The Development of Anoxia in the Artificial Lake Shihwa, Korea, as a Consequence of Intertidal Reclamation

The reclamation of an intertidal flat recently created Lake Shihwa, in Kyunggi province, on the western coast of Korea. The artificial, saline lake was expected to transform into a freshwater one. However, the drainage structure of the lake does not allow entrapped Yellow Sea water to be fully replaced by freshwater from its hinterland. The lake water is strongly stratified with polluted freshwater at the surface and entrapped, saline water on the bottom. The pycnocline, lying at a depth range of 6–8 m, prevents mixing between the two water bodies, and thus generates anoxic conditions in the deeper waters. The pycnocline matches the oxic/anoxic interface between the oxygenated surface water and the hydrogen sulphide rich deep water. Stratification, the inflow of polluted water, and anoxia all contribute to the disastrous pollution of the lake.     

Sector-zoned augite megacrysts in Aleutian high alumina basalts: implications for the conditions of basalt crystallization and the generation of calc-alkaline series magmas

Several high alumina basalts from the Aleutian volcanic centers of Cold Bay and Kanaga Island contain large (up to 1.5 cm diameter) megacrysts of sector-zoned augite. The megacrysts are invariably euhedral with well developed {001}, {010} and {111} forms. All crystals display concentric bands that are rich in mineral and glass inclusions. The sector zonation typically occurs as well developed (010), (100), (111) and (110) sectors which grew at different rates. A comparison of the width of synchronous growth bands indicates that following relative growth rates: (111) ≫ (100) ∼ (110) > (010). Compositionally, SiO₂ and MgO abundances decrease, and TiO₂, Al₂O₃, FeO and Na₂O abundances increase in the different sectors in the order (111), (100) ∼ (110), (010). This order is identical to that deduced for the relative growth rates, implying that growth rate clearly had a role in the development of the sector zonation. Calculated pre-eruption H₂O contents of the basalts range from 1 to 3 wt% but actual (measured) post-eruption H₂O contents range from 0.01 to 0.3 wt%. Deteurium isotopic values are heavily depleted and range from −110 to −141‰ . Together these indicate significant vapor (H₂O) exsolution prior to eruption. Maximum H₂O abundances in primitive glass inclusions, thought to be most representative of the host liquid reservoir at the time of melt entrapment, systematically decrease from the core to the rim of one augite megacryst studied in detail. We conclude that the presence of sector-zoned augite is due to augite supersaturation and rapid crystallization brought about by magma decompression and volatile (H₂O) exsolution. The calculated pre-eruption H₂O contents of 1–3 wt% limit vapor exsolution and basalt crystallization to depths of less than 3 and more likely 1.5 km. Very rapid crystallization at very shallow depths makes it unlikely that the time scales between initial crystallization and final eruption are sufficient to permit appreciable amounts of fractional crystallization. Given that high alumina basalt fractionation is the dominant process for generating more evolved andesite, dacite and rhyolite magmas of the calc-alkaline suite, the inability of parental high alumina basalt to yield such derivative magmas in the low pressure environment places the likely site of fractionation in the high pressure environment, at or near the base of the crust. Received: 1 December 1997 / Accepted: 23 December 1998     

Evolution of late Quaternary mud deposits and recent sediment budget in the southeastern Yellow Sea

Analysis of high-resolution seismic reflection profiles and sediment samples has revealed the evolution and sediment budget of the southeastern Yellow Sea mud belt (SEYSM) along the southwestern Korean Peninsula. The SEYSM, up to 50 m thick, over 250 km long and 20–55 km wide, can be divided into three stratigraphic units (A1, A2, and B, from oldest to youngest). Unit A1, overlying the acoustic basement, comprises the northern part of the SEYSM. Unit A2 comprises the southern part of the SEYSM; much of unit A2 is exposed at the seafloor. Unit B completely covers unit A1 and pinches out southward.

¹⁴C data suggest that evolution of each unit is closely related to the postglacial sea-level changes. Unit A1 consists of estuarine/deltaic or shallow-water muds deposited during the early to middle stage of postglacial sea-level rise (ca. 14,000–7000 yr B.P.). Unit A2 corresponds to relict muds deposited during the last, deceleration stage of sea-level rise (ca. 7000–3.500 yr B.P.). Unit B consists of shelf muds deposited during the recent sea-level highstand (ca. <3500 yr B.P.).

Very low background activities of ²¹⁰Pb of the surface sediment of unit A2 suggest that the present-day sediment accumulation is negligible in the southern SEYSM. On the other hand, ²¹⁰Pb excess activity profiles in unit B yield an average sediment accumulation rate of 3.9 mm/yr, indicating active sediment accumulation in the northern SEYSM. The annual sink (3.0×10⁷ tons/yr) of fine-grained sediment in unit B is about an order of magnitude greater than can be explained by the sediment input from the Korean rivers alone. We propose that reworking of unit A2 has provided large volumes of muds to unit B, resulting in excessive sediment accumulation in the northern SEYSM. Much of unit A2, in turn, is likely to have originated from erosion of unit A1 in the north. This rather unique erosional/depositional regime of the SEYSM is probably owing to the tidal and regional currents characteristic in the southeastern Yellow Sea.     

A Photometric Study of EB-type eclipsing binary GO CYG

Two colour (B and V) photoelectric observations of EB-type eclipsing binary GO Cyg were carried out for 15 nights during October and December 1996. Three new times of minimum lights have been derived. With these and previously published times of minimum lights, a continuous period increase of dP/dt = 1.51 × 10^-7 d yr^-1 was estimated from the quadratic light element. B and V light curves have been analyzed by the method of the Wilson and Devinney Differential Correction. GO Cyg is confirmed to belong to the group of near contact systems based on light curve analysis and its absolute dimensions. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Fluctuations of the calcite compensation depth (CCD) in the East Sea (Sea of Japan)

Variations in the calcite compensation depth (CCD) in the East Sea (Sea of Japan) since the early middle Miocene were inferred from data on age-depth relationships, sediment carbonate, and benthic foraminifers from ODP sites 794, 795, and 797. The CCD remained relatively shallow during much of the middle Miocene–Pliocene, and deepened sharply at the beginning of the Pleistocene. Since then it has fluctuated rapidly, possibly in relation to the onset of the northern hemisphere glacial cycles in the late Pliocene. The average CCD has deepened since at least the early middle Miocene, coinciding with the long-term drop in eustatic sea level. Received: 5 November 1998 / Revision accepted: 2 February 2000     

Glauconite grains in continental shelf sediments around the Korean Peninsula and their depositional implications

Glauconite grains are an important component of the surficial sediments on the Korean continental shelf. Relatively high glauconite contents (>20%) occur near Huksan Island in the Yellow Sea and on the outer shelf of the southern East Sea where they are associated with relict, sandy sediments. By contrast, glauconite grains are rare (<1%) in clay-dominated sediments. The grains can be classified into four major categories: (1) very abundant, green to dark green, spheroidal and lobate grains displaying bulbous and honeycomb exteriors with well-developed surface cracks; (2) dark green, discoidal grains with poorly defined cracks; (3) scarce, moderately dark green, accordion-shaped grains characterized by series of closely spaced, parallel surface ridges; (4) scarce, green to dark green, foraminifer-shaped grains. Microprobe analyses as well as optical microscopy and SEM observations show that most grains are composed of mineral mixtures (e.g., quartz, mica, feldspar) rather than a single mineral species. The mineralogy, morphology, and textural properties suggest that the grains may have formed mainly by replacement of fecal pellets, and the alteration of mica and clays which have filled foraminifera tests. The high potassium contents, rosette-shaped clay structures, and bulbous shapes reflect an “evolved” (mature) stage of glauconitization. Glauconite grains in Korean shelf sediments are presumably relict, and have been produced by the reworking of older glauconitic sediments during the Holocene sea-level transgression. Received: 4 October 1999 / Revision accepted: 18 May 2000     

Chromaticity of gravitational microlensing events

In this paper, we investigate the colour changes of gravitational microlensing events caused by the two different mechanisms of differential amplification for a limb-darkened extended source and blending. From this investigation, we find that the colour changes of limb-darkened extended source events (colour curves) have dramatically different characteristics depending on whether the lens transits the source star or not. We show that for a source transit event, the lens proper motion can be determined by simply measuring the turning time of the colour curve instead of fitting the overall colour or light curves. We also find that even for a very small fraction of blended light, the colour changes induced by blending are equivalent to those induced by limb darkening, causing serious distortion in the observed colour curve. Therefore, to obtain useful information about the lens and source star from the colour curve of an event, it will be essential to correct for blending. We discuss various methods of blending correction .     

Observation of baroclinic eddies southeast of Okinawa Island

In the region southeast of Okinawa, during May to July 2001, a cyclonic and an anticyclonic eddy were observed from combined measurements of hydrocasts, an upward-looking moored acoustic Doppler current profiler (MADCP), pressure-recording inverted echo sounders (PIESs), satellite altimetry, and a coastal tide gauge. The hydrographic data showed that the lowest/highest temperature (T) and salinity (S) anomalies from a 13-year mean for the same season were respectively -3.0/ 2.5℃ and -0.20/ 0.15 psu at 380/500 dbar for the cyclonic/anticyclonic eddies. From the PIES data, using a gravest empirical mode method, we estimated time-varying surface dynamic height (D) anomaly referred to 2000 dbar changing from -20 to 30 cm, and time-varying T and S anomalies at 500 dbar ranging through about ±2 ℃ and ±0.2 psu, respectively. The passage of the eddies caused variations of both satellite-measured sea surface height anomaly (SSHA) and tide-gauge-measured sea level anomaly to change from about –20 to 30 cm, consistent with the D anomaly from the PIESs. Bottom pressure sensors measured no variation related to these eddy activities, which indicated that the two eddies were dominated by baro-clinicity. Time series of SSHA map confirmed that the two eddies, originating from the North Pacific Subtropical Countercurrent region near 20°―30°N and 150°―160°E, traveled about 3000 km for about 18 months with mean westward propagation speed of about 6 cm/s, before arriving at the region southeast of Okinawa Island.     

Real‐time hybrid simulation for an RC bridge pier subjected to both horizontal and vertical ground motions

It is well known that real‐time hybrid simulation (RTHS) is an effective and viable dynamic testing method. Numerous studies have been conducted for RTHS during the last 2 decades; however, the application of RTHS toward practical civil infrastructure is fairly limited. One of the major technical barriers preventing RTHS from being widely accepted in the testing community is the difficulty of accurate displacement control for axially stiff members. For such structures, a servo‐hydraulic actuator can generate a large force error due to the stiff oil column in the actuator even if there is a small axial displacement error. This difficulty significantly restricts the implementation of RTHS for structures such as columns, walls, bridge piers, and base isolators. Recently, a flexible loading frame system was developed, enabling a large‐capacity real‐time axial force application to axially stiff members. With the aid of the flexible loading frame system, this paper demonstrates an RTHS for a bridge structure with an experimental reinforced concrete pier, which is subjected to both horizontal and vertical ground motions. This type of RTHS has been a challenging task due to the lack of knowledge for satisfying the time‐varying axial force boundary condition, but the newly developed technology for real‐time force control and its incorporation into RTHS enabled a successful implementation of the RTHS for the reinforced concrete pier of this study.