Direct flows from the Ulleung Basin into the Yamato Basin in the East/Japan Sea

Using the trajectories of ARGO floats, we report direct flows from the Ulleung Basin into the Yamato Basin through a gap between the Oki Spur and the Yamato Rise over the southern part of the East/Japan Sea. The gap is subdivided into two narrow (northern and southern) passages by a seamount located in the middle. The flows, therefore, are narrow and this explains why this flow was not reported earlier. More than half of the 25 ARGO floats, which operated around the gap, drifted through the gap or area near it. The strength of the throughflow estimated using the trajectories of the floats at parking depth is comparable to the mean deep flow found over the southwestern part of the East/Japan Sea. A high resolution regional ocean model whose overall circulation pattern over the Ulleung Basin is consistent with those from previous studies shows that the flow through the gap is supplied mainly by eastward flows crossing the mouth of the basin, and secondarily by the cyclonic circulation following the outer perimeter of the basin. Thus the throughflow is an important component of the deep circulation over the southern East/Japan Sea, and the narrow gap, where the flow is well confined, would be a good place to study the deep circulation.     

High-resolution circulation forecasting of the Maenggol Channel, south coast of Korea

The Maenggol Channel and Uldolmok Strait, located on the south-west coast of Korea, have notably strong and complex currents due to tidal effects and to local geological factors. In these areas, electric power has been generated using strong tidal currents, the speed of which is more than 3 m/s during spring tides. The region also provides a shortcut for navigation. These tidal conditions are therefore sometimes useful, but may also cause terrible accidents or severe economic damage, in the absence of accurate information regarding ocean conditions. In April 2014, the passenger ferry MV Sewol capsized in the Maenggol Channel, with 295 passengers killed and 9 still missing. While this was unquestionably a man-made disaster, strong currents were one of the contributing causes. It was also difficult to conduct scuba diving rescue operations given strong current speeds, and accurate prediction of the time when the tide would turn was thus critically needed. In this research, we used the high-resolution coastal circulation forecasting system of KOOS (Korea Operational Oceanographic System) for analysis and simulation of strong tidal currents in such areas with many small islands, using measurements and modeling from this research area. For accurate prediction of tidal currents, small grid size-modeling was needed, and in this study, we identified a suitable grid size that offers efficiency as well as accuracy.     

集合同化方法在黄海海域海表面温度同化中的应用

The effects of sea surface temperature(SST) data assimilation in two regional ocean modeling systems were examined for the Yellow Sea(YS). The SST data from the Operational Sea Surface Temperature and Sea Ice Analysis(OSTIA) were assimilated. The National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center(NMEFC) modeling system uses the ensemble optimal interpolation method for ocean data assimilation and the Kunsan National University(KNU) modeling system uses the ensemble Kalman filter. Without data assimilation, the NMEFC modeling system was better in simulating the subsurface temperature while the KNU modeling system was better in simulating SST. The disparity between both modeling systems might be related to differences in calculating the surface heat flux, horizontal grid spacing, and atmospheric forcing data. The data assimilation reduced the root mean square error(RMSE) of the SST from 1.78°C(1.46°C) to 1.30°C(1.21°C) for the NMEFC(KNU) modeling system when the simulated temperature was compared to Optimum Interpolation Sea Surface Temperature(OISST) SST dataset. A comparison with the buoy SST data indicated a 41%(31%) decrease in the SST error for the NMEFC(KNU) modeling system by the data assimilation. In both data assimilative systems, the RMSE of the temperature was less than 1.5°C in the upper 20 m and approximately 3.1°C in the lower layer in October. In contrast, it was less than 1.0°C throughout the water column in February. This study suggests that assimilations of the observed temperature profiles are necessary in order to correct the lower layer temperature during the stratified season and an ocean modeling system with small grid spacing and optimal data assimilation method is preferable to ensure accurate predictions of the coastal ocean in the YS.     

Gold Deposition by Boiling or Cooling Without Boiling: Genesis of the Sangchon Gold Deposits, Hadong Area, South Korea

In order to understand the mechanism(s) of gold precipitation in the anorthosite- hosted Sangchon gold deposits in the Hadong area, Korea, chemical speciation and reaction path calculations were accomplished by geochemical modeling.The modeling consisted of three- step procedures: reaction with anorthosite, then the simple cooling of the reacted fluid,and finally the boiling of metalliferous fluid. The principal vein minerals of the Sangchon deposits consist of quartz, sericite,kaolinite, pyrite, galena, chalcopyrite, sphalerite and acanthite. The sulfide mineralization is typically zoned from pyrite (preferentially at vein margins) to galena and sphalerite (toward vein center). Electrum is intimately associated with pyrite + chalcopyrite and sphalerite. By comparing the results of modeling with the observed mineral assemblages and paragenesis,the most appropriate evolution path of ore fluids was suggested as follow: reaction of a single fluid with anorthosite at 300℃,then the isobaric cooling of the fluid at temperatures from 2500° to 100℃3 , and then the boiling and cooling of the fluid due to the decrease of pressure and temperature. Calculations also show that all of the observed alteration minerals formed due to fluid - anorthosite interaction at early period, whereas most of sulfides and electrum were precipitated mainly due to cooling.The abundance of gold in veins depends critically on the ratio of total base metals plus iron to sulfide in the aqueous phase,because gold is transported as Au(HS)2- whose solubility is very sensitive to the sulfide activity. Our results of geochemical modeling generally fit to the observed mineral assemblages and mineral composition, indicating the usefulness of numerical simulation for elucidating the genesis of gold deposits.     

Metamorphic Segregation Banding in the Loch Kerry Basite Sheet from the Lewisian of Gairloch, Ross-shire, Scotland

The Loch Kerry basite varies from amphibolite through stripedvarieties to strongly banded amphibolite containing many lensesof hornblendite and bands of plagioclasite. The striping andbanding is interpreted as the result of metamorphic segregationwith the complementary development of mafic and felsic types.The geochemical changes are set out and discussed on the basisof thirty-one new rock analyses. Foliation planes acted as pressure minima and differentiationdue to heterogeneous pressure led to the development of finelystriped amphibolite and subsequently to banded amphibolite.With continued deformation, the mafic parts of the banded assemblageacted passively while the felsic material moved along the foliationplanes. By preferential residual enrichment, hornblendite bandsup to 380 metres long and 30 metres across were formed. Theextent to which segregation progressed appears to have beencontrolled by the intensity of deformation in and adjacent toa zone of intense movement between a crystalline basement blockand cover rocks of basite and metasediment.     

Early Cretaceous Tectonism and Diatoms in Korea

The Early Cretaceous Sindong Group, a non-marine molasse, unconformably overlies the folded earliest Cretaceous Myogok Formation. The tectonism that folded the Jaseong Synthem including the Myogok and other formations is here called the Nakdong-Jaeryeonggang （N-J） tectonism. The Oknyeobong and Dabokni Formations are discussed to show that they belong to the Jaseong Synthem. The Dabokni Formation yielded fossil diatoms whose age has been referred as the ＂earliest Cretaceous＂ based on the geologically constrained age of the fossil-bearing deposit. The age of the N-J tectonism appears Barremian as it is between the Hauterivian Myogok Formation and the Aptian Sindong Group with the TPN （Trigonioides-Plicatounio-Nippononaia） fauna. The N-J tectonism, an orogeny, quite deformed pre-Aptian strata in Korea, but can hardly find its reported equivalent in NE China. A revised correlation table shows that the Jaseong- Sindong sequence corresponds to the Jehol Group of China. The Sindong-Hayang transition was characterized by basin migration and dextral rotation probably caused by the Tan-Lu fault system in a broad sense.     

Suspension of sediment particles over a ripple due to turbulent convection under unsteady flow conditions

We analyzed the motions of small sediment particles over a sinusoidal ripple due to an unsteady turbulent boundary layer flow using Large Eddy Simulation. The motions of sediment particles are described in terms of the Lagrangian framework as it is helpful in studying the structure of sediment suspension in detail. Strong coherent vortical structures are well developed along the upslope of the ripple surface during the accelerating flow phase, which effectively drag the particles to the ripple crest. At the maximum flow rate and at the decelerating flow phase, a cloud of vortical structures is developed vertically in the lee area of the ripple. Sediment particles render strong dispersion in the vertical direction when they are captured by these turbulent vortices, causing convective sediment flux that cannot be explained by the mean flows. The convective sediment suspension is strongest at the time of flow deceleration, while over a flat bed at the time of flow reversal. This observation suggests that bed form effect should be considered in modeling convective sediment flux.     

朝鲜平南盆地古元古界-下古生界沉积岩碎屑锆石年龄谱对比及意义

中朝古陆(华北古陆)平南盆地面积~25000km~2,位于朝鲜半岛中部,发育从中元古界到下古生界地层,但经历了低级变质作用(绿片岩相及以下)。变质基底岩石中有一套角闪岩相-麻粒岩相的变质的古元古界地层。本文根据盆地不同时代沉积岩碎屑锆石/变质锆石U-Pb LA-ICP MS年龄数据讨论沉积源区的变化,并对区域演化进行制约。甑山群/杂岩为盆地基底岩系,变质砂岩样品中碎屑锆石出现ca.2500~2100Ma的年龄峰值。另外,36.5亿年的碎屑锆石是朝鲜迄今发现的最古老碎屑锆石;夕线榴片麻岩样品记录了~1850Ma(1859±9Ma)的变质年龄;推测甑山群沉积于ca.2100~1900Ma,变质于1850 Ma。黄海群局限分布于朝鲜半岛中部,碎屑锆石年龄谱显示~1850 Ma的峰值,可见~1250 Ma的年龄,推测对应物源为古元古代基底岩浆岩和变质岩系;结合其上覆直岘群的沉积时代,推测地层沉积于ca.1250~1000Ma。直岘群是平南盆地分布最广的地层之一,底部长峰组样品显示明显的~1850Ma的峰值,而其上第二个和第三个组则显示明显的ca.1400~1600Ma和ca.1000~1200 Ma年龄峰值,~1850 Ma年龄很少;推测直岘群开始沉积时,物源主体是盆地基底岩系,但之后出现大量中元古代物质;推测其沉积时代为ca.1000~900Ma。黄州群有~1850Ma和~2500Ma的峰值,另外,还有较少的ca.1000~1200Ma及1400~1600 Ma年龄,表明沉积物源主体仍是基底岩系,可能有中新元古代沉积岩(黄州群-直岘群)的再沉积。这些沉积岩碎屑锆石年龄峰值与辽东和山东半岛沉积地层相似,并且中新元古代地层中均有大量1000~1200Ma及1400~1600Ma的物质,推测可能来自华北古陆之外,如圣弗朗西斯科克拉通。     

白头山火山渣锥的岩浆演化研究

火山渣锥是白头山(或长白山)火山喷发的重要产物,主要沿熔岩台地周边呈圆锥状寄生小火山锥体分布。野外特征显示,火山渣是火山渣锥的重要组成;岩石手标本显示,火山渣具有气孔构造,样品自顶部至底部,颜色从赤色、赤褐色,向褐色、灰色发生转变。地球化学特征表明,火山渣岩性包括玄武岩、粗面玄武岩、玄武岩质粗面安山岩、粗面安山岩岩,具有较高SiO_2(46.22%~55.38%),Al_2O3含量(15.28%~22.11%),低MgO(2.05%~4.94%),FeOT(6.79%~14.76%)的特征;同时具有较高的碱Na_2O/K_2O(Na_2O/K_2O1)比值,为钠质火山岩。其轻稀土(LREE)和重稀土(HREE)分异明显,具有弱的δEu正异常,并且具有富集K、Rb、Ba、Sr等大离子亲石元素(LILE)和相对亏损Nb、Ti等高场强元素(HFSE)的特征。此外,火山渣的分异指数(DI)范围为36.93~64.48,高于造盾阶段的幔源玄武岩的分异指数;其固结指数(SI)为10.73~24.09,低于早期幔源玄武岩的固结指数(SI=25~45),这些特征说明火山渣成分发生了较高程度的岩浆分异作用。同时,火山渣的Nb/La、Sm/Nd、La/Nb和Ba/Nb比值几乎全部介于幔源玄武岩和大陆地壳之间,说明具有明显的地壳混染的特征。因此,我们认为研究区火山渣的岩浆可能是由幔源基性玄武岩上升过程中发生分离结晶和地壳混染作用形成的。