• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.175-183
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• 2006

The discovery of deep-sea hydrothermal vents and their ecosystems is a monumental landmark in the history of Ocean Sciences. Deep-sea hydrothermal vents are scattered along the global mid-ocean ridges and back-arc basins. Under sea volcanic phenomena related to underlying magma activities along mid-ocean ridges generate extreme habitats for highly specialized communities of animals. Multidisciplinary research efforts during past three decades since the first discovery of hydrothermal vents along the Galapagos Rift in 1977 revealed fundamental components of physiology, ecology, and evolution of specialized vent communities of micro and macro fauna. Heterogeneous regional geological settings and tectonic plate history have been considered as important geophysical and evolutionary factors for current patterns of taxonomic composition and distribution of vent faunas among venting sites in the World Ocean basins. It was found that these communities are based on primary production of chemosynthetic bacteria which directly utilize reduced compounds, mostly $H_2S$ and $CH_4$, mixed in vent fluids. Symbioses between these bacteria and their hosts, vent invertebrates, are foundation of the vent ecosystem. Gene flow and population genetic studies in parallel with larval biology began to unveil hidden dispersal barrier under deep sea as well as various dispersal characteristics cross taxa. Comparative molecular phylogenetics of vent animals revealed that vent faunas are closely related to those of cold-water seeps in general. In perspective additional interesting discoveries are anticipated particularly with further refined and expanded studies aided by new instrumental technologies.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.145-156
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• 2012

Seafloor hydrothermal system occurs along the volcanic mid-ocean ridge, back-arc spreading center, and other submarine volcanic regions. The hydrothermal system is one of the fundamental processes controlling the transfer of energy and matter between crust/mantle and ocean; it forms hydrothermal vents where various deepsea biological communities are inhabited and precipitates metal sulfide deposits. Hydrothermal systems at convergence plate boundaries show diverse geochemical properties due to recycle of subducted material compared to simple systems at mid-ocean ridges. Sulfur isotopes can be used to evaluate such diversity in generation and evolution of hydrothermal system. In this paper, we review the sulfur isotope composition and geochemistry of hydrothermal precipitates sampled from several hydrothermal vents in the divergent plate boundaries in the western Pacific region. Both sulfide and sulfate minerals of the hydrothermal vents in the arc and backarc tectonic settings commonly show low sulfur isotope compositions, which can be attributed to input of magmatic $SO_2$ gas. Diversity in geochemistry of hydrothermal system suggests an active role of magma in the formation of seafloor hydrothermal system.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.215-223
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• 2002

Symbiosis of chemoautrophic bacteria with the members of hydrothermal vent and cold seep communities in the deep-sea were examined by histology using transmission electron microscopy; Bathymodiolus spp. from Sagami Bay, the Iheya Ridge and the North Fiji Basin; and Ifremeria nautilei from the North Fiji Basin. Two species of Bathymodiolus, each from Sagami Bay and the Iheya Ridge harbored methane-oxidizing symbionts within their gill tissues. Vent gastropod Ifremeria nautilei from the hydrothermal vents of the North Fiji Basin housed two types of symbionts; one sulfur-oxidizing type and the other methane-oxidizing type. The occurrence of chemosynthetic symbionts in these organisms were expected before-hand based on the ecological observations of their habit. The other members of these groups from world oceans and the recent advances in the symbiosis of the vent and seep communities were reviewed.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.179-187
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• 2014

Directly searching for undiscovered hydrothermal vent sites is inefficient due to the practical difficulty of comprehensively imaging vent fields. Thus, most searches for hydrothermal vent sites rely on the detection of hydrothermal plumes from water column observation. Detecting and measuring the hydrothermal plumes are the most efficient way to infer the presence and distribution of hydrothermal vents. Both the array of vertical casting and lateral towing are the most common methods to discover hydrothermal plumes. In this study, we compared results of cast and tow-yo operations along the same section of a spreading center with a distance of 20.5 km in the North Fiji Basin for mapping hydrothermal plumes. Operation of CTD tow-yo provides a detailed pattern of plumes which enable us to locate the hydrothermal vents. On the other hand, identification of hydrothermal activity can be determined effectively by CTD cast with additional analysis of geochemical tracers. Reduction in the operating time is another advantage of CTD cast operation, especially for regional-scale survey. Our results show that the combination of CTD cast and tow-yo would improve the efficiency of the hydrothermal plume survey to locate new hydrothermal vent sites.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.389-399
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• 2016

This paper presents the explorations of hydrothermal vents located in the Marina Arc and Back Arc Basin using the deep-sea ROV Hemire. These explorations were conducted by KRISO and KIOST to demonstrate the capability of Hemire in various applications for deep-sea scientific research. The missions included the following: (1) to search the reported vents, (2) conduct visual inspections, (3) deploy/recover a sediment trap and bait traps, (4) sample sediment/water/rock, (5) measure the magnetic field at the vent site, and (6) acquire a detailed map using multi-beam sonar near the bottom. We installed three HD cameras for precise visual inspection, a high-temperature thermometer, a three-component magnetometer, and a multi-beam sonar to acquire details of the bottom contour or identify vents in the survey area. The explorations were performed in an expedition from March 23 to April 5, 2016, and the missions were successfully completed. This paper discusses the operational process, navigation, and control of Hemire, as well as the exploration results.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Geothermal and Hydrothermal Energy
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.7-18
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• 2022

Secondary batteries used in electric vehicles have a potential risk of ignition and explosion. Various safety measures are being taken to prevent these risks. A numerical study was performed using a computational fluid dynamics code on the cases where pressure relief vents that can reduce the blast overpressures of batteries were installed in the through-compression test room, short-circuit drop test room, combustion test room, and immersion test room in facilities rleated to battery used in electric vehicles. This study was conducted using the weight of TNT equivalent to the energy release from the battery, where the the thermal runaway energy was set to 324,000 kJ for the capacity of the lithium-ion battery was 90 kWh and the state of charge (SOC) of the battery of 100%. The explosion energy of TNT (△H_TNT) generally has a range of 4,437 to 4,765 kJ/kg, and a value of 4,500 kJ/kg was thus used in this study. The dimensionless explosion efficiency coefficient was defined as 15% assuming the most unfavorable condition, and the TNT equivalent mass was calculated to be 11 kg. The internal explosion generated in a test room shows the very complex propagation behavior of blast waves. The shock wave generated after the explosion creates reflected shock waves on all inner surfaces. If the internally reflected shock waves are not effectively released to the outside, the overpressures inside are increased or maintained due to the continuous reflection and superposition from the inside for a long time. Blast simulations for internal explosion targeting four test rooms with pressure relief vents installed were herein conducted. It was found that that the maximum blast overpressure of 34.69 bar occurred on the rear wall of the immersion test room, and the smallest blast overpressure was calculated to be 3.58 bar on the side wall of the short-circuit drop test room.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2000

Chemoautotrophic symbiotic bacteria of organisms inhabiting the hydrothermal vent and cold seep communities in the deep-sea were histologically examined using a transmission electron microscopy on symbionts of Calyptogena sp. A from the site east off Miyako (water depth at 1,700m), Calyptogena sp. B from the Calyptogena Site, vestimentiferan tube worm Lamellibrachia sp. A from Sagami Bay Lamellibrachia sp. B from Calyptogena Site of the Iheya Ridge, pogonophoran tube worms from Sagami Bay and Calyptogena Site of the Iheya Ridge, Bathymodiolus spp. from Sagami Bay, the Iheya Ridge and the North Fiji Basin. Based on the morphological microscopic observations, two species of Calyptogena from Miyako and the Iheya Ridge, two species of vestimentiferan tube worms from Sagami Bay and the Iheya Ridge, and pogonophoran tube worms from Sagami Bay and the Iheya Ridge observed to host sulfur-oxidizing symbiotic bacteria. The occurrence of chemosynthetic symbionts in these organisms was expected beforehand based on the ecological observations of their habitats. Other members of these groups from the world oceans, and the recent advances in the symbiosis at vents and seeps were reviewed.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.273-285
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• 2015

The extensive hydrothermal deposits have been found, for the first time, on the western TA25 seamount caldera in the Tonga arc. The seafloor hydrothermal vents are active and immature, emitting the transparent fluids of which temperatures range from $150^{\circ}C$ to $242^{\circ}C$ (average=$203^{\circ}C$). The recovered hydrothermal sulfides are mainly composed of sphalerite, pyrite, marcasite, galena, chalcopyrite, covellite, tennantite, enargite and sulfates such as barite, gypsum/anhydrite. Predominant sphalerite categorize it into Zn-rich hydrothermal ore body. Zn-rich sulfide ores have minor enargite, indicating that mineralization occurred in high sulfidation environment. The proportion and FeS content of sphalerite increase from outside to inside of the hydrothermal ores, respectively. In particular, sphalerite has a great silver content (up to ~10 wt.%). Chalcopyrite is more frequently observed in mound than in the chimney, implying mineralization temperature in the mound is higher than in the chimney. Homogenization temperatures and salinities from fluid inclusions in barite at the mound range from $148^{\circ}C$ to $341^{\circ}C$ (average=$213^{\circ}C$) and 0.4 to 3.6 equiv. wt.% NaCl, respectively. Homogenization temperatures suggest that sulfides in the mound mineralized at a higher temperature (${\geq}200^{\circ}C$) than in the chimney.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2023

Thermopolynoe Miura, 1994 is a monotypic genus in Lepidonotopodinae that comprises species endemic to chemosynthesis-based ecosystems. Here, we examined T. branchiata collected from the hydrothermal vents in the North Fiji Basin. For the first time in Thermopolynoe, we report sexual dimorphism detecting nephridial papillae on segments 11-13 in males, additionally describe the morphology on elytra with round to conical microtubercles on the surface, and distinguish presence of small neuropodial lobes on segments 3-26. We also revised couple of errors and ambiguities in the original description: incongruence between the description and figure and existence of individual variation in ratio of tentacular cirri and palps. In addition, three COI sequences of T. branchiata specimens from the North Fiji Basin were newly obtained and sequences divergence with other Lepidonotopodinae species were determined. These results would contribute to the taxonomy of polynoids in a chemosynthesis-based ecosystem.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.298-304
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• 2011

We conducted magnetic survey using IBRV (Ice Breaker Research Vessel) ARAON of KORDI (Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute), ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) of Oceaneering Co. and three components vector magnetometer, at Apr., 2011 in the western slope of the caldera of TA25 seamount, the Lau Basin, the southwestern Pacific. The depth ranges of the survey area are from about 900 m to 1200 m, below sea level. For the deep sea magnetic survey, we made the nation's first small deep sea three components magnetometer of Korea. The magnetometer sensor and the data logger was attached with the upper part and lower part of ROV, respectively. ROV followed the planning tracks at 25 ~ 30 m above seafloor using the altimeter and USBL (Ultra Short Base Line) of ROV. The three components magnetometer measured the X (North), Y (East) and Z (Vertical) vector components of the magnetic field of the survey area. A motion sensor provided us the data of pitch, roll, yaw of ROV for the motion correction of the magnetic data. The data of the magnetometer sensor and the motion sensor were recorded on a notebook through the optical cable of ROV and the network of ARON. The precision positions of magnetic data were merged by the post-processing of USBL data of ROV. The obtained three components magnetic data are entirely utilized by finding possible hydrothermal vents of the survey area.