• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.379-390
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• 2015

Multibeam backscatter strength is dependent not only on seafloor sediment facies but also on changed incidence angle due to the actual bottom slope. Therefore, the correction for actual bottom slope should be considered before the analysis of backscatter strength. This paper demonstrates the backscatter correction technique for the actual incidence angle and ensonified area. The target area is a part of the eastern Yellow Sea with water depths of 46~55 m. The area is located between the sand ridges and covered by large dunes with various bottom slopes. The dunes usually have the gentle slopes of about $1{\sim}3^{\circ}$, but show some steep slopes of $5{\sim}15^{\circ}$ on the crest. The backscatter strength values on the crest range from -34 to -23 dB, assuming that the bottom is flat. However, this study shows that the backscatter strength range was somewhat reduced (-32~-25 dB) after correction for actual bottom slope. In addition, the backscatter imagery was significantly improved; high and low backscatter strength values on the crest due to the actual bottom slope were normalized. The results demonstrate that the correction technique in this study is an effective tool for processing backscatter strength.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.303-312
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• 2011

Analysis of high-resolution seismic profiles from the southeastern continental shelf of Korea reveals that the Holocene transgressive deposits consist of five sedimentary units characterized by retrograding or backstepping depositional arrangements. Unit I, forming a linear sediment body along the shelf margin, is an ancient beach/shoreface deposit formed during the early stage of transgression. During the transgression, the paleo-channels were backfilled with fluvial or coastal-plain sediments, forming Unit II as an incised-channel fill deposit. The near-surface sediment was reworked and eroded by shoreface erosion, forming a thin lag of sands (Unit III) on the midshelf. During the middle stage of the transgression, the shoreline may have stabilized at around 70 - 80 m below the present sea level for some period of time to allow the formation of sand ridge systems (Unit IV). Unit V in the inner shelf was deposited in an estuarine environment during the middle to late stage of transgression. Such transgressive stratigraphic architecture is controlled by a function of lateral changes in the balance among rates of relative sea-level rise, sediment input and marine processes at any given time.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.349-356
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• 2010

Analysis of high-resolution seismic profiles acquired from the southeastern continental shelf of Korea reveals that the late Quaternary transgressive deposits consist of six seismic units created in response to sea-level rise. These units with different seismic facies and geometry can be grouped into two distinct depositional wedges (paralic and marine) bounded by a ravinement surface. The paralic component underlying the ravinement surface consists of the sediment preserved from shoreface erosion and contains incised-channel fill, ancient beach-shoreface deposit and estuarine deposit. The top of paralic unit is truncated by a ravinement surface and overlain by marine component. The marine component consists of the sediment produced through shoreface erosion during landward transgression and contains mid-shelf sand sheet, mid-shelf sand ridge and inner shelf sand sheet. Such transgressive stratigraphic architecture of six sedimentary units is controlled by a function of lateral changes in the balance among rates of relative sea-level rise, sediment input and marine processes at any given time.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.201-206
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• 2005

Interpretation of high-resolution seismic profiles from the southeastern continental shelf of Korea reveals that the sedimentary deposits consist of seven seismic units formed during the late Quaternary. These units comprise lowstand, transgressive, and highstand systems tracts. The lowstand systems tract consists of a lowstand prograding wedge (SU1) and a mass flow deposit (SU2) including slumps and slides. The transgressive systems tract contains four seismic units: an ancient beach/shoreface deposit (SU3), a channel-fill deposit (SU4), a transgressive sand layer (SU5), and a transgressive sand ridge (SU6). The highstand systems tract consists of an inner-shelf mud deposit (SU7) derived from the Nakdong and Seomjin rivers during the last 6 ka when sea level was close to the present level.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.59-70
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• 1998

Two-dimensional trend-vector model of sediment transport is first tested in the tidal flat of Garolim Bay, mid-western coast of the Korean Peninsula. Three major parameters of surface sediment, i.e., mean grain size, sorting and skewness, are used for defining the best-fitting transport trend-vector on the sand ridge and muddy sand flat. These trend vectors are compared with the real transport directions determined from morphology, field observation and bedforms. The 15 possible cases of trend vectors are calculated from total sediments. In order to find the role of coarse sediments, trend vectors from sediments coarser than < 4.5 ${\phi}$, (sand size) are separately calculated from those of total sediments. As compared with the real directions, the best-fitting transport-vector model is the "case M" of coarse sediments which is the combined trend vectors of two cases: (1) finer, better sorted and more negatively skewed and (2) coarser, better sorted and more positively skewed. This indicates sand-size grains are formed by simpler hydrodynamic processes than total sediments. Transported sediment grains are better sorted than the source sediment grains. This indicates that consistent hydrodynamic energy can make sediment grains better sorted, regardless of complicated mechanisms of sediment transport. Consequently, both transported vector model and real transported direction show that the source of sediments are located outside of bay (offshore Yellow Sea) and in the baymouth. These source sediments are transported through the East Main Tidal Channel adjacent the baymouth. Some are transported from the subtidal zone to the upper tidal flat, but others are transported farther to the south, reaching the south tidal channel in the study area. Also, coarse sediment grains on the sand ridge are originally from the baymouth, and transported through the subtidal zone to the south tidal channel. These coarse sediments are moved to the northeast, but could not pass the small north tidal channel. It is interpreted that the great amount of coarse sediments is returned back to the outside of the bay (Yellow Sea) again through the baymouth during the ebb tide. The distribution of muddy sand in the northeastern part of study area may result from the mixing of two sediment transport mechanisms, i.e., suspension and bedload processes. The landward movement of sand ridge and the formation of the north tidal channel are formed either by the supply of coarse sediments originating from the baymouth and outside of the bay (subaqueous sand ridges including Jang-An-Tae) or by the recent relative sea-level rise.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.90 no.1
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• pp.90-104
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• 2001

This study is aimed to analyze and to evaluate the revegetation and soil conservation technology in desertification-affected sandy land, resulting from the project of "Studies on the desertification combating and sand industry development". Main native plants for combating desertification : The general characteristics of vegetation distribution in desertified regions are partially concentrated vegetation distribution types including the a) desert plants in low zone of desert or sanddune of depressed basin, b) salt-resistant plants around saline lakes, c) grouped vegetation with Poplar and Chinese Tamarix of freshwater-lakes, saline-lakes and river-banks, d) gobi vegetation of gravel desert and e) grassland and oasis-woods around the alluvial fan of rivers, etc. Generally, Tamarix ehinensis Lour., Haloxylon ammodendron Bunge., Calligonum spp., Populus euphratica Oliver., Elaeagnus angustifolia L., Ulmus pumila L., Salix spp., Hedysarum spp., Caragana spp., Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge., Nitraria tangutorum Bobr., Lespedeza bicolor, Alhagi sparsifolia Shap., Capparis spinosa L., Artemisia arenaria DC., etc. are widely distributed in desertified regions. It is necessary for conducting research in the native plants in desertified regions. Analysis of intensive revegetation technology system for combating desertification : In the wind erosion region, the experimental research projects of rational farming systems (regional planning, shelterbelts system, protection system of oasis, establishment of irrigation-channel networks and management technology of enormous farmlands, etc.), rational utilization technology of plant resources (fuelwood, medicinal plants, grazing and grassland management, etc.), utilization technology of water resources (management and planning of watershed, construction of channel and technology of water saving and irrigation, etc.), establishment of sheltetbelts, control of population increase and increased production technology of agricultural forest, fuelwood and feed, etc. are preponderantly being promoted. And in water erosion region, the experimental research projects of development of rational utilization technology of land and vegetation, engineering technology and protection technology of crops, etc. are being promoted in priority. And also, the experimental researches on the methods of utilization of water (irrigation, drainage, washing and rice cultivation, etc.), agricultural methods (reclamation of land, agronomy, fertilization, seeding, crop rotation, mixed-cultivation and soil dressing works, etc.) and biological methods (cultivation of salt-resistant crops and green manure and tree plantation, etc.) for improvement of saline soil and alkaline soil in desertified-lands are actively being promoted. And the international cooperations on the revegetation technology development projects of desertified-lands are sincerely being required.