• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.276-286
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• 2000

A 2.3 m-long core obtained from Marian Cove, King George Island in the South Shetland Islands, West Antarctica shows clues to the glaciomarine sedimentation during the Holocene. The lower part below 115cm-deep of the core is predominated by coarser material such as diamictons compared with the higher part above 105cm dominated by finer material (rhythmite and massive muds). Based on the granulometric features the coarse materials are generally supposed to be glacially-driven and basal tills, whereas the fine materials appear to originate from various sources such as meltwater-supplied, glacially-supplied, wind-blown, and organic origins. However, the presence of erratic coarse particles in the finer materials suggests the ice-rafted origin of the relevant materials. The lower part below 105cm-deep of the core was characterized by lower TN, TC, and TOC contents, and by higher TS and CaCO$_3$ contents compared with its upper part. No significant changes in C/N ratio were shown throughout the core. The ice cliff along the east side of Marian Cove seemed to locate to the west by 1.6km at 8,300 years B. P. on the basis of the repetitive occurrence of rhythmite and diamicton. Since the retreat of ice cliff in 7,970${\pm}$70 years B. P. the sediments of Marian Cove were dominated by fine materials and ice-rafted materials. The abrupt increase of coarse materials in 175cm-4 deep seems to result from supply of coarse materials due to earthquake or other drastic phenomena.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2004

Sedimentary facies and high-resolution echo facies were analyzed to elucidate sedimentation pattern of the late Quaternary glacial-marine deposits in the northern continental margin of the South Shetland Islands. Six sedimentary facies are classified, based on grain texture and sedimentary structures in gravity cores. The high-resolution (3.5 ㎑) echo characters are classified into 6 echo facies on the basis of clarity, continuity, and shape of bottom and subbottom echoes together with seafloor topography. Distribution of the echo and sedimentary facies suggest that there was a significant change in sedimentation pattern between the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and subsequent glacier-retreating period. When the grounded glaciers extended to the present shelfbreak during LGM, coarse-grained subglacial tills were widespread in the shelf area, and deep troughs in the shelf were carved beneath the fast-flowing ice steam. As the glacial margin retreated landward after LGM, dense meltwater plumes released from the retreating ice-front were funneled along the glacier-carved troughs, and accumulated channel- or cannyon-fill deposits in the shelf and the upper to mid slope. At that time, slope sediments seem to have been reworked by slope failures and unsteady contour currents, and further transported by fine-grained turbidity currents along the South Shetland Trench. After the glacial retreat, sediments in the shelf and slope areas have been mainly introduced by persistent (hemi) pelagic settling, and fine-grained turbidity currents frequently occur along the axis of the South Shetland Trench.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.152-163
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• 2001

Based upon the sedimentological, geochemical and micropaleontological analyses of two sediment cores from the Antarctic Peninsula (AP), three distinct lithological units can be recognized: (1) ice-proximal an/or ice-distal diamictons in the lower part of the cores, accumulated just seaward of the grounding line of the ice shlef until 11,000 yrs BP; (2) diatomaceous mud between 6,000 and 2,500 yrs BP in the middle part, resulted from a large influx of organic materials by enhanced production of open marine condition; (3) diatomaceous sandy mud since 2,500 yrs BP, characterized by an increase in sand content and decrease in TOC and diatom abundance in the lower layers, which reflects the formation of more extensive and seasonally persistent sea ice. Based on the C-14 radiocarbon dating, the sub-ice shlef deposition of the diamicton on the AP western shelf completed around 11,000 yrs BP. Colder condition was reinstated between 12,800 and 11,600 BP with a dropin TOC content and diatom abundance, which is coincident with the Younger Dryas event in the North Atlanticregion. At this time, the ice shelf, that is now absent in the study area, appears to advance as evidenced by an abrupt increase in sea-ice taxa. A climatic optimum is recognized between 9,000 and 2,500 BP, coincide witha mid-Holocene climatic optimum 'Hypsithermal Warm Period' from the other Antarctic sites. During this time, diatomaceous mud accumulated by a large influx of organic materials by enhanced production occurred in openmarine condition. Around 2,500 BP, diatomaceous sandy mud reflects the formation of more extensive and seasonally persistent sea ice, coincident with the onset of the Neoglacial in the Antarctic. Our results provide evidence of climatic change from the Antarctic Peninsula`s western shelf that helps in determining the existence and timing of Holocene milennial-scale climatic events in the Southern Hemisphere.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2006

Analyses of sedimentological and geochemical parameters from two radiocarbon-dated sediment cores (JM98-845-PC and JM98-818-PC) retrieved from the central part of Isfjorden, Svalbard, in the Arctic Sea, reveal detailed paleoclimatic and paleoceanographic histories over the last 15,000 radiocarbon years. The overconsolidated diamicton at the base of core JM98-845-PC is supposed to be a basal till deposited beneath pounding glacier that had advanced during the LGM (Last Glacial Maximum). Deglaciation of the fjord commenced after the glacial maximum, marked by the deposition of interlaminated sand and mud in the ice-proximal zone by subglacial meltwater discharge, and prevailed between 13,700 and 10,800 yr B.P. with enriched-terrigenous organic materials. A return to colder conditions occurred at around 10,800 yr B.P. with a drop in TOC content, which is probably coincident with the Younger Dryas event in the North Atlantic region. At this time, an abrupt decrease of TOC content as well as an increase in C/N ratio suggests enhanced terrigenous input due to the glacial readvance. A climatic optimum is recognized between 8,395 and 2,442 yr B.P., coinciding with 'a mid-Holocene climatic optimum' in Northern Hemisphere sites (e.g., the Laurentide Ice sheet). During this time, as the sea ice receded from the fjord, enhanced primary productivity occurred in open marine conditions, resulting in the deposition of organic-enriched pebbly mud with evidence of TOC maxima and C/N ratio minima in sediments. Fast ice also disappeared from the coast, providing the maximum of IRD (ice-rafted debris) input. Around 2,442 yr B.p. (the onset of Neoglacial), pebbly mud, characterized by a decrease in TOC content, reflects the formation of more extensive sea ice and fast ice, which might cause decreased primary productivity in the surface water, as evidenced by a decrease in TOC content. Our results provide evidence of climatic change on the Svalbard fjords that helps to refine the existence and timing of late Pleistocene and Holocene millennial-scale climatic events in the Northern Hemisphere.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.163-172
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• 2019

A long core (RS15-LC48) was collected at a site in the continental rise between the Southern Ocean and the Ross Sea (Antarctica) during the 2015 Ross Sea Expedition. The mineralogical characteristics and the origin of clay minerals in marine sediments deposited during the Quaternary in the Ross Sea were determined by analyzing sedimentary facies, variations in grain size, sand fraction, mineralogy, clay mineral composition, illite crystallinity, and illite chemical index. Core sediments consisted mostly of sandy clay, silty clay, or ice rafted debris (IRD) and were divided into four sedimentary facies (units 1-4). The variations in grain size distribution and sand content with depth were very similar to the variations in magnetic susceptibility. Various minerals such as smectite, chlorite, illite, kaolinite, quartz, and plagioclase were detected throughout the core. The average clay mineral composition was dominated by illite (52.7 %) and smectite (27.7 %), with less abundant clay minerals of chlorite (11.0 %) and kaolinite (8.6 %). The IC and illite chemical index showed strong correlation trends with depth. The increase in illite and chlorite content during the glacial period, together with the IC and chemical index values, suggest that sediments were transported from the bedrocks of the Transantarctic Mountains. During the interglacial period, smectite may have been supplied by the surface current from Victoria Land, in the western Ross Sea. High values for IC and the illite chemical index also indicate relatively warm climate conditions during that period.