Geotechnical properties of deep oceanic sediments recovered from the hydrate occurrence regions in the Ulleung Basin, East Sea, offshore Korea

This study presents comprehensive geotechnical data of the natural marine sediments cored from the hydrate occurrence regions during the Ulleung Basin Gas Hydrate Expedition 1 (UBGH1), East Sea, offshore Korea in 2007. Geotechnical soil index properties of the Ulleung Basin sediments, including grain size distribution, porosity, water content, Atterberg limits, specific gravity, and specific surface area, were experimentally determined. These soil index properties were correlated to geotechnical engineering parameters (e.g., shear strength and friction angle) by using well-known empirical relationships. By performing standard consolidation tests on both undisturbed specimens (as recovered from the original core liner after hydrate dissociation) and remolded specimens, stress-dependent mechanical and hydraulic properties (e.g., compressibility and hydraulic conductivity) were measured. The experimental results provide important engineering parameters, and demonstrate the effect of hydrate presence and consequential dissociation to index properties, engineering parameters, and innate sediment structures.     

Molecular and isotopic signatures in sediments and gas hydrate of the central/southwestern Ulleung Basin: high alkalinity escape fuelled by biogenically sourced methane

Natural marine gas hydrate was discovered in Korean territorial waters during a 2007 KIGAM cruise to the central/southwestern Ulleung Basin, East Sea. The first data on the geochemical characterization of hydrate-bound water and gas are presented here for cold seep site 07GHP-10 in the central basin sector, together with analogous data for four sites (07GHP-01, 07GHP-02, 07GHP-03, and 07GHP-14) where no hydrates were detected in other cores from the central/southwestern sectors. Hydrate-bound water displayed very low concentrations of major ions (Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, Na⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, and Ca²⁺), and more positive δD (15.5‰) and δ¹⁸O (2.3‰) signatures compared to seawater. Cl^– freshening and more positive isotopic values were also observed in the pore water at gas hydrate site 07GHP-10. The inferred sulfate–methane interface (SMI) was very shallow (<5 mbsf) at least at four sites, suggesting the widespread occurrence of anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) at shallow sediment depths, and possibly high methane flux. Around the SMI, pore water alkalinity was very high (>40 mM), but the carbon isotopic ratios of dissolved inorganic carbon (δ¹³C_DIC) did not show minimum values typical of AOM. Moreover, macroscopic authigenic carbonates were not observed at any of the core sites. This can plausibly be explained by carbon with high δ¹³C values diffusing upward from below the SMI, increasing alkalinity via deep methanogenesis and eventually escaping as alkalinity into the water column, with minor precipitation as solid phase. This contrasts, but is not inconsistent with recent reports of methane-fuelled carbonate formation at other sites in the southwestern basin sector. Methane was the main hydrocarbon component (>99.85%) of headspace, void, and hydrate-bound gases, C₁/C₂₊ ratios were at least 1,000, and δ¹³C_CH4 and δD_CH4 values were in the typical range of methane generated by microbial reduction of CO₂. This is supported by the δ¹³C_C2H6 signatures of void and hydrate-bound gases, and helps clarify some contradictory interpretations existing for the Ulleung Basin as a whole. In combination, these findings suggest that deep biogenic gas and pore waters migrate upward through pathways such as hydrofractures, and measurably influence the shallow carbon cycle. As a result, cation-adjusted alkalinity/removed sulfate diagrams cannot always serve to estimate the degree of alkalinity produced by sulfate reduction and AOM in high methane flux areas.     

Analysis of interval constants in calendars affiliated with the Shoushili

We study interval constants that are related to motions of the Sun and Moon,i.e., the Qi, Intercalation, Revolution and Crossing interval, in calendars affiliated with the Shoushi calendar(Shoushili), such as Datongli and Chiljeongsannaepyeon. It is known that these interval constants were newly introduced in the Shoushili calendar and revised afterward, except for the Qi interval constant, and the revised values were adopted in later calendars affiliated with the Shoushili. We first investigate the accuracy of these interval constants and then the accuracy of calendars affiliated with the Shoushili in terms of these constants by comparing times for the new moon and the maximum solar eclipse calculated by each calendar with modern methods of calculation. During our study, we found that the Qi and Intercalation interval constants used in the early Shoushili were well determined, whereas the Revolution and Crossing interval constants were relatively poorly measured. We also found that the interval constants used by the early Shoushili were better than those of the later one, and hence better than those of Datongli and Chiljeongsannaepyeon. On the other hand, we found that the early Shoushili is, in general, a worse calendar than Datongli for use in China but a better one than Chiljeongsannaepyeon for use in Korea in terms of times for the new moon and when a solar eclipse occurs, at least for the period 1281 – 1644.Finally, we verified that the times for sunrise and sunset in the Shoushili-Li-Cheng and Mingshi are those at Beijing and Nanjing, respectively.     

Meteoric Activities of the Last Millennium

We have analyzed the meteor records in the chronicles of the east Asian countries, especially the Korean records. Our results show that the seasonal variation of sporadic meteors has persisted at least for the last two millennia. We also observed the prominent showers such as the Perseids and the Leonids, which are formed by Halley-type comets. We obtained the regression rate of nodal points for the Leonids to be approximately 1.52± 0.04 days per century.     

High-resolution spectroscopy of Saturn at 3 microns: CH4, CH3D, C2H2, C2H6, PH3, clouds, and haze

We report observation and analysis of a high-resolution 2.87-3.54 μm spectrum of the southern temperate region of Saturn obtained with NIRSPEC at Keck II. The spectrum reveals absorption and emission lines of five molecular species as well as spectral features of haze particles. The ν₂+ν₃ band of CH₃D is detected in absorption between 2.87 and 2.92 μm; and we derived from it a mixing ratio approximately consistent with the Infrared Space Observatory result. The ν₃ band of C₂H₂ also is detected in absorption between 2.95 and 3.05 μm; analysis indicates a sudden drop in the C₂H₂ mixing ratio at 15 mbar (130 km above the 1 bar level), probably due to condensation in the low stratosphere. The presence of the ν₃+ν₉+ν₁₁ band of C₂H₆ near 3.07 μm, first reported by Bjoraker et al. [Bjoraker, G.L., Larson, H.P., Fink, U., 1981. Astrophys. J. 248, 856-862], is confirmed, and a C₂H₆ condensation altitude of 10 mbar (140 km) in the low stratosphere is determined. We assign weak emission lines within the 3.3 μm band of CH₄ to the ν₇ band of C₂H₆, and derive a mixing ratio of 9±4×¹⁰⁻⁶ for this species. Most of the C₂H₆ 3.3 μm line emission arises in the altitude range 460-620 km (at ∼μbar pressure levels), much higher than the 160-370 km range where the 12 μm thermal molecular line emission of this species arises. At 2.87-2.90 μm the major absorber is tropospheric PH₃. The cloud level determined here and at 3.22-3.54 is 390-460 mbar (∼30 km), somewhat higher than found by Kim and Geballe [Kim, S.J., Geballe, T.R., 2005. Icarus 179, 449-458] from analysis of a low resolution spectrum. A broad absorption feature at 2.96 μm, which might be due to NH₃ ice particles in saturnian clouds, is also present. The effect of a haze layer at about 125 km (∼12 mbar level) on the 3.20-3.54 μm spectrum, which was not apparent in the low resolution spectrum, is clearly evident in the high resolution data, and the spectral properties of the haze particles suggest that they are composed of hydrocarbons.     

Power transmission from the solar wind-magnetosphere dynamo to the magnetosphere and to the ionosphere: Analysis of the IMS Alaska meridian chain data

It is shown that the power ε generated by the solar wind-magnetosphere dynamo is transmitted to the convective motion of magnetospheric plasma. This convective motion generates what we may call the “Pedersen counterpart currents” in the magnetosphere and drives a large part of the “region 1 and 2” field-aligned currents which are closed by the Pedersen currents in the ionosphere. These results are based on a self-consistent set of the ionospheric current and potential distribution patterns obtained from a study of the International Magnetosphere Study Alaska meridian chain data.     

Permo-Triassic high-pressure metamorphism in the central western Korean Peninsula,and its link to Paleo-Tethyan Ocean closure: Key issues revisited

Permo-Triassic high-pressure(HP) mafic granulites, together with the Bibong retrogressed eclogite,preserved along the central western Korean Peninsula provide important insights into the Late Permian to Triassic collisional orogeny in northeast Asia. The metamorphic pressureetemperatureetime(P-T-t)paths of these rocks, however, remain poorly constrained and even overestimated, owing to outdated geothermobarometers and inaccurate isopleth techniques. Here we evaluate the metamorphic Pe T conditions of Triassic HP mafic granulites including those in Baekdong, Sinri and Daepan and the Bibong Triassic retrogressed eclogite in the Hongseong area, and the Permo-Triassic Samgot mafic granulite in the Imjingang Belt of the central western Korean Peninsula through the application of modern phase equilibria techniques. The Baekdong and Samgot mafic granulites and the Bibong retrogressed eclogite yield a range of 12.0 -16.0 kbar and 800 -900℃, representing HP granulite facies conditions. The Sinri and Daepan granulites from the Hongseong area show relatively lower grade metamorphic conditions between HP granulite and normal granulite facies, and are characterized by sub-isothermal decompression during exhumation. The similarities in the metamorphic ages and the post-collisional igneous activity from the central western Korean Peninsula indicate that the Triassic ages represent the retrograde stage of the metamorphic Pe T paths. In contrast, the Late Permian metamorphic ages, which are older than protolith ages of the post-collisional igneous rocks, correspond to the possible prograde stage of metamorphism. The P-T-t paths presented in this paper, together with the metamorphic ages and post-orogenic igneous events reported from these areas suggest trace of the subduction, accretion and exhumation history, and indicate a tectonic linkage among the northeast Asian continents during the Paleo-Tethyan Ocean closure.     

论《孔疏》之“兴”

通过对《孔疏》标“兴”之特点与《毛诗传》《郑笺》标“兴”之特点比较分析,提出《孔疏》之标“兴”主要着眼于“兴”与作品主旨之间的关系,而没有特别注重标“兴”的位置。这些特点使得《孔疏》之“兴”开始从政治化逐渐转向文学化。     

Model updating method for substructure pseudo‐dynamic hybrid simulation

Substructure hybrid simulation has been actively investigated and applied to evaluate the seismic performance of structural systems in recent years. The method allows simulation of structures by representing critical components with physically tested specimens and the rest of the structure with numerical models. However, the number of physical specimens is limited by available experimental equipment. Hence, the benefit of the hybrid simulation diminishes when only a few components in a large system can be realistically represented. The objective of the paper is to overcome the limitation through a novel model updating method. The model updating is carried out by applying calibrated weighting factors at each time step to the alternative numerical models, which encompasses the possible variation in the experimental specimen properties. The concept is proposed and implemented in the hybrid simulation framework, UI‐SimCor. Numerical verification is carried out using two‐DOF systems. The method is also applied to an experimental testing, which proves the concept of the proposed model updating method. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Metamorphic K-Feldspar in Low-grade Metasediments from the Ogcheon Metamorphic Belt in South Korea

Metamorphic K-feldspar was found in the low-grade pelitic rocks from the Ogcheon metamorphic belt in South Korea. It occurs as extremely fine-grained crystals (5-15 mm in width and 15-25 mm in length) closely associated with fine-grained muscovite and biotite. Their micro structural relations by X-ray mapping analyses using an electron-probe microanalyzer strongly suggest that K-feldspar has grown directly from the matrix phases as a stable phase coexisting with muscovite and biotite during the Ogcheon metamorphism. The phengite component in muscovite indicates about 4.2 kbar at 400°C, suggesting intermediate P/T type of metamorphism. Muscovite separates of two size fractions, 2-4 and 4-8 mm, give K-Ar ages of 153.4±3.3 and 156.7±3.4 Ma, respectively. The biotite separate is 156.5±3.3 Ma in age. Coarse-grained biotite crystal (ca. 0.5 mm) often occurs and it was analyzed by ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar method using a laser probe step heating technique. It gives a plateau age of 158.2±0.5 Ma that is the same as the K-Ar muscovite and biotite ages. These data, including the previous works, suggest that intermediate P/T type of Ogcheon metamorphic belt exhumed in Middle Jurassic with the dextral strike-slip fault movement.