• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.255-263
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• 2004

This study was conducted to investigate the community structure and distributional pattern of meiobenthos in the deep-sea bottom of the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone of the northeastern Pacific during July 2003. The samples were collected using the multiple corer at 13 stations along the transects fiom $5^{\circ}N\;to\;17^{\circ}N$. The most abundant meiobenthos was nematodes and followed by sarcomastigophorans; these two taxa comprised more than 70% of the total abundance at all stations. For size distribution analyses showed that animals which fit into the sieve mesh size of 0.063mm were abundant. The maximum density of meiobenthos was $147inds./10cm^2$ at station located in $7^{\circ}N$, and the minimum density was $6 inds./10cm^2$ at station located in $14^{\circ}N$. More than 60% of meiobenthos were distributed at surface sediment layer within 1.0cm, and the peak abundance was found at $0{\sim}0.25cm$ layer. The latitudinal distribution pattern of meiobenthos in the study area seemed to be related with the primary productivity of the surface water that is also connected to the water circulation pattern of the Pacific Ocean near the Equator, diverging at latitude of $8^{\circ}N$ and conversing at $5^{\circ}N$.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1125-1139
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• 2020

This study investigated the distributional pattern of meiobenthos associated with future deep-sea mining in the Korea Deep Ocean Study area present in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCFZ) located in the southeastern part of the North Pacific Ocean. Standing stocks of meiobenthos were investigated in benthic impact experiment sites (BIS) and Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology long-term monitoring (KOMO) sites during the 2008-2014 annual field survey. A total of 14 taxa of meiobenthos were identified. Nematodes were the most abundant taxon (60-86%). Harpacticoid copepods (5-26%) and benthic foraminifera (1-12%) were also dominant at all sites. The total meiobenthic densities varied from 4 to 150 ind./10 cm2. The mean value of total meiobenthic abundance was higher at BIS than at KOMO sites, but there was no significant difference between the two sites. The mean values of the number of taxa and biomass at BIS and KOMO sites were similar. The mean abundance of nematodes that were the most dominant taxa was also higher at BIS than at KOMO sites. The standing stocks in our study sites were relatively lower than those previously reported at other CCFZ sites. These results seem to reflect a low organic concentration in the study area.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.247-256
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• 2002

Distribution of surface and suspended sediments was studied to understand sedimentary processes of finegrained sediment near the cooling water intake of Pyongtaek power plant on the west coast of Korea. The grainsize of surface sediment during the winter was coarser in the opened northern area than sheltered southern area. During the summer, finer sediment was found in the east (landward) than west due under dominantly the influence of tidal current. The concentration of suspended sediments was higher in the winter than summer and in the mid- to deep waters than surface waters. Asymmetry of tidal current induced net landward transport of suspended sediments. Landward transport of suspended sediments was most significant at the beginning of flood time when water level is low. Net suspended sediment fluxes ranged from 3.4$\times$10$^{-3}$ kg.m$^{-2}$ .s$^{-1}$ to 5.7$\times$10$^{-3}$ kg.m$^{-2}$ .s$^{-1}$ This large landward transport of suspended sediments is attributable to combination of enhanced flow induced by intake of cooling water and artificial structures near the water intake.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.570-607
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• 2023

The subgenus Tricoma Cobb, 1894 comprises free-living marine nematodes encompassing a total of 83 validated taxa. Within this diversity, twenty-one taxa thrive in the deep sea, while twenty-three are found in coral reefs, flat areas, or green algae. Additionally, eleven taxa inhabit the sublittoral zone at depths exceeding 10 meters, and the remaining taxa are situated on beaches, coasts, or in habitats lacking detailed information. In the course of a survey focused on the East Sea free-living marine nematodes, we identified four new and two previously unrecorded species belonging to the subgenus Tricoma. Specifically, two new species, Tricoma (Tricoma) breviseta sp. nov. and T. (T.) donghaensis sp. nov., were discovered in mud-sandy sediment in deepsea environments below 2000 meters within the Ulleung Basin and Hupo Bank. Two previously unrecorded species [T. (T.) paralucida Decraemer, 1987 and T. (T.) similis Cobb, 1912] and the two newly found species [T. (T.) longicauda sp. nov. and T. (T.) ulleungensis sp. nov.] were obtained from subtidal coarse sand at a depth of 20 meters during a survey of the waters surrounding Ulleungdo Island. The distribution and information on validated taxa within the subgenus Tricoma were systematically collected, reviewed, and cataloged. Detailed morphological features and illustrations of Tricoma species from Korea were provided through the use of differential interference contrast microscopy.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.239-246
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• 2000

The 3.5kHz sub-bottom profiling was carried out over both Gwangyang Bay and the Yeo Sound . High -resolution digital images of uppermost sediment layers are obtained from the field data which were originally recorded in analog mode. Most prominent feature along the acoustic profiles is the chaotic reflections which imply the presence of shallow gas within the silty sediments. In the western part of Gwangyang Bay, the gas-charged sediments are assoicated with the acoustic turbidity of the blanket type. Across the Seomjin Delta in the eastern part of Gwangyang Bay, the gas-charged seismic facies are observed just beneath the sea bottom. In the western Yeoul Sound , the gassy seiments occur widely , whereas it is rare in the eastern counterpart with the <30-m-deep channel. We postulate that this gas was biogenetically produced within the organic-rich deposits.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.154-163
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• 2018

Geoacoustic model comprises physical and acoustic properties of submarine bottom layers influencing sound transmission through sea water and underwater. This study suggested for the first time that we made a geoacoustic model of long-coring bottom layers at the SSDP-105 drilling site of the Ulsan coastal area, which is located in the southwestern inner shelf of the East Sea. The geoacoustic model of 52 m depth below seafloor with three-layer geoacoustic units was reconstructed in the coastal sedimentary strata at 79 m in water depth. The geoacoustic model was based on the data of a deep-drilled sediment core of SSDP-105 and sparker seismic profiles in the study area. For actual modeling, the geoacoustic property values of the models were compensated to in situ depth values below the sea floor using the Hamilton modeling method. We suggest that the geoacoustic model be used for geoacoustic and underwater acoustic experiments of mid- and low-frequency reflecting on the deep bottom layers in the Ulsan coastal area of the East Sea.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.215-225
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• 1999

To study the vertical variations of major elements, trace elements and rare earth elements(REEs) contents in deep-sea sediments, six cores from Korea Deep-sea Environmental Study area(KODES) were analyzed. Topmost sediment layers of KODES area are divided into two Units; brown-colored and peneliquid Unit I and pale brown-colored and relatively solidified Unit II. Contents of major elements, REEs, Cu, Sr and Rb in each Unit are almost same, while contents of Mn, Ni and Co in Unit I are two or three times higher than those in Unit II. R-mode factor analysis represents that surface sediments are composed of alumino-silicate phase (AI-Ti-K-Mg-Fe-Rb-Ce), apatite phase (Ca-P-Cu-Sr-Trivalent Rare Earth Elements) and Mn-oxide phase(Mn-Ni-Co). Factor scores in silicate and apatite phases in each Unit are nearly same, whereas those in Mn-oxide phase in Unit I is higher than those in Unit II. While NilCu ratio in Unit I is two times higher than that in Unit II. We interprete the geochemical fractionation of Ni and Cu as a result that Ni can be remobilized in oxygen-depleted micro-environment in Units I and II and then easily reprecipitated in Unit I, while most of Cu supplied together with organic material is decomposed mostly in Unit I and sorbed into apatite.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.18-29
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• 2019

ROV surveys were conducted using 500 meter mini class ROV with HD video camera, 2 LED lights, a simple manipulator and 8 thrusters near the Dokdo and Simheungtaek seamount. Total six dives have been conducted using the ROV "V8 SII" from Sweden and ROV's support ship, "KOSAL V" at 4 stations between 45 and 370 meters with diving time ranged from 30 to 120 minutes. Dense communities of sea anemone (Actinostolidae sp.) and ophiuroids (Ophiuridae sp.) on the surface of rocky bottom and snow crab on the soft bottom with muddy-sand were observed at northwestern part of Simheungtaek seamount. We obtained the following results 1) habitats information for snow crab, one of the major fisheries resources, and deep-sea fauna, 2) observation on the specific topography and sediment conditions, 3) observation of the seabed surface covered with the discarded fishing gears. This study represents the first report of in situ visual observation of deep-sea organisms and their habitats near the Dokdo slopes and flat top of the Simheungtaek seamount in the East Sea. These results indicated that immediate oceanographic survey using the mini class ROV is available in the East Sea.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.221-233
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• 2022

A sediment trap had been deployed at 1250 m depth in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) from September 2009 to July 2010, with the aim of understanding the temporal and vertical variability of particle flux. During the monitoring period, total particle flux varied from 12.4 to 101.0 mg m^-2day^-1, with the higher fluxes in January-March 2010. Biogenic particle flux varied in phase with the total particle flux. The increase in total particle flux during January-March 2010 was attributed to the enhanced biological production in the surface layer caused by wind-driven mixing in response to the seasonal shifts in the location of the Intertropical convergence zone. The export ratio (e-ratio) was estimated using the particulate organic carbon flux and satellite-derived net primary production data. The estimated e-ratios changed between 0.8% and 2.8% (1.4±0.6% on average). The ratio recorded in the negative phase of Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) was similar to the previous results obtained from the ETP during the 1992/93 periods in the positive phase of PDO. This suggests that the regime shift of the PDO is not related to the carbon export ratio.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.168-177
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• 2008

Trafficablility of a miner and potential environmental impacts due to mining activities should be considered in the selection of a commercial manganese nodule mining site. These two factors can be evaluated comparatively with physical properties and shear strength of sea-bed sediments. For the qualitative comparison of potential minig sites in terms of these two factors, physical properties such as water contents, void ratios, porosities, and grain densities, and shear strengths of surface sediments were determined for the three potential manganese nodule mining sites(KR1, KR2, and KR5) in the Korean manganese nodule contract area, northeast Pacific. For the study, sediment samples were collected from 107 stations from 2004 to 2006. The physical properties of surface sediments showed more significant differences between northern(KR1, KR2) and southern(KR5) blocks than between northern blocks(KR1 vs. KR2). Water content, void ratio, and porosity of sediments from KR5 were relatively higher than those from KR1 and KR2. Grain density of sediments from KR5 was relatively lower than those from KR1 and KR2. Shear strengths of the top 10cm sediments were higher in KR1 and KR2, whereas those of the deeper part were highest in KR5 block. Generally, sediments of high water contents are less suspendible than those of the low water contents by benthic disturbances, thus less disturbance is expected in the sediments of high water content by mining activities. In terms of trafficability, the shear strength of sediment below 10 cm deep is more important than shallower part because miner will disturb at least top 10 cm interval of the surface sediments. Base on these results, we conclude that KR5 area will be the best site for commercial mining among three investigated sites in this study.