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Detailed Reference Information
Lee et al. 2003
Lee, G.H., Kim, H., Jou, H. and Cho, H. (2003). Opal-A/opal-CT phase boundary inferred from bottom-simulating reflectors in the southern South Korea Plateau, East Sea (Sea of Japan). Geophysical Research Letters 30: doi: 10.1029/2003GL018670. issn: 0094-8276.

Multi-channel seismic reflection profiles from the trough areas of the southern South Korea Plateau, East Sea (Sea of Japan), reveal high-amplitude, positive-polarity bottom-simulating reflectors (BSRs) at about 500 ms two-way travel time (ca. 450 m) below the seafloor. The positive polarity and no noticeable drop of frequency (low-frequency shadow) below the BSR strongly suggest that the BSR is due to an opal-A/opal-CT phase boundary. The BSR often marks a sharp interface between low-amplitude reflections above and high-amplitude reflections below. The weak, but distinct reverse-polarity event, seen 70--150 ms two-way travel time below the BSR, may represent the base of the silica diagenetic zone. The geothermal gradients (78--111¿C/km) estimated from the sub-bottom depth of the BSR are comparable to that (98¿C/km) measured at the nearby Kita-Yamato Trough, where the opal-A/opal-CT boundary has been penetrated by the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) drilling.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Exploration Geophysics, Seismic methods, Marine Geology and Geophysics, Marine seismics, Oceanography, General, Marginal and semienclosed seas
Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
http://www.agu.org/journals/gl/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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