Geomorphic Features of Bing-gye Valley Area(Kyongbuk Province, South Korea) -Mainly about Talus-

의성 빙계계곡 일대의 지형적 특성 -테일러스를 중심으로-

Bing-gye valley(Kyongbuk Province, South Korea) is well known as a tourist attraction because of its meteorologic characteristics that show subzero temperature during midsummer. Also, there are some interesting geomorphic features in the valley area. Therefore, the valley is worth researching in geomorphology field. The aim of this paper is to achieve two purposes. These are to clarify geomorphic features on talus within Bing-gye valley area, and to infer the origin of Bing-gye valley. The main results are summarized as follows. 1) The formation of Bing-gye valley It would be possible to infer the following two ideas regarding the formation of Bing-gye valley. One is that the valley was formed by differential erosion of stream along fault line, and the other is that the rate of upheaval comparatively exceeded the rate of stream erosion. Especially, the latter may be associated with the fact that the width of the valley is much narrow. Judging that the fact the width of the valley is much narrow, compared with one of its upper or lower valley, it is inferred that Bing-gye valley is transverse valley. 2) The geomorphic features of talus (1) Pattern It seems to be true that the removal of matrix(finer materials) by the running water beneath the surface can result in partly collapse hollows. Taluses are tongue-shaped or cone-shaped in appearance. They are $120{\sim}200m$ in length, $30{\sim}40m$ in maximum width. and $32{\sim}33^{\circ}$ in mean slope gradient. The component blocks are mostly homogeneous in size and shape(angular), which reflect highly jointed free face produced by frost action under periglacial environment. (2) Origin On the basis of previous studies, the type of the talus is classified into rock fall talus. When considered in conjunction with the degrees of both weathering of blocks and hardness of blocks, it can be explained that the talus was formed under periglacial environment in pleistocene time. (3) The inner structure of block accumulation I recognize a three-layered structure in the talus as follows: (a) superficial layer; debris with openwork texture at the surface, 1.3m thick. (b) intermediate layer: small debris(about 5cm in diameter) with fine matrix(including humic soil), 70cm thick. (c) basal layer: over 2m beneath surface, almost pure soil horizon without debris (4) The stage of landform development Most of the blocks are now covered with lichen, and/or a mantle of weathering. It is believed that downslope movement by talus creep well explains the formation of concave slope of the talus. There is no evidence of present motion in the deposit. Judging from above-mentioned facts, the talus of this study area appears to be inactive and fossil landform.

연구지역에서 발달하는 테일러스들은 테일러스의 일반적인 특성을 잘 반영하고 있다. 우리나라에 분포하는 테일러스가 보통 rock fall talus이듯이 본 연구지역의 테일러스도 동일한 유형으로 판단된다. 또 테일러스의 사면형태, 형성시기 발달과정, 미지형적 특성 등은 지금까지 발표된 여러 연구결과들과 거의 일치하고 있다. 그러나 인접한 테일러스간의 경계 부분에서는 암설입경의 상대적 크기에 따라 약간의 지형적 차이점을 인식할 수 있었다. 특히 본 연구에서는 테일러스 암설 최적층의 내부구조를 국내 처음으로 확인하여 3가지의 뚜렷한 층위를 구분할 수 있었다. 즉, 암설로만 구성된 표층과 암실과 세립물질(실트질 모래)이 혼재된 중간층 그리고 과거의 토양층인 기저층 등으로 구분된다. 또 암설 퇴적층에 대한 내부구조 인식은 테일러스 형성 당시로 부터 현재까지의 기후환경과 암설의 퇴적양상을 밝히는데 매우 중요하며 앞으로 이 분야의 연구에 큰 도움을 줄 것으로 생각된다. 한편 국지적으로 특수기상이 나타나는 빙혈이 있는 빙계계곡의 경우 그것의 형성에는 단층작용의 역할이 중요한 것으로 판단된다. 그러나 이 곳을 흐르는 쌍계천이 유독 빙계계곡에서만 협곡(빙계계곡의 폭은 주변 곡쪽의 $1/8{\sim}1/10$정도임)을 형성하는 이유에 대해서 정곡의 가능성을 제시했지만 입증할 만한 자료가 없는 것이 유감이다.