• Title/Summary/Keyword: Marine sediments

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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
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    • v.35 no.1
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    • pp.35-45
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    • 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.

Temporal and Spatial Variation of Microalgal Biomass and Community Structure in Seawater and Surface Sediment of the Gomso Bay as Determined by Chemotaxonomic Analysis (색소분석을 통한 곰소만 내 해수와 퇴적물 중 미세조류 생체량과 군집구조의 시공간적 변화)

  • Lee, Yong-Woo;Park, Mi-Ok;Yoon, Ji-Hyun;Hur, Sung-Bum
    • The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.87-94
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    • 2012
  • To compare monthly variations of phytoplankton biomass and community composition between in seawater and sediment of the Gomso Bay (tidal flat: approximately 75%), the photosynthetic pigments were analyzed by HPLC every month in 1999 and every two months in 2000. Ambient physical and chemical parameters (temperature, salinity, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, and chemical oxygen demand) were also examined to find the environmental factors controlling structure of phytoplankton community. The temporal and spatial variations of chlorophyll a concentration in seawater were correlated well with the magnitude of freshwater discharge from land. The biomass of microphytobenthos at the surface sediments was lower than that in other regions of the world and 2-3 times lower than phytoplankton biomass integrated in the seawater column. Based on the results of HPLC pigment analysis, fucoxanthin, a marker pigment of diatoms, was the most prominent pigment and highly correlated with chlorophyll a in seawater and sediment of the Gomso Bay. These results suggest that diatoms are the predominant phytoplankton in seawater and sediment of the Gomso Bay. However, the monthly variation of chlorophyll a concentration in seawater at the subtidal zone was not a good correlation with that in sediment of the Gomso Bay. Although pelagic plankton was identified in seawater by microscopic examination, benthic algal species were not found in the seawater. These results suggest that contribution from the suspended microphytobenthos in the tidal flat to the subtidal zone of the Gomso Bay may be low as a food source to the primary consumer in the upper water column of the subtidal zone. Further study needs to elucidate the vertical and horizontal transport magnitude of the suspended microphytobenthos in the tidal flat to the subtidal zone.

Distribution Characteristics of Land and River Aggregate Resources in Yeongam Area by Deposition Period (영암지역 육상 및 하천 골재의 퇴적 시기별 분포 특성)

  • Jin Cheul Kim;Sei Sun Hong;Jin-Young Lee;Ju Yong Kim
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.57 no.2
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    • pp.243-251
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    • 2024
  • In this study, a surface geological survey was first conducted to investigate aggregate resources in the Yeongam area of Jeollanam-do, and a drilling survey was conducted in the lower part of the surface, which was difficult to identify through a surface geological survey, to determine the spatial distribution of aggregates. Drilling sites were selected considering the topographical development and Quaternary alluvium characteristics of the study area, and river aggregate drilling surveys were conducted at a total of 5 points and land aggregate drilling surveys were conducted at a total of 28 points. Borehole core sediments were classified into seven sedimentary units to determine whether they could be used as aggregates, and optically stimulated luminescence dating was performed on representative boreholes to measure the depositional period for each sedimentary unit. As a result of the study, most of the Yeongam area had a very wide river basin, so it was estimated that there would be a large amount of aggregate, but the amount of aggregate was evaluated to be very small compared to other cities and counties. Most of the unconsolidated sedimentary layers in the Yeongam area are composed of blue-grey marine clay with a vertical thickness of more than 10 m. The sand-gravel layer corresponding to the aggregate section is distributed in the lower part of the marine clay, thinly covering the bedrock weathering zone. This is because the amount of aggregates themselves is small and most of the aggregates are distributed at a depth of 10 m below the surface, which is currently difficult to develop, so the possibility of developing aggregates is evaluated to be very low. As a result of dating, it can be seen that the blue-grey marine clay layer is an intertidal sedimentary layer formed as the sea level rose rapidly about 10,000 years ago. The deposition process continued from 10,000 years ago to the present, and as a result, a very thick clay layer was deposited. This clay layer was formed very dominantly for about 6,000 to 8,000 years, and the sand-gravel layer in the section where aggregates deposited in the Pleistocene period can exist was measured to have been deposited at about 13.0 to 19.0 ka, and about 50 ka, showing that it was deposited as paleo-fluvial deposits before the marine transgression process.

Geology of Athabasca Oil Sands in Canada (캐나다 아사바스카 오일샌드 지질특성)

  • Kwon, Yi-Kwon
    • The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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    • v.14 no.1
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    • pp.1-11
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    • 2008
  • As conventional oil and gas reservoirs become depleted, interests for oil sands has rapidly increased in the last decade. Oil sands are mixture of bitumen, water, and host sediments of sand and clay. Most oil sand is unconsolidated sand that is held together by bitumen. Bitumen has hydrocarbon in situ viscosity of >10,000 centipoises (cP) at reservoir condition and has API gravity between $8-14^{\circ}$. The largest oil sand deposits are in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada. The reverves are approximated at 1.7 trillion barrels of initial oil-in-place and 173 billion barrels of remaining established reserves. Alberta has a number of oil sands deposits which are grouped into three oil sand development areas - the Athabasca, Cold Lake, and Peace River, with the largest current bitumen production from Athabasca. Principal oil sands deposits consist of the McMurray Fm and Wabiskaw Mbr in Athabasca area, the Gething and Bluesky formations in Peace River area, and relatively thin multi-reservoir deposits of McMurray, Clearwater, and Grand Rapid formations in Cold Lake area. The reservoir sediments were deposited in the foreland basin (Western Canada Sedimentary Basin) formed by collision between the Pacific and North America plates and the subsequent thrusting movements in the Mesozoic. The deposits are underlain by basement rocks of Paleozoic carbonates with highly variable topography. The oil sands deposits were formed during the Early Cretaceous transgression which occurred along the Cretaceous Interior Seaway in North America. The oil-sands-hosting McMurray and Wabiskaw deposits in the Athabasca area consist of the lower fluvial and the upper estuarine-offshore sediments, reflecting the broad and overall transgression. The deposits are characterized by facies heterogeneity of channelized reservoir sands and non-reservoir muds. Main reservoir bodies of the McMurray Formation are fluvial and estuarine channel-point bar complexes which are interbedded with fine-grained deposits formed in floodplain, tidal flat, and estuarine bay. The Wabiskaw deposits (basal member of the Clearwater Formation) commonly comprise sheet-shaped offshore muds and sands, but occasionally show deep-incision into the McMurray deposits, forming channelized reservoir sand bodies of oil sands. In Canada, bitumen of oil sands deposits is produced by surface mining or in-situ thermal recovery processes. Bitumen sands recovered by surface mining are changed into synthetic crude oil through extraction and upgrading processes. On the other hand, bitumen produced by in-situ thermal recovery is transported to refinery only through bitumen blending process. The in-situ thermal recovery technology is represented by Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage and Cyclic Steam Stimulation. These technologies are based on steam injection into bitumen sand reservoirs for increase in reservoir in-situ temperature and in bitumen mobility. In oil sands reservoirs, efficiency for steam propagation is controlled mainly by reservoir geology. Accordingly, understanding of geological factors and characteristics of oil sands reservoir deposits is prerequisite for well-designed development planning and effective bitumen production. As significant geological factors and characteristics in oil sands reservoir deposits, this study suggests (1) pay of bitumen sands and connectivity, (2) bitumen content and saturation, (3) geologic structure, (4) distribution of mud baffles and plugs, (5) thickness and lateral continuity of mud interbeds, (6) distribution of water-saturated sands, (7) distribution of gas-saturated sands, (8) direction of lateral accretion of point bar, (9) distribution of diagenetic layers and nodules, and (10) texture and fabric change within reservoir sand body.

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A Seismic Study on Muddy Sediment Deposits in the Northern Shelf of the East China Sea (동중국해 북부대륙붕에 발달한 니질 퇴적체의 탄성파 연구)

  • Choi Dong-Lim;Lee Tae-Hee;Yoo Hae-Soo;Lim Dhong-Il;Huh Sik;Kim Kwang-Hee
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.38 no.6 s.175
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    • pp.633-642
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    • 2005
  • We present the sedimentary sequence and distribution pattern of the late Holocene muddy deposits in the northern East China Sea shelf using the high-resolution 'Chirp' profiles. The seismic sedimentary sequence overlying acoustic basement (basal reflector-B) can be divided into two depositional units (Unit 1 and 2) bounded by erosional bounding surface (mid reflector-M). The lower Unit 1 above basal reflector-H is characterized by the acoustically parallel to subparallel reflections and channel-fill facies. The upper Unit 2, up to 7 m in thickness, shows seismically semi-transparent seismic facies and lenticular body form. On the base of sequence stratigraphic concept, these two sediment units have developed during transgression and highstand period, respectively, since the last sea-level lowstand. The transgressive systems tract (Unit 1) lie directly on the sequence boundary (reflector B) that have farmed during the last glacial maximum. The transgressive systems tract in this study consists mostly of complex of delta, fluvial, and tidal deposits within the incised valley estuary system. The maximum flooding surface (reflector M) corresponding to the top surface of transgressive systems tract is obviously characterized by erosional depression. The highstand systems tract (Unit 2) above maximum flooding surface is made up of the mud patch filled with the erosional depression. The high-stand mud deposits showing a circle shape just like a typhoon symbol locates about 140 km off the south of Cheju Island with water depth of $60\~90m$. Coverage area and total sediment volume of the mud deposits are about $3,200km^2$ and $10.7\times10^9\;m^3$, respectively. The origin of the mud patch is interpreted as a result of accumulating suspended sediments derived from the paleo-Yellow and/or Yangtze Rivers. The circular distribution pattern of the mud patch appears to be largely controlled by the presence of cyclonic eddy in the northern East China Sea.

Topographical Change Monitoring of the Sandbar and Estimation of Suspended Solid Flux in the Nakdong River Estuary - Focused on Jinudo - (낙동강 하구역 사주지형 변동과 부유사(SS) 수송량 산정 - 진우도를 중심으로 -)

  • Lee, I.C.;Lim, S.P.;Yoon, H.S.;Kim, H.T.
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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    • v.11 no.2
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    • pp.70-77
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    • 2008
  • In this study, to establish countermeasure from marine casualties as a basic study fur long-term prediction of topographical change around Jinudo in the Nakdong river estuary, spatio-temporal topographical change monitoring was carried out. Also, in order to estimate the deposition variations concerning SS (Suspended Solid) flux which moved at St.S1 during neap and spring tide, respectively. From the topographical monitoring, it was found that the annual mean ground level and deposition rate were 141 mm and 0.36 mm/day and all parts except the northern part of Jinudo had the active topographical changes and a tendency to annually deposit. From vertical distribution of SS net fluxes, $SS_{LH}$ (latitudinal SS net flux) during spring tide overall flows average 28 $kg/m^2/hr$ (eastward), and $SS_{LV}$ (longitudinal SS net flux) flows average 11.1 $kg/m^2/hr$ (northward). And, $SS_{LH}$ overall flows average 4.8 $kg/m^2/hr$ (eastward), and $SS_{LV}$ flows average 1.5 $kg/m^2/hr$ (northward) during neap tide similar with spring tide. The depth averaged values of the latitudinal and longitudinal SS net fluxes during spring tide were approximately 6 times higher than those during neap tide. As result of, it was considered that topographical change of southern part of Jinudo was affected by resuspension of bottom sediments due to strong current in bottom layer during flood flow.

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A Feasibility Study of AMT Application to Tidal Flat Sedimentary Layer (갯벌 지역의 하부퇴적층에 대한 AMT 탐사의 적용 가능성 평가)

  • Kwon, Byung-Doo;Lee, Choon-Ki;Park, Gye-Soon;Choi, Su-Young;Yoo, Hee-Young;Choi, Jong-Keun;Eom, Joo-Young
    • Journal of the Korean earth science society
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    • v.28 no.1
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    • pp.64-74
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    • 2007
  • The marine seismic prospecting using a research vessel in the shallow sea near the coastal area has certain limits according to the water depth and survey environment. Also, for the electrical resistivity survey at seashore area, one may need a specially designed high-voltage source to penetrate the very conductive surface layer. Therefore, we have conducted a feasibility study on the application of magnetotelluric method (MT), a passive geophysical method, on investigating of shallow marine environment geology. Our study involves both theoretical modeling and field survey at the tidal flat area which represent the very shallow marine environment. We have applied the audio-frequency magnetotelluric (AMT) method to the intertidal deposits of Gunhung Bay, west coast of Korea, and analysed the field data both qualitatively and quantitatively to investigate the morphology and sedimentary stratigraphy of the tidal flat. The inversion of AMT data well reveals the upper sedimentary layer of Holocene intertidal sediments having a range of 13-20 m thickness and the erosional patterns at the unconformable contact boundary. However, the AMT inversion results tend to overestimate the depth of basement (30-50 m) when compared with the seismic section (27-33 m). Since MT responses are not significantly sensitive to the resistivity of middle layer or the depth of basement, the AMT inversion result for basement may have to be adjusted using the comparison with other geophysical information like seismic section or logging data if possible. But, the AMT method can be an effective alternative choice for investigating the seashore area to get important basic informations such as the depositional environment of the tidal flat, sea-water intrusion and the basement structure near the sea shore.

Environmental Impact Assessment by Marine Cage Fish Farms: II. Estimation of Hydrogen Sulfide Oxidation Rate at $O_2$-H$_2$S Interface and Sulfate Reduction Rate in Anoxic Sediment Layer (해상 어류가두리양식장의 환경영향 평가: II. 가두리 양식장 퇴적물의 산소-황화수소 경계면에서 황화수소의 산화율 및 무산소 퇴적층에서 황산염 환원율 추정)

  • Lee, Jae-Seong;Kim, Kee-Hyun;Yu, Jun;Lee, Pil-Yong;Jung, Rae-Hong;Lee, Wong-Chan;Han, Jung-Jee;Lee, Yong-Hwa
    • The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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    • v.9 no.2
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    • pp.64-72
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    • 2004
  • We measured the vertical profiles of $O_2$, H$_2$S, and pH in sediment pore water beneath marine cage fish farms using a microsensor with a 25 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ sensor tip size. The sediments are characterized by high organic material load. The oxygen consumption, hydrogen sulfide oxidation, and sulfate reduction rates in the microzonations (derived from the vertical distribution of chemical species concentration) were estimated by adapting a simple one-dimensional diffusion-reaction model. The oxygen penetration depth was 0.75 mm. The oxic microzonations were divided into upper and lower layers. Due to hydrogen sulfide oxidation within the oxic zone, the oxygen consumption rate was higher in the lower layer. The total oxygen consumption rate integrated with reaction zone depth was estimated to be 0.092 $\mu$mol $O_2$cm$^{-2}$ hr$^{-1}$ . The total hydrogen sulfide oxidation rate occurring within 0.7 mm thickness was estimated to be 0.030 $\mu$mo1 H$_2$S cm$^{-2}$ hr$^{-1}$ , and its turnover time in the oxic sediment layer was estimated to be about 2 minutes. This suggests that hydrogen sulfide was oxidized by both chemical and microbial processes in this zone. The molar consumption ratio, calculated to be 0.84, indicates that either other electron accepters exit on hydrogen sulfide oxidation, or elemental sulfur precipitation occurs near the $O_2$- H$_2$S interface. Total sulfate reduction flux was estimated to be 0.029 $\mu$mol cm$^{-2}$ hr$^{-1}$ , which accounted for more than 60% of total $O_2$ consumption flux. This result implied that the degradation of organic matter in the anoxic layer was larger than in the oxic layer.

Seismic Stratigraphy and Evolutionary History of Submarine Canyon in the Northwestern Part of the Ulleung Basin, East Sea (동해 울릉분지 북서해역에 분포하는 해저협곡의 탄성파 층서와 발달사)

  • Kim, Ji Hyun;Kang, Nyeon Keon;Yi, Bo Yeon;Park, Yong Joon;Yoo, Dong Geun
    • Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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    • v.20 no.3
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    • pp.146-162
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    • 2017
  • Multibeam and seismic data in the northwestern part of the Ulleung Basin were analyzed to study stratigraphy and evolutionary history of submarine canyon. A detailed analysis reveals that the sedimentary sequences in this area consist of four stratigraphic units separated by erosional unconformities. On the continental slope, these units are dominated by well-stratified facies with some slope failures, whereas these units show well-stratified and chaotic facies toward the basin floor. Generally, the sediment thickness is relatively thin on the slope, whereas thick sediment accumulation occurs on the base of slope and basin floor. Based on seismic characteristics and distribution, the deposition of each units are well correlated with the evolutionary history of the submarine canyon. Unit 1 directly overlying the acoustic basement has thin sediment layer on the slope, whereas its thickness gradually increase toward the basin floor. Compared to other units, Unit 2 is relatively thick accumulations on the slope and contains some slope failures related to faults systems. The mass transport sediments due to slope failures, mainly deposited on the base of slope as a submarine fan. The width and depth of submarine canyon increase due to dominant of the erosional process rather than the sediment deposition. Unit 3 is thin accumulation on the slope around the submarine canyon. Toward the basin floor, its thickness gradually increases. Unit 4 is characterized by thin layers including slides and slumps on the slope, whereas it formed thick accumulations at the base of slope as a submarine fan. The increase in the width and depth of submarine canyon results from the dominant of the erosional process and slope failures around the submarine canyon. Consequently, the formation of sedimentary units combined with the development of submarine canyon in this area is largely controlled by the amounts of sediment supply originated from slope failures, regional tectonic effects and sea-level fluctuations.

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
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    • v.31 no.6
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    • pp.423-433
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    • 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.