• Title/Summary/Keyword: high geothermal activity

Search Result 7, Processing Time 0.019 seconds

Distribution of geothermal resources of Korea (우리나라의 지열자원 분표)

  • Kim, Hyoung-Chan;Lee, Chul-Woo;Song, Yoonho
    • 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
    • /
    • 2005.06a
    • /
    • pp.674-677
    • /
    • 2005
  • The characteristics of geothermal resources in Korea was roughly estimated using hot springs, 580 geothermal gradients and 338 heat flow data. In the aspect of hot springs with geologic structure, location of hot springs coincide with fault zone, especially younger age of Cretaceous to Tertiary. In the aspect of geothermal gradients, Pohang area shows the highest geothermal gradient anomaly, which is covered with unconsol idated rock of low thermal conductivity preserving the residual heat from igneous activity or radioactivity elements decay. In the aspect of heat flow density, high anomaly can be found along the zone connecting Uljin-Pohang-Busan on the southeastern part of Korean peninsula at which big fault zone as Yangsan fault is well developed.

  • PDF

Characterization of the brittleness of hard rock at different temperatures using uniaxial compression tests

  • Chen, Guoqing;Li, Tianbin;Wang, Wei;Guo, Fan;Yin, Hongyu
    • Geomechanics and Engineering
    • /
    • v.13 no.1
    • /
    • pp.63-77
    • /
    • 2017
  • The failure mechanism of a deep hard rock tunnel under high geostress and high geothermalactivity is extremely complex. Uniaxial compression tests of granite at different temperatures were conducted. The complete stress-strain curves, mechanical parameters and macroscopic failure types of the rock were analyzed in detail. The brittleness index, which represents the possibility of a severe brittleness hazard, is proposed in this paperby comparing the peak stress and the expansion stress. The results show that the temperature range from 20 to $60^{\circ}C$ is able to aggravate the brittle failure of hard rock based on the brittleness index. The closure of internal micro cracks by thermal stress can improve the strength of hard rock and the storage capacity of elastic strain energy. The failure mode ofthe samples changes from shear failure to tensile failure as the temperature increases. In conclusion, the brittle failure mechanism of hard rock under the action of thermal coupling is revealed, and the analysis result offers significant guidance for deep buried tunnels at high temperatures and under high geostress.

Recently Improved Exploration Method for Mineral Discovery (해외광물자원개발을 위한 최적 탐사기법과 동향)

  • Choi, Seon-Gyu;Ahn, Yong-Hwan;Kim, Chang-Seong;Seo, Ji-Eun
    • 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
    • /
    • 2009.05a
    • /
    • pp.57-65
    • /
    • 2009
  • Selection of good mineralized area is a combination of the integration of all the available geo-scientific (i.e., geological, geochemical, and geophysical) information, extrapolation of likely features from known mineralized terrenes and the ability to be predictive. The time-space relationships of the hydrothermal deposits in the East Asia are closely related to the changing plate motions. Also, two distinctive hydrothermal systems during Mesozoic occurred in Korea: the Jurassic/Early Cretaceous deep-level ones during the Daebo orogeny and the Late Cretaceous/Tertiary shallow geothermal ones during the Bulguksa event. Both the Mesozoic geothermal system and the mineralization document a close spatial and temporal relationship with syn- to post-tectonic magmatism. The Jurassic mineral deposits were formed at the relatively high temperature and deep-crustal level from the mineralizing fluids characterized by the relatively homogeneous and similar ranges of ${\delta}^{18}O$ values, suggesting that ore-forming fluids were principally derived from spatially associated Jurassic granitoid and related pegmatite. Most of the Jurassic auriferous deposits (ca. 165-145 Ma) show fluid characteristics typical of an orogenic-type gold deposits, and were probably generated in a compressional to transpressional regime caused by an orthogonal to oblique convergence of the Izanagi Plate into the East Asian continental margin. On the other hand, Late Cretaceous ferroalloy, base-metal and precious-metal deposits in the Taebaeksan, Okcheon and Gyeongsang basins occurred as vein, replacement, breccia-pipe, porphyry-style and skarn deposits. Diverse mineralization styles represent a spatial and temporal distinction between the proximal environment of sub-volcanic activity and the distal to transitional condition derived from volcanic environments. However, Cu (-Au) or Fe-Mo-W deposits are proximal to a magmatic source, whereas polymetallic or precious-metal deposits are more distal to transitional. Strike-slip faults and caldera-related fractures together with sub-volcanic activity are associated with major faults reactivated by a northward (oblique) to northwestward (orthogonal) convergence, and have played an important role in the formation of the Cretaceous Au-Ag lode deposits (ca. 110-45 Ma) under a continental arc setting. The temporal and spatial distinctions between the two typical Mesozoic deposit styles in Korea reflect a different thermal episodes (i.e., late orogenic and post-orogenic) and ore-forming fluids related to different depths of emplacement of magma (i.e., plutonic and sub-volcanic) due to regional changes in tectonic settings.

  • PDF

An Experimental Study on the Availability of Underground Air Energy Source in Non-Activity Volcanic Island (비활성 화산지역의 지중공기열원 에너지 이용에 관한 실험적 연구)

  • Kim, Yong-Hwan;Park, Sung-Seek;Kim, Woo-Jung;Kim, Nam-Jin;Hyun, Myung-Taek
    • Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
    • /
    • v.34 no.5
    • /
    • pp.73-80
    • /
    • 2014
  • This study introduces and analyzes the geothermal energy availability in Non-active volcanic region. Jeju island in Korea is situated in non-active volcanic region. The island is composed of rock with high pore and clinker, scoria geological layer formed by volcanic activity about two million ago. Volcanic geological layers with porous characteristics have air, vapor, water and a underground structure through which air or water can move easily. For this reason, it is probable that the mechanism of energy acquisition is by convective heat transfer. For this presumption, the availability of underground air as energy source has been studied here through theoretical analysis and experimental data. The energy output of our system ranged from 2,485,076 kJ/day to 4,060,978 kJ/day monitored using variable velocity air flow controller. Our system has capability to be a reliable energy source irrespective of environmental changes. Consequently, underground air can be utilized for energy source and provide the optimal design of heating/cooling system.

Shallow subsurface structure of the Vulcano-Lipari volcanic complex, Italy, constrained by helicopter-borne aeromagnetic surveys (고해상도 항공자력탐사를 이용한 Italia Vulcano-Lipari 화산 복합체의 천부 지하 구조)

  • Okuma, Shigeo;Nakatsuka, Tadashi;Komazawa, Masao;Sugihara, Mitsuhiko;Nakano, Shun;Furukawa, Ryuta;Supper, Robert
    • Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
    • /
    • v.9 no.1
    • /
    • pp.129-138
    • /
    • 2006
  • Helicopter-borne aeromagnetic surveys at two different times separated by three years were conducted to better understand the shallow subsurface structure of the Vulcano and Lipari volcanic complex, Aeolian Islands, southern Italy, and also to monitor the volcanic activity of the area. As there was no meaningful difference between the two magnetic datasets to imply an apparent change of the volcanic activity, the datasets were merged to produce an aeromagnetic map with wider coverage than was given by a single dataset. Apparent magnetisation intensity mapping was applied to terrain-corrected magnetic anomalies, and showed local magnetisation highs in and around Fossa Cone, suggesting heterogeneity of the cone. Magnetic modelling was conducted for three of those magnetisation highs. Each model implied the presence of concealed volcanic products overlain by pyroclastic rocks from the Fossa crater. The model for the Fossa crater area suggests a buried trachytic lava flow on the southern edge of the present crater. The magnetic model at Forgia Vecchia suggests that phreatic cones can be interpreted as resulting from a concealed eruptive centre, with thick latitic lavas that fill up Fossa Caldera. However, the distribution of lavas seems to be limited to a smaller area than was expected from drilling results. This can be explained partly by alteration of the lavas by intense hydrothermal activity, as seen at geothermal areas close to Porto Levante. The magnetic model at the north-eastern Fossa Cone implies that thick lavas accumulated as another eruption centre in the early stage of the activity of Fossa. Recent geoelectric surveys showed high-resistivity zones in the areas of the last two magnetic models.

Large-scale, Miocene Mud Intrusion into the Overlying Pleistocene Coastal Sediment, Pohang City, SE Korea: Deformation Mechanism, Trigger, and Paleo-seismological Implication for the 2017 Pohang Earthquakes

  • Gihm, Yong Sik;Ko, Kyoungtae;Choi, Jin-Hyuk;Choi, Sung-ja
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
    • /
    • v.53 no.5
    • /
    • pp.585-596
    • /
    • 2020
  • The 2017 Pohang Earthquakes occurred near a drill site in the Pohang Enhanced Geothermal System. Water injected for well stimulation was believed to have reactivated the buried near-critically stressed Miocene faults by the accumulation of the Quaternary tectonic strain. However, surface expressions of the Quaternary tectonic activity had not been reported near the epicenter of the earthquakes before the site construction. Unusual, large-scale water-escaped structures were identified 4 km away from the epicenter during a post-seismic investigation. The water-escaped structures comprise Miocene mudstones injected into overlying Pleistocene coastal sediments that formed during Marine Isotope Stage 5. This indicates the vulnerable state of the mudstones long after deposition, resulted from the combined effects of rapid tectonic uplift (before significant diagenesis) and the development of an aquifer at their unconformable interface of the mudstone. Based on the detailed field analysis and consideration of all possible endogenic triggers, we interpreted the structures to have been formed by elevated pore pressures in the mudstones (thixotropy), triggered by cyclic ground motion during the earthquakes. This interpretation is strengthened by the presence of faults 400 m from the study area, which cut unconsolidated coastal sediment deposited after Marine Isotope Stage 5. Geological context, including high rates of tectonic uplift in SE Korea, paleo-seismological research on Quaternary faults near the study area, and historical records of paleoearthquakes in SE Korea, also support the interpretation. Thus, epicenter and surrounding areas of the 2017 Pohang Earthquake are considered as a paleoseismologically active area, and the causative fault of the 2017 Pohang Earthquakes was expected to be nearly critical state.

Medium Temperature and Lower Pressure Metamorphism and Tectonic Setting of the Pyeongan Supergroup in the Munkyeong Area (문경지역에 분포하는 평안누층군의 중온-저압 변성작용과 지구조 환경 해석)

  • Kim, Hyeong Soo;Seo, Bongkyun;Yi, Keewook
    • The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
    • /
    • v.23 no.4
    • /
    • pp.311-324
    • /
    • 2014
  • The Hongjeom formation of the Pyeongan Supergroup in the Munkyeong coalfield mainly consists of metapsammite and metapelites. Metampelites occur as slate preserving chloritoid+chlorite+muscovite and andalusite+biotite+chlorite+muscovite mineral assemblages. Chloritoid and andalusite occur as porphyroblast, and the matrix composed of fine-grained micas. Metamorphic P-T conditions for these mineral assemblages are $510-520^{\circ}C$ and 3.0-3.5kbar based on P-T pseudosection in $MnO-K_2O-FeO-MgO-Al_2O_3-SiO_2-H_2O(MnKFMASH)$ system and isopleth intersections of Fe/(Fe+Mg) ratios in chloritoid and chlorite. The medium temperature and low pressure metamorphism resulted from a higher geothermal gradient ($40-45^{\circ}C/km$) condition than that of burial metamorphism. The youngest (SHRIMP U-Pb age; ca. 327-310 Ma) detrital zircon grains from the Hongjeom formation display oscillatory zoning and relatively high Th/U ratio (0.60-1.12). Based on the previous sedimentary, paleontological, and geochronological studies in the Taebaeksan basin together with results of this study, we suggest that (1) initial deposition of the Hongjeom formation was contemporaneous with a magmatic activity in the provenance, (2) the Pyeongan Supergroup was deposited in an arc-related basin at an active continental margin during the Carboniferous to Permain, and (3) magmatic activities occurred repetitively in relatively short interval in the active continental margin had continuously supplied sediments to the basin.