Economic and Environmental Geology (자원환경지질)

The Korean Society of Economic and Environmental Geology (대한자원환경지질학회)
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Review on the Relative Sea-level Changes in the Yellow Sea during the Late Holocene

한반도 서해안의 후기 홀로세 해수면 변동 곡선에 대한 검토

  • 최성자 (한국지질자원연구원 국토지질연구본부 지질연구센터)
  • Received : 2018.09.21
  • Accepted : 2018.10.27
  • Published : 2018.10.28
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Abstract

In this paper, we review previous studies on the relative sea-level changes in the Yellow Sea during the Holocene to comprehensive understand the various research results. Currently, it is reported two theories : 1) the Holocene sea-level has never been higher than the present-day level; and 2) sea-level have reached highstand during mid-Holocene, followed by slow lowering to that of the present. The first theory yields a curve that is similar to a climate-change-related eustatic sea-level curve. However, in reality, most of the relative sea-level fluctuation resulted from land uplift or subsidence. The second theory yields a curve that is fairly coincident with a relative sea-level curve indicative of continental margins being located away from the ice sheets(i.e., far-field), and is considered as an effect of GIA(Glacio Isostatic Adjustment) and gravitational attraction. Based on detailed review of previous researches, we realized that they sourced the same papers, but obtained different results because they selectively chose and added the data. The data used to derive the second theory pertain to the northern Gunsan region, which is located within the western area of the Chugaryeong fault. Thus, we believe that the sea-level curve for the second theory is only representative of the area north of Gunsan, which is subject to GIA and tectonic deformation. Although the relative sea-level curve for the west coastal area is comparable to that for the far-field continental margin region, it is necessary to evaluate local tectonic activities as suggested by active seismicity in the west coastal area and the more than 400 faults currently existing in on the Korean Peninsula.

서해안에서 보고되고 있는 다수의 해수면 변동 곡선들은 모두 상대해수면(Relative sea-level) 변동곡선으로 사료된다. 서해안의 상대해수면 변동곡선들은 크게 1) 홀로세 해수면은 현 해수면보다 높은 적이 없었다는 학설과 2) 중기 홀로세에 해수면은 현재 해수면보다 수m 높았으며, 이 후 서서히 하강하면서 현해수면에 도달하였다는 학설로 대표된다. 전자는 절대해수면 곡선과 대비되는 반면, 후자는 빙하로부터 원거리에 위치하고 있는 대륙의 연안 역에서 나타나는 상대해수면곡선과 대비된다. 해수면 곡선 복원도에 활용된 자료들을 검토하여 보았을 때, 대부분 기 발표된 논문의 자료들을 인용하였으나, 그 인용에 있어 분석자료의 선택적 사용으로 서로 다른 결과들이 도출되었다. 그럼에도 불구하고, 후자의 자료들은 모두 군산이북지역으로부터 얻어진 것으로, 중기 홀로세 이후 서서히 하강하는 해수면 변동곡선이 군산 이북지역을 대표하고 있는 것으로 생각된다. 서해안 상대해수면 곡선은 빙하평형조절(GIA:Glacio isostatic adjustment)과 이에 수반된 중력 끌림(Gravitational attraction)에 의한 요인뿐만 아니라 그 이외의 지엽적으로 발생하는 지구조 운동 등에 의하여 변동될 수 있다. 그러므로, 서해안역의 상대해수면곡선 양상이 원거리 지역에서 나타나는 것과 대비 되지만, 서해안의 활발한 지진활동과 한반도에 분포하는 다수의 단층 존재를 미루어 볼 때, 지역적으로 발생하는 지구조 운동이 상대해수면 변동에 영향을 끼칠 수 있었을 것으로 예상된다.

Keywords

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