• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.31-42
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• 2017

Oahu Island is the third largest island of the Hawaiian chain which located in the northern hemisphere close to the center of the Pacific Ocean and is affected by storms and tsunamis in the northern and southern hemispheres. High-wave and high-energy waves are concentrated in the winter and summer, and the Oahu Coast is always in an active erosion environment. These natural effects are likely to become more severe with global warming and sea level rise. In addition, as the anthropogenic factors, there was indiscreet flood of development on the coast until the 1972 coastal management law was enacted. However, the present coastal erosion phenomenon was not serious than thought. The cause can be found in the improvement of the coastal management of the provincial government. The Hawaiian government is no longer applying this method, which was built prior to the enactment of the Coastal Control Act, due to increased erosion and side effects at other sites. So, in Hawaii, it is mainly applied to soft revetment methods such as supplying sand or making artificial sand dunes as an erosion prevention method. In Korea, there are some places where the soft revetment method is applied partially, but it is mainly composed of hard revetment structure.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.32 no.1_2
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• pp.30-40
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• 2018

In response to the increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gases, the Arctic temperature is increasing rapidly by 2-3 times other regions. This larger Arctic warming than lower latitudes is called 'Arctic Amplification'(Overland et al., 2017; Goose et al., 2018). Associated with the Arctic Amplification, the Arctic sea ice is declining rapidly and Greenland ice sheet is melting rapidly, especially around the coastal margins (State of Climate, 2018). However, Antarctic climate change appears to be different from the Arctic. In the western part of Antarctica, surface temperature is rising rapidly with large sea and land ice melting, but in the eastern part, there is little temperature change with slight increase in sea ice extent. The contrasting east-west temperature response is illustrated by the deepening of the Amundsen Sea Low whose upstream brings warm maritime air to the Antarctic peninsula and Amundsen-Bellingshausen Seas, but downstream air provides cold air to the Ross Sea, increasing sea ice. Besides, the increase in Southern Annular Mode (SAM) phase due to stratospheric ozone reduction enhances westerly winds, pushing sea ice northward by Ekman divergence and cooling east Antarctica. In this study, we review the recent Antarctic climate change and its possible causes.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.23-30
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• 2017

There are many uncertainty to understand the ways in which Paleolithic men hunted animals. But in the meantime, We can identify a part of the hunting activities of the old people through artworks left by the paleolithic people at that time. First is the size of the hunt. In the case of painted artwork, the size of the herd does not exceed 10 people. Therefore, a small group of about 10 people would go out for a hunt, and they could see that the size of the herd varied according to the hunting target. In other words, to catch large and wild beasts like bison, you can see that it consists of nine or seven groups. In order to catch the horse, the same large animal, we can see that six people joined together. On the other hand, a group of two or three people hunting a relatively small, mild animal such as a deer would have been enough. Therefore, the size of the hunting herd was less than 10 people, and the size of the hunting herd seemed to be slightly different for each animal. Second, it is confirmed that these groups have a well-divided role. Because all nine of them were hunted out, they were divided into four small groups, which is likely to imply that the role of each group was different. Third, we can see that most of the weapons of the hunting herds were spears. The production and use of stone tools have been progressively developed, making a small stoner, a small stoneware, and connecting it to the spears, making it more efficient to hunt. This kind of composite wool connecting stone tools and wood would have been the most efficient means of hunting.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.33 no.1_2
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• pp.37-48
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• 2021

The cold surge is an important extreme weather in East Asia during winter, and is largely affected by behavior of the Siberian high Arctic Oscillation, which represents undulation of large-scale pressure pattern in the Arctic region. Recent studies also revealed that the synoptic low pressure system developing in the eastern boundary of the Asian continent is sensitive to sea surface temperature (SST) and plays an important role in strengthening the cold advection over the Korean Peninsula during cold surges. In this study, we analyzed the Arctic Oscillation affecting the large-scale background of cold surge in East Asia, and the sea surface temperature in the coast of East Asia is examined focusing on its role on synoptic low-inducing cold advection. For the analysis, the days with the bottom 3% of the average daily temperature, measured at five surface stations in Korean Peninsula during 49 years (1969/70-2017/18), were used for the cold surge cases. During the negative phase of the Arctic Oscillation, a strong trough is observed over East Asia, and the inflow of cold air from the polar region is strengthened, which lead to frequent cold surges. In addition, anomalously high SST in the eastern coast of Asia increases sensible and latent heat release from the ocean, therefore, it enlarges the likelihood of synoptic low-inducing extreme cold surges.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.9-21
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• 2002

In Korea, many open-air upper palaeolithic sites are located at the river valley, particularly exposed in gently rotting terrain along the river course. They are situated at an altitude less trail 30 m above present river bottom, and covered with the blankets of slope deposits of several meters in thickness. The purpose of this research is to eluridate depositional and vegetational environment of the alluvial upper palaeolithic Jangheung-ri sites on the basis of analytical properties of grain size population, chronology, palynology, soil chemistry and clay mineralogy and magnetic susceptibility of the Jangheung-ri Quaternary formations. The lithostratograpy of Jangheung-ri sit is subdivided into 3 layers based on the depositional sequence and radiocarbon ages. From bottom to top, they are composed of slope deposits with lower paleosol layers, young fluvial sand and gravel with backswamp organic muds, and upper paleosol layers. The upper paleosol was formed under rather dry climatic condition between each flooding period. Dessication cracks were prevalent in the soil solum which was filled with secondarily minuted fragments due to pedogenetic process. The soil structure shows typical braided-typed cracks in the root part of cracking texture, and more diversified pattern of crackings downward. The young fluvial sand gravel were formed by rather perennial streams after LGM. The main part of organic muds was particularly formed after 15Ka. Local backswamp were flourished with organic muds and graded suspension materials in the flooding muds were intermittently accumulated in the organic muds until ca. 11Ka. This episode was associated with migration of Nam River toward present course. Organic muds were formed in backswamp or local pond. Abies/Picea-Betula with Ranunculaceae, Compositae, Cyperaceae were prevalent. This period is characterized with B$\Phi$lling, Older Dryas, Allerod, and Younger Dryas (MIS-1). Stone artefacts were found in the lower paleosol layers formed as old as 18Ka-22Ka. Based on the artefacts and landscape settings of the Jangheung-ri site, it is presumed that settlement grounds of old people were buried by frequent floodings of old Nam River, the river-beds of which were heavily fluctuated laterally and river-bed erosions were activated from south to north in Jangheung-ri site until the terminal of LGM9ca 17Ka).

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 1999

Goryeri archaeological site is located in the upstream valley of the Danjang River. The basement rocks of the area are composed of the Cretaceous to Palaeogene biotite granite (KbGr), acidic dyke (Kad), Milyang Andesite (Kma) and Jyunggagsan Formation. Among them Milyang Andesite and Jyunggagsan Formation are prevailed in archaeological site and they are composed of reddish brown tuffaceous shale, sandstone and conglomerate, with intercalations of acidic tuffs and lapilli tuffs. The purpose of this research is not only to compare REE pattern of the soil-sedimentary deposits with those of surrounding rocks, but also to identify vitric tephra in the soil-sedimentary deposits derived from the andesite, acidic tuff and lapilii tuff, in order to illucidate the provenance of the vitric tephra. The rare earth element(REE) of the soils and sedimentary deposits results in the same REE pattern with those analyzed from the surrounding basement rocks. This indicates that the soils and sedimentary deposits are originated from the surrounding basement rocks, most probably from the andesite and lapilli tuff. In addition, vitric tephra were identified both in the Quaternary in-situ weathered soils and sedimentary deposits (PMU-13 and PMU-17), and in the weathered surrounding lapilli tuff. These vitric tephra are considered to be different from those of Japanese AT(Aira Tanzawa) -tephra. The latter is predominant with clean, platty, bubble-walled and Y-shaped vitrics, while the former is conspicuous with those shapes of large and diverse size and devitrified, as well as having secondarily bubbled-surfaces reflecting surface weathering. The size of vitric fragments in the Goryeri site is about 300${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ and large in size in compasion to 150${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ of Japanese AT-Tephra. The interim results of the research are contradictary to the explanations based on a series of AT-tephra researches carried by Japanese scholar. In short, the vitric materials of the Goryeri archaeological site are most probably originated from the weathering products of the surrounding basement rocks, and are different from the AT-tephra in their size, shape and devitrification properties. Thus it is highly recommended to have a further comprehensive research which is more emphasized the magmatic genesis of these vitric tephra in addition to the external shape and morphology.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.25-50
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• 1988

The survival of rich evidence of palaeolithic occupation found in the Imjin-Hant'an River basin was possible due to many fortuitous geological conditions provided there. Formation of the basalt plain in a narrow valley system which developed during the late Mesozoic insured the appearance of a basin of sedimentation in which archaeological sites would be preserved with relatively minor post-depositional disturbance. Geomagnetic and K-Ar dating indicates that lava flows occurred during the Brunes Normal Epoch. During and after the process of basin sedimentation, erosion of the plain was confined to the major channel of the present river system which developed along the structural joints formed by the lava flow. Due to characteristic columnar structure and platy cleavage of the basalt bedrock, erosion of the basalt bedrock occurred mainly in vertical direction, developing deep but narrow entrenched valleys cut into the bedrock. Consequently, the large portion of the site area remained intact. Cultural deposits formed on top of the basalt plain were left unmodified by later fluvial disturbances due to changes in the Hant'an River base-level, since they were formed about 20 to 40m above the modern floodplain. Sedimentological evidence of cultural deposits and palynological analysis of lacustrine bed formed in the tributary basin of the Hant'an River indicate that hominid occupation occurred in this basin under rapidly deteriorating climatic conditions. From three thermoluminescence dates, the timing of hominid occupation as represented by 'Acheulian-like' bifaces apparently occur sometime during 45,000 BP. Thus, deposition of cultural layers in this basin approximately coincides with the beginning of the second stadial of the final glacial, during which the Korean Peninsula must have had provided a sanctuary for prolonged human occupation.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.27-36
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• 2007

The severe damage of cultural heritages induced by natural hazards like heavy rain has been dramatically increased since 1990. The number of the repair works of stone heritage of 2005 was six times as many as those of 1986 year. Especially the ratio of the repair works of Gyeongsang Province and Jeolla Province stood 63% of those of all over the country. Since 1990, the typhoons usually struck the southern part of Korea and went northward. The heavy damage of stone heritages in two provinces was caused by them. We made a preliminary survey the stone heritages that exposed to the natural hazards on the basis of repair works of them and a field survey. The analysis results indicate that the natural hazards such as landslide and soil disaster of the stone heritages related to a sloping surface stood 58% of all kind of natural hazards. The reasons are caused by the 59 % of all the stone heritages distributed in a sloping surface resulted in natural hazards like landslide and soil disaster. The bases of stone heritages can be easily eroded by the surface water with high energy induced by heavy rainfall. Most of the stone heritages like Maebul were engraved on a natural rock wall(outcrop). But some of them engraved on rolling stones are very vulnerable in a change of a base condition caused by erosion and ground subsidence and they can be tilted or fell down. The distribution of the stone heritages vulnerable in natural hazard is related to that of the rainfall distribution compounded five typhoons after 1990. Most of them are included in level two on the rainfall distribution map except those of Taean peninsula and some of Gyeonggi Province. They seem to be rather related to the rainfall distribution of the Typhoon Olga.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.101-109
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• 2001

The landscape changes at the Mujechi moors I and II during the last twenty two years were analysed using a tree ring analysis of pine trees, a distributional pattern of pine tree, an aerial photograph interpretation and a measurement of firebreak line. The analysis of aerial photographs(taken in 1978, 1988, 1998) indicates that the area of Mujechi moors I and II have gradually decreased. The decreased rate of moor area was relatively high, i.e.,-23.9 %(1978~1988) and -16.4 %(1998~1998) at the Mujechi moor I, but a little bit low, i.e., -2.6% (1978~1988) and -12.6 % (1998~1998) at the Mujechi moor II. However, dendrochronological analysis of pine trees at moors I and II shows that the appearance rates of pine trees per $100\textrm{m}^2$ at moor I and II were 0.28 and 0.57 respectively. And the number of younger pine trees(height is under 1.5m, DBH is less than 2.5 cm) invaded into moors are numbered eleven at the moor I, and ten at the moor II. This shows that the shift of a wetlands into a land was faster at the moor II than the moor I. The construction of a firebreak line and waterway along the moors I and II areas since the December, 1995, has diverted watershed flow and prohibited the runoff flow into the moors. The analysis of GIS suggests that the decreased watershed area were about $11,413.8\textrm{m}^2$(12.1 % of whole watershed area) at the moor I and $15,969.5\textrm{m}^2$(40.4 % of whole watershed area) at the moor II. The negative impact of firebreak line on the inflow of water into the moors I and II and destruction of vegetation along the firebreak line are noticeable from the field survey.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2002

A total of 4 muddy sediment samples collected from the Central Yellow Sea were analyzed for chemical composition. The results are compared with the previously published Huanghe, Changjiang and Keum River geochemical data in order to understand provenance and sedimentation of fine-grained mud, and the sediment accumulation rates estimated. The sandy sediment facies is distributed in the eastern area, a patch of fine-grained mud exists in the western central prat, and the sandy mud and clay sedimentary facies shot. north to south zonal distribution in the central region. The content of calcium carbonate ranges from 2.8 to 10.5%, and its distributional trends to be more concentrated on the western muddy sediments near toward the China side rather than on the eastern sandy sediments. The accumulation rates obtained using Pb-210 geochronologies for the muddy sediments in the Central Yellow Sea showed ranges from 0.21 to 0.68 cm/yr or 0.176 to 0.714 g/$\textrm{cm}^2$. yr. The sedimentation rate from core CY96010 located in the eastern near side of Shandong Peninsula which is affected by the Huanghe River shows 0.68 cm/yr or 0.714 g/$\textrm{cm}^2$ . yr. The sediment cores CY96008 and CY96002 in the Central Yellow Sea, the estimated of sediment accumulation rates shows 0.21~0.23cm1yr or 0.176~0.220 9/$\textrm{cm}^2$.Vr respectively, which are much lower than above samples. These indicate that the muddy sediments in central area of the Yellow Sea may have received influence of the sediment discharge from the Huanghe River. The concentrations of Ca, Na, Sr, Ho, La, Tb, Ta and Ca/Ti ratio of the muddy sediments in the Central Yellow Sea are higher than those of the Changjiang sediments and lower than those of the Huanghe sediments. However, these element values showed similar concentration patterns than those of the Huanghe sediment. The element contents such as Fe, Ti, Nl, Co, Cr, Cu, Pb, Sc, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Cd and Dy in the study area are higher than those of the Huanghe sediments and lower than the Changjiang River sediments, but these values showed close to resemblance content trends those of the Changjiang sediment. The concentration of Mn, K and Sr in sediments of the study area are similar to those of the Keum River and eastern Yellow Sea sediment. They are rich in Zn, Rb, Cd, U, Cs and Li than those of the other comparison legions. Therefore, the terrigenous materials sources of the muddy sediment in the Central Yellow Sea comes mainly from Huanghe River in the past and present, and also have party derived from the Changjiang and Keum River, while the biological deposit in this area are carried by the Yellow Sea Warm Current.