Investigation of CO2 behavior and study on design of optimal injection into Gorae-V aquifer

This study presents the Bottom-hole pressure (BHP) behavior with different wettabilities and the optimal design scheme to effectively inject CO₂ into the Gorae-V aquifer. As a result, the injection rate and injectivity were increased as the wettability condition became more water-wet. However, the more wettability condition becomes water-wet, the more the ultimate CO₂ injection volume decreases. When the injectivity was 346 ton/day/Mpa at the Gorae-V aquifer, the aquifer can sustain CO₂ injection at a rate of 2,425 tons per day over this time period. A design for a complete CCS system was developed based on the existing off-shore pipeline in combination with new on-shore CO₂ transport infrastructure, and a pressure of 12.8 MPa is required at the CO₂ source to maintain this injection rate.     

Evidence of gas hydrate from downhole logging data in the Ulleung Basin, East Sea

The Gas Hydrate Research and Development Organization (GHDO) of Korea successfully accomplished both coring (hydraulic piston and pressure coring) and logging (logging-while-drilling, LWD, and wireline logging) to investigate the presence of gas hydrate during the first deep drilling expedition in the Ulleung Basin, East Sea of Korea (referred to as UBGH1) in 2007. The LWD data from two sites (UBGH1-9, UBGH1-10) showed elevated electrical resistivity (>80 Ω-m) and P-wave velocity (>2000 m/s) values indicating the presence of gas hydrate. During the coring period, the richest gas hydrate accumulation was discovered at these intervals. Based on log data, the occurrence of gas hydrate is primarily controlled by the presence of fractures. The gas hydrate saturation calculated using Archie’s relation shows greater than 60% (as high as ∼90%) of the pore space, although Archie’s equation typically overestimates gas hydrate saturation in near-vertical fractures. The saturation of gas hydrate is also estimated using the modified Biot-Gassmann theory (BGTL) by Lee and Collett (2006). The saturation values estimated rom BGTL are much lower than those calculated from Archie’s equation. Based on log data, the hydrate-bearing sediment section is approximately 70 m (UBGH1-9) to 130 m (UBGH1-10) in thickness at these two sites. This was further directly confirmed by the recovery of gas hydrate samples and pore water freshening collected from deep drilling core during the expedition. LWD data also strongly support the interpretation of the seismic gas hydrate indicators (e.g., vent or chimney structures and bottom-simulating reflectors), which imply the probability of widespread gas hydrate presence in the Ulleung Basin.     

Empirical ocean-color algorithms to retrieve chlorophyll-a, total suspended matter, and colored dissolved organic matter absorption coefficient in the Yellow and East China Seas

A bio-optical dataset collected during the 1998?C2007 period in the Yellow and East China Seas (YECS) was used to provide alternative empirical ocean-color algorithms in the retrieval of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), total suspended matter (TSM), and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) absorption coefficients at 440 nm (ag₄₄₀). Assuming that remote-sensing reflectance (Rrs) could be retrieved accurately, empirical algorithms for T_Chl (regionally tuned Tassan??s Chl-a algorithm) in case-1 waters (T_Chl2i in case-2 waters), T_TSM (regionally tuned Tassan??s TSM algorithm), and T_ag440 or C_ag440 (regionally tuned Tassan??s or Carder??s ag₄₄₀ algorithm) were able to retrieve Chl-a, TSM, and ag₄₄₀ with uncertainties as high as 35, 46, and 35%, respectively. Applying the standard SeaWiFS Rrs, T_Chl was not viable in the eastern part of the YECS, which was associated with an inaccurate SeaWiFS Rrs retrieval because of improper atmospheric correction. T_Chl behaved better than other algorithms in the turbid case-2 waters, although overestimation was still observed. To retrieve more reliable Chl-a estimates with standard SeaWiFS Rrs in turbid water (a proxy for case-2 waters), we modified T_Chl for data with SeaWiFS normalized water-leaving radiance at 555 nm (nLw₅₅₅) > 2 mW cm^?2 ??m^?1 sr^?1 (T_Chl2s). Finally, with standard SeaWiFS Rrs, we recommend switching algorithms from T_Chl2s (for case-2 waters) to MOC_Chl (SeaWiFS-modified NASA OC4v4 standard algorithm for case-1 waters) for retrieving Chl-a, which resulted in uncertainties as high as 49%. To retrieve TSM and ag₄₄₀ using SeaWiFS Rrs, we recommend empirical algorithms for T_TSM (pre-SeaWiFS-modified form) and MT_ag440 or MC_ag440 (SeaWiFS Rrs-modified forms of T_ag440 or C_ag440). These could retrieve with uncertainties as high as 82 and 52%, respectively.     

On the sampling errors from raingauges and microwave attenuation measurements

The sampling error formalism by North and Nakamoto (1989) has been widely referenced in research papers on sampling using space-borne sensors or ground-borne sensors. However, their formalism is found to not only underestimate the sampling error, especially for the raingauge network case, but also not be applicable for the cases of using a line of raingauges or microwave attenuation measurements. In this paper, the sampling error formalism has been revised and applied to the same sampling design and the same rainrate model as in North and Nakamoto (1989) for the comparison. The sampling error estimated using the revised formula was found to be more than 50% higher than that by North and Nakamoto (1989). For the case of using a line of raingauges we found that the sampling error converges to a certain value, not zero as in North and Nakamoto formalism, as the number of gauges increases. The microwave attenuation measurements case, which is the same as the case of using a line of infinite raingauges, also gives non-zero sampling errors. Finally, the combined sampling using both satellite and ground-borne sensors (e.g., raingauge network, a line of raingauges, or microwave attenuation measurements) was reviewed to check their design orthogonality and estimated the sampling errors for the combination of satellite and raingauge network case to see its behavior depending on various settings of these two different measurements.     

Last glacial sea-level changes and paleogeography of the Korea (Tsushima) Strait

The Korea (Tsushima) Strait is an important seaway through which the warm Tsushima Current flows into the East Sea (Japan Sea). A paleogeographic map constrained by a regional sea-level curve developed on the basis of a number of recent ¹⁴C radiocarbon dates suggests that the Korea Strait was not closed during the last glacial period. Rather, it was open as a channel-like seaway linking the western North Pacific and the East Sea. Some fraction of the paleo-Tsushima Current inflow presumably continued at that time through the Korea Strait. The activity of the paleo-Tsushima Current is evidenced by the distribution pattern of river-derived lowstand deposits, consisting of a beach/shoreface complex and lowstand deltaic wedges. Received: 16 April 1999 / Revision accepted: 25 February 2000     

Near-surface seismic facies at the Korea Strait shelf margin and trough region

High-resolution seismic profiles across the shelf margin and trough region of the Korea Strait reveal five shallow, near-surface facies units. These are relict coastal deposits, relict delta deposits, slumps and slides, and trough lag deposits. Most deposits represent a lowstand systems tract, formed during the last lowstand of sea level. Relict coastal deposits represent a linear sediment body along the present shelf margin at water depths of 120–150 m, whereas relict delta deposits occur on the gentle, southwestern slope of the trough at water depths of about 150–200 m. Slumps and slides are dominant at the base of slope in the central trough region. Sediments on the central trough floor were partly eroded and redistributed by strong currents, resulting in lag deposits.     

Shallow water temporal coherence of broadband acoustic signals in the presence of internal waves

Temporal coherence is closely related to single path phase rate. The single path phase rates in a shallow water environment were obtained by applying two different multipath models [Dyson, Munk, and Zetler, J. Acoust. Soc. Am., vol. 59, pp. 1121-1133, 1976 and Mikhalevsky, J. Acoust. Soc. Am., vol. 66, pp. 751-762, 1979] on simulated data with internal waves. The estimated phase rates were consistent between the two models. In contrast, previous application of the same models on deep water data showed a factor of 8 difference in their phase rates. The phase rates derived from the models become independent of range after a uniform phase distribution is reached in the (-/spl pi/,/spl pi/) region. The shallow water coherence time varies considerably with depth at a given range. The depth dependence is explained with a correlation function constructed with mode depth functions.     

True orthoimage generation by mutual recovery of occlusion areas

Demand for orthoimages is increasing as a crucial component of geographic information systems (GISs). Orthoimages are geometrically equivalent to planimetric maps, which show true geographic locations of terrain features. To produce orthoimages, geometric distortions from camera tilt and relief displacement from perspective images must be corrected. Traditionally, removing such distortions has been accomplished by differential rectification in a pixel-by-pixel fashion. However, this method cannot produce true orthoimages because of the double-mapping problem. We propose a method of generating patch-based true orthoimages for surface patches in buildings. The proposed method utilizes three-dimensional (3D) building model data. Patches from the data were projected onto aerial images to extract image patches and analysis of the superstructures was performed. Because orthoimages are generated for each building, the orthoimage quality is enhanced when using building data with a high level of detail. Instead of performing the complex visibility analysis of existing approaches, this article identifies occlusion areas based on unit surfaces of buildings and presents mutual recovery of occlusions using multiple images. To evaluate the feasibility of the method, experiments were performed with real datasets: (1) a building with a dome superstructure, (2) high-rise buildings close to each other, and (3) buildings with various shapes.     

Late Quaternary sediments on the outer shelf of the Korea Strait and their paleoceanographic implications

Sedimentological and micropaleontological characteristics of core sediments from the outer shelf of the Korea Strait, which connects the northern East China Sea and the East Sea (Sea of Japan), were investigated to elucidate the paleoceanographic environment, especially the timing of the Kuroshio inflow, since the last glacial maximum. The core sediments, containing continuous records of the last 15,000 years, are characterized by a relatively high mud content (more than 50%, on average) and well-developed tide-influenced sedimentary structures. Their mineralogy suggests that the material originated from the paleo-Nakdong River system, which extended across the shelf of the Korea Strait during low sea-level periods. Planktonic foraminifers reveal a series of well-defined changes in paleoceanographic conditions during the late Pleistocene–Holocene. Down-core variations in the abundance of four foraminiferal assemblages, i.e., cold, coastal, tropical–subtropical, and Kuroshio water groups comprising characteristic planktonic species, suggest the occurrence of a distinct paleoenvironmental change in the surface water at 7,000 years b.p., i.e., from 15,000 to 7,000 years b.p., the area was influenced by coastal waters whereas since ca. 7,000 years b.p., it has been under the influence of open-sea water related to the Kuroshio Current flow, associated with both higher temperature and higher salinity. In particular, Pulleniatina obliquiloculata increased markedly in abundance at this time, documenting the inflow of the Kuroshio into the study area. These data indicate that the coastal water stage terminated at ca. 7,000 years b.p. when the warm Kuroshio and its major branch, the Tsushima Current, began to flow into the East Sea, as is the case today. The intrusion of the Tsushima Current through the Korea Strait after ca. 7,000 years b.p. resulted in abrupt changes in sedimentation rates and a dramatic increase in abundance of the Kuroshio indicator species, P. obliquiloculata.     

Growth,feeding and ecological roles of the mixotrophic and heterotrophic dinoflagellates in marine planktonic food webs

Planktonic mixotrophic and heterotrophic dinoflagellates are ubiquitous protists and often abundant in marine environments. Recently many phototrophic dinoflagellate species have been revealed to be mixotrophic organisms and also it is suggested that most dinoflagellates may be mixotrophic or heterotrophic protists. The mixotrophic and heterotrophic dinoflagellates are able to feed on diverse prey items including bacteria, picoeukaryotes, nanoflagellates, diatoms, other dinoflagellates, heterotrophic protists, and metazoans due to their diverse feeding mechanisms. In turn they are ingested by many kinds of predators. Thus, the roles of the dinoflagellates in marine planktonic food webs are very diverse. The present paper reviewed the kind of prey which mixotrophic and heterotrophic dinoflagellates are able to feed on, feeding mechanisms, growth and ingestion rates of dinoflagellates, grazing impact by dinoflagellate predators on natural prey populations, predators on dinoflagellates, and red tides dominated by dinoflagellates. Based on this information, we suggested a new marine planktonic food web focusing on mixotrophic and heterotrophic dinoflagellates and provided an insight on the roles of dinoflagellates in the food web.