• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.222-230
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• 2016

HEMIRE is a 6,000-meter-class remotely operated vehicle (ROV) that has been developed for observation and sampling of objects of interest on the deep seabed. We first carried out deep-seabed exploration around the slopes of the Hupo Bank and the Ulleung Basin in the East Sea in June 2015. Over two weeks, a total of 10 dives were made from a support ship, the R/V Onnuri, at eight stations with water depth ranging between 194 and 2,080 m. The dive times ranged from 1 to 6 hours, depending on the operating conditions. We obtained the following results: 1) video images of the deep seafloor; 2) red snow crab density data (a major fishery resource) and inventories of deep-sea fauna, including an unrecorded organism; 3) specific topographies such as canyons slopes; 4) an undisturbed sediment core obtained using a push corer; and 5) observations of the seabed surface covered with discarded anthropogenic waste material.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.78-87
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• 2017

For efficient data processing, trace interpolation and regularization techniques should be antecedently applied to the seismic data which were irregularly sampled with missing traces. Among many interpolation techniques, MWNI (Minimum Weighted Norm Interpolation) technique is one of the most versatile techniques and widely used to regularize seismic data because of easy extension to the high-order module and low computational cost. However, since it is difficult to interpolate spatially aliased data using this technique, model-constrained MWNI was suggested to compensate for this problem. In this paper, conventional MWNI and model-constrained MWNI modules have been developed in order to analyze their performance using synthetic data and validate the applicability to the field data. The result by using model-constrained MWNI was better in spatially aliased data. In order to verify the applicability to the field data, interpolation and regularization were performed for two field data sets, respectively. Firstly, the seismic data acquired in Ulleung Basin gas hydrate field was interpolated. Even though the data has very chaotic feature and complex structure due to the chimney, the developed module showed fairly good interpolation result. Secondly, very irregularly sampled and widely missing seismic data was regularized and the connectivity of events was quite improved. According to these experiments, we can confirm that the developed module can successfully interpolate and regularize the irregularly sampled field data.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.255-262
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• 2009

Conventionally, vertical-seismic-profiling (VSP) survey that provides high-resolution information has mainly performed to obtain the exact depth of the gas hydrate-bearing sediment, which is one of the key factors in the development of the gas hydrate. In this study, we extracted interval velocities and created corridor stacks from the first domestic zero-offset VSP data, which were acquired with three component receivers at UBGH09 borehole in Ulleung Basin where gas hydrate exists. Then we compared the corridor stacks with a CMP stacked section from surface seismic data. First of all, we converted the signals recorded with three component receivers to true vertical and horizontal components by phase rotation, and divided the data into direct waves and reflected waves by wavefield separation processing. The trend of the interval velocity extracted from the zero-offset VSP was similar to that of the sonic log obtained at the same borehole. Because the interval velocity of the gas hydrate-bearing sediment above the BSR was high, and it decreased suddenly through the BSR, we could infer that free gas is accumulated below the BSR. The results of comparing the corridor stacks to the CMP stacked section of the surface seismic data showed that most reflection events agreed well with those in the surface CMP stacked section and that the phase-rotated VSP data corresponded better with the surface seismic data than the VSP data without phase rotation. In addition, by comparing a corridor stack produced from the transverse component with the CMP stacked section of the surface seismic data, we could identify PS mode-converted reflections in the CMP stacked section.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.323-329
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• 2010

Three deconvolution methods were applied to stacked seismic data obtained to investigate gas-hydrates in the Ulleung Basin, East Sea: (1) minimum-phase spiking deconvolution, (2) minimum-phase spiking deconvolution using an averaged wavelet from all traces, and (3) deterministic deconvolution using a wavelet with phases computed from well-logs. We analyzed the resolving property of these methods for lithological boundaries. The first deconvolution method increases temporal resolution but decreases lateral continuity. The second method shows, in an overall sense, similar results to the spiking deconvolution using a minimum phase wavelet for each trace; however, it results in a more consistent and continuous bottom-simulating reflector (BSR) and better resolved sub-BSR reflectors. The results from the third method reveal more detailed internal structures of debris-flow deposits and increased continuity of reflectors; in addition, the seafloor reflection and the BSR appear to have changed to a zero-phase waveform. These properties help more precisely estimate the distribution and reserves of gas hydrates in the exploration area by improving analysis of facies and amplitude of the BSR.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2020

The acquisition and processing of long-offset data are essential for imaging deep geological structures in marine seismic surveys. It is challenging to derive an accurate subsurface image by employing conventional data processing to long-offset data owing to the normal moveout (NMO) stretch and non-hyperbolic moveout phenomena induced by seismic anisotropy. In 2017, the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources conducted a simultaneous two-dimensional multichannel streamer and ocean-bottom seismic survey using a 5.7-km streamer and an ocean-bottom seismometer to identify the deep geological structure of the Ulleung Basin. Herein, the actual geological subsurface structure was obtained via the sequential iterative updating of the velocity and anisotropic parameters of the long-offset data obtained using a multichannel streamer, and anisotropic prestack Kirchhoff migration was performed using the updated velocity and anisotropic parameters as input parameters. As a result, the reflection energy in the long-offset traces, which showed non-hyperbolic moveout owing to seismic anisotropy, was well aligned horizontally and NMO stretches were also reduced. Thus, a more precise and accurate migrated image was obtained, minimizing the distortion of reflectors and mispositioned reflection energy.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 1999

High-resolution images are drawn from existing seismic data which were originally obtained by Korea Ocean Research & Development Institute (KORDI) during 1994-1997 for deep seismic studies on the East Sea of Korea. These images are analyzed for mapping Quaternary faults and near-bottom gas pockets. First 12 channels are selected from shot gathers for reprocessing. The processing sequence adopted for high-resolution seismic images comprises data copy, trace editing, true amplitude recovery, common-midpoint sorting, initial muting, prestack deconvolution, bandpass filtering, stacking, highpass filtering, poststack deconvolution, f-x migration, and automatic gain control (AGC). Among these processing steps, predictive deconvolution, highpass filtering, and short window AGC are the most significant in enhancement of resolution. More than 200 Quaternanry faults are interpreted on the migrated sections in the shallow depths beneath the seafloor. Although numerous faults are found mostly at the western continental slope and boundaries of the Ulleung Basin, significant amount of the faults are also indicated within the basin. Many of these faults are believed to be formed with reactivation of basement, from geotectonic activities including volcanism, and often originated in Tertiary, indicating that the tectonic regime of the East Sea might be unstable. Existence of shallow gas pockets casts real hazardous warnings to deep-sea drillings and/or to underwater constructions such as inter-island cables and gas pipelines. On the other hand, discovery of these gas pockets heightens the interests in developing natural resources in the East Sea. Reprocessed seismic sections, however, show no typical seismic characteristics for gas hydrates such as bottom-simulating reflectors in the western continental slope and ocean floor.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.126-134
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• 2001

Several angular sandstone fragments (about 7 cm in longest diameter) occur in two piston cores, obtained from the submarine trough in the northeastern part of Korea Strait. The origin of the sandstone fragments and the paleoenvironment of trough sediment could be suggested from sedimentary facies analysis of cores and identification of ostracod within sandstone fragments. Echo characteristics around two core sites in submarine trough represent the prolonged bottom echoes with diffuse or no subbottom reflectors. The cores consist of a lower bioturbated mud and an upper gravelly sand sediments with sandstone/shell fragments. The bioturbated mud sediments show low water contents (27-44%) and high shear strength (19.2->37 kPa) compared with those of Holocene sediments (60-219% and 1.0-2.7 kPa, respectively) in the inner shelf and continental slope. However, clay contents (48-56%) of the bioturbated mud sediments are similar to those of fluviatile Holocene sediments in the inner shelf. The mean grain size of gravelly sand sediments ranges from 2.3 to 3.0 ${\phi}$ and shows coarsening upward with sandstone/shell fragments. The Holocene palimpsest in the continental shelf are composed of muddy sand sediments or sandy mud sediments (mean grain size: 4.6-7.6 ${\phi}$). Those suggest that two core sediments might be formed from Paleofluvial and paleocoastal deposits during sea-level lowstand. However, sandstone fragments mainly consist of quartz grains and bioclasts, with carbonate matrix, hollow pore, and glauconite. Two extinct ostracod species, Normanicythere sp. and Kotoracythere sp., are recovered in the sand-stone fragments of core EP-7, and they continued to exist from late Pliocene to early Pleistocene in cold water environment of this area. Thus, the sandstone fragments are interpreted to be formed at the paleocoastal environment derived from the Plio-Pleistocene outcrops exposed around the submarine trough during the LGM (Last Glacial Maximum) period.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.229-238
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• 2011

S-wave, which provides lithology and pore fluid information, plays a key role in estimating gas-hydrate saturation. In general, P- and S-wave velocities increase in the presence of gas-hydrate and the P-wave velocity decreases in the presence of free gas under the gas-hydrate layer. Whereas there are very small changes, even slightly increases, in the S-wave velocity in the free gas layer because S-wave is not affected by the pore fluid when propagating in the free gas layer. To verify those velocity properties of the BSR (bottom-simulating reflector) depth in the gas-hydrate prospect area in the Ulleung Basin, P- and S-wave velocity profiles were derived from multi-component ocean-bottom seismic data which were acquired by Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) in May 2009. OBS (ocean-bottom seismometer) hydrophone component data were modeled and inverted first through the traveltime inversion method to derive P-wave velocity and depth model of survey area. 2-D multichannel stacked data were incorporated as an initial model. Two horizontal geophone component data, then, were polarization filtered and rotated to make radial component section. Traveltimes of main S-wave events were picked and used for forward modeling incorporating Poisson's ratio. This modeling provides S-wave profiles and Poisson's ratio profiles at every OBS site. The results shows that P-wave velocities in most OBS sites decrease beneath the BSR, whereas S-wave velocities slightly increase. Consequently, Poisson's ratio decreased strongly beneath the BSR indicating the presence of a free gas layer under the BSR.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.19-32
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• 2018

During the process of gas hydrate extraction in the deep seabed, fine diatom particle migration occurs, which causes the seabed slope failure and the productivity deterioration of the gas hydrate. Therefore, a study related with the changes of the ground characteristics due to the fine particle migration is required. The objective of this study is to investigate the change of hydraulic properties of sand due to the migration of fine diatom particle in sandy soils. In order to simulate the sediments of the Ulleung basin gas hydrate in the East Sea, fifteen sand-diatom mixtures that have different diatom volume fractions (DVF) are prepared. During the falling head permeability tests, the coefficients of permeability are measured according to the DVF. In addition, for the simulation of the fine diatom particle migration, constant head permeability tests are conducted by applying the hydraulic pressures of 3 kPa, 6kPa, and 9 kPa on a specimen composed of two layers: a specimen with 50% DVF in upper layer and a specimen with 0% DVF in lower layer. Furthermore, the coefficient of permeability and the electrical resistivity of the migration zone are measured during the constant head permeability test. The falling head permeability tests show that the coefficient of permeability decreases as the DVF of the specimen increases. In addition, the gradient of the coefficient of permeability curve decreases in the DVF range of 10%~50% compared with that of 0%~10%, and increases above 50% in DVF. The result of constant head permeability tests shows that the coefficient of permeability decreases and electrical resistivity increases in the migration zone due to the fine diatom particle migration. This study demonstrates that fine diatom particle migration reduces the permeability of the soils and the behavior of the migration zone due to the fine diatom particle migration may be estimated based on the reversal relationship between the coefficient of permeability and the electrical resistivity.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.375-388
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• 2019

Accurate evaluation of sea-to-air $CO_2$ flux and its variability is crucial information to the understanding of global carbon cycle and the prediction of atmospheric $CO_2$ concentration. $fCO_2$ observations are sparse in space and time in the East Sea. In this study, we derived high resolution time series of surface $fCO_2$ values in the southwest East Sea, by feeding sea surface temperature (SST), salinity (SSS), chlorophyll-a (CHL), and mixed layer depth (MLD) values, from either satellite-observations or numerical model outputs, to three machine learning models. The root mean square error of the best performing model, a Random Forest (RF) model, was $7.1{\mu}atm$. Important parameters in predicting $fCO_2$ in the RF model were SST and SSS along with time information; CHL and MLD were much less important than the other parameters. The net $CO_2$ flux in the southwest East Sea, calculated from the $fCO_2$ predicted by the RF model, was $-0.76{\pm}1.15mol\;m^{-2}yr^{-1}$, close to the lower bound of the previous estimates in the range of $-0.66{\sim}-2.47mol\;m^{-2}yr^{-1}$. The time series of $fCO_2$ predicted by the RF model showed a significant variation even in a short time interval of a week. For accurate evaluation of the $CO_2$ flux in the Ulleung Basin, it is necessary to conduct high resolution in situ observations in spring when $fCO_2$ changes rapidly.