM/IRM ratios of Core LHB-3PC with LR04 stack benthic ${\delta}^{18}O$ records, in complement with radiocarbon isotope ages and biostratigraphic Last Appearance Datum (LAD). The core-bottom age was estimated to be about 700 ka. Although the $CaCO_3$ content is very low less than 1.0% throughout the core, the opal and TOC contents show clear glacial-interglacial cyclic variation such that they are high during the interglacial periods (7.2-50.3% and 0.05-1.00%, respectively) and low during the glacial periods (5.2-25.2% and 0.01-0.68%, respectively). According to the spectral analysis, the variation of opal content is controlled mainly by eccentricity forcing and subsequently by obliquity forcing during the last 700 kyrs. The opal contents of Core LHB-3PC also represent the apparent Mid-Pleistocene Transition (MPT)-related climatic variation in the glacial-interglacial cycles. In particular, the orbital variation of the opal contents shows increasing amplitudes since marine isotope stage (MIS) 11, which defines one of the important paleoclimatic events during the late Quaternary, called the "Mid-Brunhes Event". Based on the variation of the opal contents in Core LHB-3PC, we suggest that the surface-water paleoproductivity in the Indian Sector of the Southern Ocean followed the orbital (glacial-interglacial) cycles, and was controlled mainly by the extent of sea ice distribution during the last 700 kyrs.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.59-72
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• 1996

The stratigraphy of the Gomso-Bay tidal flat consists of basement, preHolocene oxidized unit, and Holocene tidal sequence in ascending order. The oxidized unit is a yellowish brown stiff mud of the last stadial (or subglacial) stage before 12,000 yr B.P. This yellowish brown preHolocene unit does not contain any marine fossils, but contains plant roots, plant fragments, and also vertical and horizontal microfractures indicating soil-formation when exposed. It is regarded as interfluve deposits. The Holocene tidal sequence is composed of lower mud facies (upper-flat muds), upper sand and muddy sand facies (middle to lower-flat sands). This coarsening-upward and retrograding pattern of Holocene tidal deposits reflects a Holocene sea-level rise. The plots of $\^$14/C-age versus depth of dated samples (peats and shells) show that the sea level of 7,000 yr B.P. was located about 6.5 m below the present mean sea level, and the sea levels of 4,000 yr B.P. and 2,000 yr B.P. were also situated about 3 m and 2.5 m below the present mean sea level, respectively.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.533-541
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• 2004

A steadily consolidated conglomerate formation (CCF) is developed thickly around Tabjeong-ri and Janghang-ri to the east of Tohamsan, Gyeongju City. The CCF has been regarded to a basal conglomerate, Cheonbug Conglomerate, of the Yonil Group by Tateiwa (1924). Son et al. (2000) correlated the CCF to the Songjeon Formation, which occupies the southwestern block of Tertiary Waup Basin. However, the Songjeon Formation stratigraphically does not face to the extension of the CCF. OSL (Optically Stimulated Luminescence) data on the reddish brown to bluish gray psammitic layers, which are intercalated in the CCF, yielded to 85∼92 ka. Therefore, the age of CCF constrains to the last interglacial stage (MIS 5c-5e) rather than the Early Miocene Cheonbug Conglomerate. The Late Pleistocene Tohamsan Formation (TF) is newly named to the CCF and is subdivided to megabreccias and boulders. A rectangular basin, in which the TF is accumulated, is bounded by Oedong and Yonil faults (segments of Yonil Tectonic Line) and is given a name of Toham Basin. Neotectonically, Pliocene EW-transpression gave an effect of the top-up-to-the-west reverse faulting and the accompanied normal fault movement during the last interglacial age (ca. 100 ka). The basin is graben type, in which basin fills are composed of collapsed colluvial deposits, TF.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.459-475
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• 2004

The geology of the Kualakulun area in Middle Kalimantan, Indonesia comprises Permian to Carboniferous Pinoh Metamorphic Rocks and Cretaceous Sepauk Plutonics of the Sunda Shield, late Eocene Tanjung Formation, Oligocene Malasan Volcanics, Oligocene to early Miocene Sintang Intrusives and Quaternary alluvium. Sepauk Plutonic rocks are classified as the calc-alkaline series and the S-type granite. Sintang Intrusive rocks are basic-intermediate and intermediate rocks, and consists of basalt, basaltic andesite, basaltic trachyandesite and trachyandesite. The Malasan Volcanics are characterized by intermediate dacitic pyroclasticl and minor lavas and belong to the subalkaline (calc-alkaline and tholeiitic) series. The whole-rock K-Ar ages of the fine-grained biotite granites and medium-grained granitoids were determined to be 100.5-106.5 Ma and 91.9-102.6 Ma, respectively. The whole-rock K-Ar age of the diorite is 89.1 Ma. K-Ar ages of the Malasan Volcanics and Shintang intrusives show 31.5-36.8 Ma and 24.6-34.5 Ma, respectively, and correspond to the Tertiary time.