• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.9-21
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• 2014

We examined high-resolution seismic data, side scan sonar data, surface sediments, and vibrocore samples from a sand ridge off the western part of Dukjuk-Do in Gyeonggi Bay, with the aim of interpretation of seismic stratigraphy and sedimentary environment. Based on the seismic data, the deposited sands are divided into three sedimentary units. 14C age data indicate that the top sequence (sequence I) formed at 5000-6000 yr BP, when a transgression resulted in strong shifting tides. Analyses of the vibrocore samples indicate that sequence II is a paleo-mudflat layer of intertidal sediments dominated by mud. Sequence III consists of terrestrial sediments that are presumed to have been deposited at the end of the Pleistocene, unconformably overlying the acoustic bedrock and Mesozoic granite. The side scan sonar data indicate that sand waves were formed on the seabed on top of the sand ridge. Generally, this is the direction of $N20^{\circ}E$, which coincides with the direction of tidal flow. Sand ripples occur away from the top of the sand ridge and are distributed homogeneously across a sandy slope. Vibrocore analyses indicate that the surface sediments and core sediments (samples VC-1, -2, and -3) are homogeneous, without any internal structures, and are characterized by a mixture of medium and fine sand (1-$2{\phi}$), respectively.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.635-649
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• 2003

Heavy metal concentrations and benthic foraminiferal distributions were investigated in three short sediment cores in order to understand the pollution history in Masan Bay. Sedimentation rates were 0.33 cm/yr, 0.20 cm/yr and 0.33 cm/yr in the inner bay, the out fall of Dugdong sewage disposal plant, and bay mouth, respectively. The rapid increases of copper, zinc and lead concentrations at the core depth of 10 cm the upper part indicated that Masan Bay has been polluted with industrial wastes since the 1940s. Benthic foraminifera in core sediments show that the variations in their distribution were followed by industrial pollution in the bay. The number of individuals and species diversity decreased, whereas agglutinated tests increased upward in the cores with increased heavy metal pollution. These shifts effectd the abundance of few tolerant forms and consequently decreased the species diversity. The opportunistic species Eggerella advena and Trochammina pacifica increased in polluted sediments. These species can be used as an indicator for assessments of environmental quality in Masan Bay.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.55-67
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• 2012

For the development of gas hydrate as new future energy resources, the drilling was carried out at the five locations where have high potential as gas hydrate bearing sediments in Ulleung basin, offshore Korea in 2007. Well log data were obtained from all wells and core data were procured from 3 wells, UBGH1-04, UBGH1-09 and UBGH1-10. In this study, user-friendly software, "KMU GH Logs 2010", is developed and this software is based on the estimation methods developed in previous study for gas hydrate bearing sediments and the properties estimated from UBGH1-04, UBGH1-09 and UBGH1-10. Petrophysical properties in un-cored wells, UBGH1-01 and UBGH1-14, are also estimated by using well log data. Porosity is estimated by density log and gas hydrate saturation is calculated by sonic log and resistivity log. Sedimentary facies are estimated by applying the linear discriminant analysis using both well log and sedimentary facies data from core analysis. It is confirmed that DITM facies and MSS facies appeared signs of gas hydrate disassociation are able to be distinguished by the method.

• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.20-26
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• 2006

Late Quaternary stratigraphy and sedimentary environmental changes were studied based on four core sediments and their pore water taken from the southwestern part of the East Sea. The results of tephrostratigraphy and radiocarbon dates indicate that the cores cover the time interval from the middle stage of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 to MIS 1 (Holocene). The average of sedimentation rate in core sediments varies from 10 cm/kyr to 20 cm/kyr, but it fluctuates generally in particular time intervals such as MIS 2, which would be related with the sea-level changes at that time. On the other hand, the relations between ${\delta}^{13}C_{org}$ and C/N ratios suggest that the organic matter in the cores was originated mainly from marine algae. In addition, the value of ${\delta}^{13}C_{CH4}$ indicates bacterial origin rather than thermogenic one.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.233-247
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• 2012

We have researched the distribution and characteristics of seafloor hydrothermal deposits for the development of economic mineral deposits in the Lau Basin, Tonga since 2009. In this study, we interpreted hydrothermal alteration around TA 26 seamounts of the Tofua volcanic arc using X-ray diffraction analysis for bulk sample and preferred-oriented specimen of clay fraction. We used 2 core samples and several surface samples. Plagioclase and quartz are dominant mineral in the basement rock, whereas kaolin mineral and smectite are superior in marine surface sediments. Especially sulfate and sulfide minerals such as gypsum, barite, sphalerite, and pyrite are predominant in the vent sediments. When we compare the mineral composition between basement rock and sea surface sediments, argillic alteration zone composed of kaolin mineral and smectite could be produced by hydrothermal fluids. Based on the downcore variation of mineral assemblages, most portion of MC08H-06 core could be interpreted as argillic alteration zone composed of kaolin mineral and smectite except top 2 cm area. Various sulfate or sulfide minerals and argillic alteration zone suggest a high probability of massive sulfide deposits in the seafloor of the TA 26 seamount.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.50-62
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• 1999

Sediment core samples recovered from the Korea Deep Ocean Study (KODOS)-97 area were divided into two or three units according to their distinct changes in sediment colors and chemical and physical properties. Analyses of radiolarian faunas in the sediments and $^{10}Be$ ratios in each unit were performed to reveal stratigraphic and paleoceanographic history of the study area. In the upper part of the sediments, Tertiary radiolarians were mixed at various proportions with Quaternary assemblages probably by reworking process of bottom current and benthic animals. Dissolution of radiolarians was severe in deeper depth and in the Unit III, only few of the fragments of corroded Tertiary radiolarians were detectable. The mid layer of the Unit I belonged to Collosphaera invaginata Zone, the time period of 0.21 Ma. The Unit II belonged to Collosphaera tuberosa Zone with the time period younger than 0.42 Ma which was observed above the Stylatractus universus Zone. The Unit III is assigned to Tertiary, which is younger than the Late Eocene. Composition analyses of radiolarian assemblage and $^{10}Be$ ratio data indicated hiatus periods of more than 3 My between late of Middle Miocene and Pliocene resulting from erosion and dissolution caused by Antarctic Bottom Water. Stratigraphic evidence from radiolaria was well correlated with $^{10}Be$ data. Sedimentation rate during Quaternary can be suggested as 0.15-0.5 mm per 1000 years. Dominance of warm-water radiolaria species and the results reflected minimum climatic changes of tropical conditions.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.24-36
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• 2019

In the mid-eastern Yellow Sea, glacio-eustatic sea-level fluctuations and a regional tectonic subsidence have combined to represent an aggradational stacking pattern of sedimentary units during late Pleistocene-Holocene. The accumulated sediments are divisible into two-type units of Type-A and Type-B in high-resolution air-gun seismic profiles and the deep-drilled core of YSDP-105. Type-A unit largely comprises clast-rich coarse-grained sediments of non-marine to paralic origin, whereas Type-B unit consists mostly of tidal fine-grained sediments. Based on a bottom model of the sedimentary units, this study suggested a geoacoustic model of long-coring bottom layers at the YSDP-105 drilling site of the mid-eastern Yellow Sea. The geoacoustic model of 64-m depth below the seafloor with four-layer geoacoustic units was reconstructed in continental shelf strata at 45 m in water depth. For actual modeling, the geoacoustic property values of the models were compensated to in situ depth values below the seafloor using the Hamilton modeling method. We suggest that the geoacoustic model will be used for geoacoustic and underwater acoustic experiments of mid- and low-frequency reflecting on the deep bottom layers in the mid-eastern Yellow Sea.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.13 no.1 s.28
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• pp.9-20
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• 2007

PAHs(Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) are widespread contaminants in the marine environment. They are of mainly anthropogenic origin from urban runoff, oil spill and combustion of fossil fuels. Some PAHs are potentially carcinogenic and mutagenic to aquatic organism The contamination of PAHs in the coastal environments has not been well known yet in Korea. This study was carried out to survey the contamination of PAHs in sediments around Gwangyang bay. The Yeosu petrochemical industrial complex, POSCO(Pohang steel company) and Gwangyang container harbor are located around the bay. PAHs in sediment samples were extracted in soxhlet extractor and were identified and quantified by GC-MS(Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) TOC(Total Organic carbon) and textural parameters in sediment samples were also analyzed 13 species of PAHs were detected at all of the surface sediments. Total PAHs concentrations in the surface sediments ranged from 171.40 to $1013.54{\mu}g/kg$ dry wt.. In most of the surface sediments, Naphthalene was the highest in the range of 14.08 to $691.39{\mu}g/kg$ dry wt. and Anthracene was the lowest in the range of 0.49 to $22.66{\mu}g/kg$ dry wt.. The correlation coefficients between individual PAHs and Total PAHs in the surface sediments were relatively higher in the low molecular compounds such as Naphthalene and Phenanthrene. In the relationship of the P/A(Phenanthrene/Anthracene) ratio and F/P(Fluoranthene/Pyrene) ratio, P/A ratio was generally above 10 and F/P ratio was shown to be above 1 in all sediment samples. These data indicate that PAHs in sediments around Gwangyang bay seem to be of both pyrolytic and petrogenic origin. Total PAHs in the surface sediments were correlated with TOC and textural parameters. The values of PAHs in the surface and core sediments were lower than the biological effect guidelines.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.1 s.176
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• pp.83-93
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• 2006

The Kita-Yamato Trough is characterized by a SW-NE trending narrow graben between the Yamato Bank and the Kita-Yamato Bank in the central East Sea/Japan Sea (ES/JS). Core 20EEZ-1 was obtained in the flat summit of a small ridge from the southwest Kita-Yamato Trough. The sedimentation was mainly controlled by the supply of hemipelgic sediments and substantial tephras from explosive volcanic eruptions of the Quaternary volcanoes. The aim of this study is to reconstruct the tephrostratigraphy from the marine sediments collected from the Kita-Yamato Trough and to provide the atmosphere and ocean conditions during the explosive volcanic eruptions. According to the detailed tephrostratigraphy and lithofacies records, the core sediments were deposited during the last marine isotope stage (MIS) 7. The core consists of four lithofacies, idetified as, oxidized mud (OM), crudely laminated mud (CLM) and bioturbated mud (BM), interbedded with coarse-grained tephra (TP). The major element geochemistry and stratigraphic positions of seven tephra layers suggest that they originated from the Aira caldera in Kyushu area among the Japanese islands (AT tephra; 29.24 ka), unknown submarine volcano in the south Korea Plateau (SKP-I; MIS 3, SKP-II; MIS 4, SKP-IV; boundary between MIS 6 and MIS 5e, SKP-V; MIS 6, respectively), and the Baegdusan volcano in the Korean Peninsula (B-KY1; ca. 130 ka, B-KY2; ca. 196 ka). The absence of tephras originated trom Ulleung Island in core 20EEZ-l suggest that the tephras had not been transported into the Kita-Yamato Trough by atmosphere conditions during the eruptions. On the other hand, the B-KYI and the B-KY2 tephras derived from the Baegdusan volcano were founded in the Kita-Yamato Trough by a presence of prevailing westerly winds during the eruptions. Furthermore, the SKP tephras were characterized by the transport across the air-water interface, causing quickly thrust of raising eruption plumes from subaqueous explosive eruptions. Surface currents may play an important role in controlling the distribution patterns of the SKP tephras to distal areas. The tephrostratigraphic study in the Kita-Yamato Trough provides the important chronostratigraphic marker horizons and the detailed atmosphere and ocean conditions during the explosive eruptions.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.427-448
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• 2019

This study reconstructed the paleoenvironments and paleogeography of the Taebaeksan Basin, through a review of the previous researches on sedimentology, paleontology and stratigraphy. This study also carried out a sequence stratigraphic analysis on regional tectonism and sea-level fluctuations on the basin during the Early Paleozoic. The basin broadly occur in the Taebaek, Yeongweol-Jecheon, Jeongseon-Pyeongchang, and Mungyeong areas, Gangwon province, South Korea. The basin-fills are composed mainly of mixed carbonates and siliciclastics, divided into the Taebaek, Yeongweol, Yongtan, Pyeongchang and Mungyeong groups according to lithologies and stratigraphic characteristics. Recently, there are a lot of studies on the provenance and depositional ages of the siliciclastic sequences of the basin. The detrital sediments of the basin would be derived from two separated provenances of the core-Gondwana and Sino-Korean cratons. In the Early Cambrian, the Taebaek and Jeongseon-Pyeongchang platforms have most likely received detrital sediments from the provenance of the Sino-Korean craton. On the other hand, the detrital sediments of the Yeongweol-Jecheon platform was probably sourced by those of the core-Gondwana craton. This separation of provenance can be interpreted as the result of the paleogeographic and paleotopographic separation of the Yeongweol-Jecheon platform from the Taebaek and Jeongseon-Pyeongchang platforms. The analyses on detrital zircons additionally reveal that the separation of provenance was ceased by the eustatic rise of sea-level during the Middle Cambrian, and the detrital sediments of the Taebaeksan Basin were entirely supplied from those of the core-Gondwana craton. During that period, sediment supply from the Sino-Korean craton would be restricted due to inundation of the provenance area of the craton. On the other hand, the Jeongseon-Pyeongchang platform sequences show the unconformable relationship between the Early Cambrian siliciclastic and the Early Ordovician carbonate strata. It is indicative of presence of regional uplift movements around the platform which would be to the extent offset of the effects of the Middle to Late Cambrian eustatic sealevel rise. These movements expanded and were reinforced across the basin in the latest Cambrian and earliest Ordovician. After the earliest Ordovician, the basin was tectonically stabilized, and the shallow marine carbonate environments were developed on the whole-platform by the Early Ordovician global eustatic sea-level rise, forming very thick carbonate strata in the basin. In the Late Ordovician, the Early Paleozoic sedimentation on the basin was terminated by the large-scale tectonic uplift across the Sino-Korean platform including the Taebaeksan Basin.