• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.687-697
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• 2019

By monitoring sediment grain size and level variation of tidal flat surface for 6 years (2005-2011), and also by mooring TISDOS (tidal-flat sediment dynamics observation system) on the low intertidal flat in 2008, we investigated the sedimentary environment of tidal flat in the dammed Yeongsan River Estuary. The tidal flat of the Yeongsan River Estuary lost 82 % of its area because of coastal development projects, and a narrow tidal flat below mean sea level now remains. Most of the tidal flat sediments are composed of silt up to 70-94 %, and show the characteristics of clay deficiency and silt dominance. This is closely related with the coastal development, which led to the destruction of high tidal flats where most mud settled, and the modification of tidal current patterns. Moreover, the estuarine tidal-flat sediments reveal seasonal variation. They are coarse with abundant silt during windy autumn to spring, fine with abundant clay during the less-windy and high-discharge summer. This phenomenon indicates that the behavior of sediment particles on the low intertidal flats of the Yeongsan River Estuary is influenced by wind waves for silt and fresh water discharge and the tidal process for clay. Monitoring results of the altitude of tidal flat surface showed that the study area had eroded at an average rate of -2.6 cm/y during the period of 2005-2011, and also that an unusual deposition with a rate of 4 cm/y occurred in 2010. The erosion can be explained by an increased tidal amplitude and a strengthened ebb-dominant tidal asymmetry after the construction of an estuary dike and the Yeongam Kumho Seawall. The deposition in 2010 seems to have been closely related to the mass production of suspended materials from dredging of the estuary.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.146-162
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• 2017

Multibeam and seismic data in the northwestern part of the Ulleung Basin were analyzed to study stratigraphy and evolutionary history of submarine canyon. A detailed analysis reveals that the sedimentary sequences in this area consist of four stratigraphic units separated by erosional unconformities. On the continental slope, these units are dominated by well-stratified facies with some slope failures, whereas these units show well-stratified and chaotic facies toward the basin floor. Generally, the sediment thickness is relatively thin on the slope, whereas thick sediment accumulation occurs on the base of slope and basin floor. Based on seismic characteristics and distribution, the deposition of each units are well correlated with the evolutionary history of the submarine canyon. Unit 1 directly overlying the acoustic basement has thin sediment layer on the slope, whereas its thickness gradually increase toward the basin floor. Compared to other units, Unit 2 is relatively thick accumulations on the slope and contains some slope failures related to faults systems. The mass transport sediments due to slope failures, mainly deposited on the base of slope as a submarine fan. The width and depth of submarine canyon increase due to dominant of the erosional process rather than the sediment deposition. Unit 3 is thin accumulation on the slope around the submarine canyon. Toward the basin floor, its thickness gradually increases. Unit 4 is characterized by thin layers including slides and slumps on the slope, whereas it formed thick accumulations at the base of slope as a submarine fan. The increase in the width and depth of submarine canyon results from the dominant of the erosional process and slope failures around the submarine canyon. Consequently, the formation of sedimentary units combined with the development of submarine canyon in this area is largely controlled by the amounts of sediment supply originated from slope failures, regional tectonic effects and sea-level fluctuations.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.552-561
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• 2023

The seafloor topography of Gomso Bay on the west coast of Korea was investigated using subtidal bathymetry and tidal-flat altimetry. Gomso Bay consists of 80% tidal flats and 20% subtidal zone, and is divided into an outer bay and an inner bay by the Jujincheon esturary channel. The outer bay tidal flat, has few tidal channels, has a concave topographic profile, and is characterized by the development of chenier and intertidal sand bars, giving it the appearance of gently sloping, dissipative beaches. The inner bay tidal flat has wide upper and middle tidal flats with a well-developed tidal channel system without cheniers. Moreover, the topographical cross-section between these tidal channels is convex upward, and shows the characteristics of a depositional environment greatly influenced by tidal channels and tidal action. An analysis of the horizontal movement of the tidal flat environment over the past 37 years investigating changes in the iso-depth lines in the Gomso-Bay tidal flat between 1981 and 2018 revealed that the Gomso-Bay tidal flat retreated gradually landward. As a result of analyzing the erosion and sedimentation characteristics of Gomso Bay, assuming that most of the water depth changes were due to changes in the elevation of the sea floor and sea level, an average of 1 cm (0 mm/y) of sediment was eroded in the outer bay over the past 37 years (1981-2018), In the inner bay, an average of 50 cm (14 mm/y) was deposited. Notably, the high tidal flats of the outer bay were largely eroded. Monitoring photographs of the coast showed that most of the erosion of the high tidal flats in the outer bay occurred in a short period around 1999 (probably 1997-2002), and that the erosion resulted from the erosion of sand dunes and high-tide beaches caused by temporarily greatly raised high tide levels and storms.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.493-500
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• 2013

Comparisons of surface sediment distributions in summer 1997 and 2011 and elevations on the tidal flats in April 1998 and March 2013 had been used for understanding the long-term changes of sedimentary environments at southern Kanghwa tidal flat, west coast of Korea. The mud sediments dominated in the eastern part and sandy mud sediments dominated in the western part of the tidal flat in 1997. In 2011, the surface sediments were dominant mud and sandy mud at Sunduri and Tonggum in the eastern part, sandy mud at Tongmakri in the middle part, and sand and muddy sand at Yeochari and Changhwari tidal flats in the western part. The area of mud sediments had decreased, but that of sand-mud mixed sediments extended to eastward tidal flat for 14 years. The long-term topographic changes showed that deposition occurred at Tongmakri and Yeochari and erosion occurred at Changhwari tidal flat during 15 years. These changes should be effected the local hydrodynamic changes by several constructions near the tidal flat since the 1990s.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.83-96
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• 2012

The origins of beaches at Byeonsan Peninsular, as a pocket type, are classified to a sand barrier type and wave-cut type. The beaches had developed by the deposition of the silt and clay layers on the 10m height from sea level in the inner bay during climax era of postglacial transgression. At that time, some sands had blown toward the inland hills to form aeolian deposits. After postglacial sea-level stabilization, sometimes, there has been the negative budget of beach materials. Recently, beaches have been transformed by human impact such as construction of Saemangeum sea-wall, especially in the Byeonsan and Gosapo beaches being close to the sea-wall. So the speed of tidal currents become slower and comparatively depositoinal activity stronger. And the level of chemical weathering has been higher. In Byeonsan beach, the ratio of coarse sand decreased with higher ratio of finer materials and by beach erosion dissected runnels developed, running parallel to the coastline. In Gosapo beach, supply of suspended materials are increased through the Garyeok drainage gate, the sands tend to be finer.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.241-250
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• 1999

Reflection coefficients of the seafloor have been calculated from the amplitude ratio of secondary to primary water bottom reflection in seismic data obtained from Bransfield Strait, Antarctic Peninsula. Test processing for the coefficients shows that moving average is effective to reduce severe fluctuation of the coefficient measured at each point. Relationship between the coefficients and the properties of water bottom is analyzed to illuminate geological environment. In the central Bransfield Basin, the magnitude of reflection coefficients decreases as it is distant from the sedimentary sources. Reflection coefficients range from 0.12 to 0.2 near the continental slope of the basin, and from 0.1 to 0.12 in the basin floor. In the western Bransfield basin, reflection coefficients between 0.2 to 0.3 are obtained from the area eroded by glacial movement. On the volcanic structures near Deception Island, the coefficients show relatively high values more than 0.2. Paleo-geological structures uplifted by tectonic movement and outcropped by glacial erosion have relatively high coefficients.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.70-80
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• 2014

We carried out numerical experiments to understand sedimentary environments in Gamak Bay where is located in the center of the southern coast of Korea. Deposition rates in Gamak Bay appeared to increase in the autumn and spring whereas they appeared to decrease in the summer and winter. These seasonal variations qualitatively coincided with seasonal variations of Ignition Loss (IL) for surface sediments. Furthermore, deposition rates turned out to be prevalent compared to erosion rates in most areas of the bay. On the other hand, current measurement results at both the northeast and south mouths of the bay showed their residual components to flow into the bay. Therefore, we can conclude that contaminated materials flowing into Gamak Bay will precipitate to be deposited in the bay as long as there is no specific events such as dredging.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.147-162
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• 1995

The circulation due to tidal current and river discharge, and the associated suspended suspended sediment transport in macrotidal Keum Estuary, were studied through a series of field measurements of tidal currents and suspended sediment concentration at three anchored stations from 1990 through 1992. From the measurements, the following results were obtained. At the seaward entrance of the estuary, the veritical profiles of the ebb and flood currents were almost symmetric. At the southern channel the flood current was dominant in the whole water column, but in the northern channel the ebb current was dominant in the surface and bottom layers and the flood current was dominant in the intermediate layer. The maximum velocity of the tidal current in the southern channel was 174 cm/s during flood tide in the intermediate layer. The maximum velocity, 148 cm/s in the northern channel also appeared during flood tide in the intermediate layer. However, in the surface and bottom layers, the maximum velocities were 110.6 cm/s during ebb tide and 92.1 cm/s during flood tide, respectively. The type of the Keum Estuary can be categorized to 'Type 3' of Hansen and Rattray's scheme. The water column of the estuary during the flood tide becomes stratified, and after high water the ebb current reduces the density difference and the water column becomes turbulent. The lower layer of the water column is generally turbulent. The largest sediment flux 20.61 ton/s was found in the southern channel during flood current in the lowest river discharge (May, 1991), while the smallest flux, 0.65 ton/s in the northern channel in the lowest tidal range (July, 1992). The stronger bottom shear velocity for the present study area seems to erode the bottom sediments during the flood tide, and the relatively long duration of the ebb tide to transport the suspended sediments. Under normal river discharge conditions, the suspended sediments are transported mainly through the southern channel. However, under high river discharge condition the suspended sediment transport is dominant through the northern channel.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.187-198
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• 2003

High-resolution (Chirp, 3-11 kHz) echo facies and sedimentary facies of piston-core sediments were analyzed to reveal the late Quaternary depositional processes in the Korea Plateau and Ulleung Interplain Gap. The Korea Plateau is an Isolated topographic high with a very restricted input of terrigenous sediments, and its slope is characterized by a thin sediment cover and various-scale submarine canyons and valleys. Echo and sedimentary facies suggest that the plateau has been moulded mainly by persistent (hemi) pelagic sedimentation and intermittent settling of volcanic ashes. Sediments on the plateau slope and steep margins of ridges and seamounts were reworked by earthquake-induced, large-scale slope failures accompanied by slides, slumps and debris flows. As major fraction of the reworked sediments consists of (hemi) pelagic clay particles, large amounts of sediments released from mass flows were easily suspended to form turbid nepheloid layers rather than bottom-hugging turbidity currents, which flowed further downslope through the submarine canyons and spreaded over the Ulleung Basin plain. In the Ulleung Interplain Gap, sediments were introduced mainly by (hemi) pelagic settling and subordinate episodic mass flows (turbidity currents and debris flows) along the submarine channels from the slopes of the Oki Bank and Dok Island. The sediments in the Ulleung Interplain Channel and its margin were actively eroded and reworked by the deep water flow from the Japan Basin.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.37-51
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• 2011

Geomorphic changes and sedimentary changes are investigated by sediment analysis from estuarine tidal flat, Mosan Bay Estuary, which is a tide-dominated and rias estuary. Sediments separatedly deposited during the early Holocene and the late Holocene. There are unconformities between the early Holocene sediment unit and the late Holocene sediment unit. Developments of these unconformities were related with fluctuated sea level change during the mid Holocene. Three deposit zones are spatially classified, which are named "intermittent tide channel deposit zone"(A1, B1, D3), "flood-dominated deposit zone"(A3, B3, C1, C3), and "fluvial sediment deposit zone"(A2, B2). This classification is explained by three main effects; laterally restricted migration of a tidal channel, diffract flood effect and settling lag effect, and fluvial induced reworking. These effects are deserved as main factors which have formed estuarine geomorphology in tidedominated and rias estuary. This study suggests research directions in reconstructing estuarine geomorphic and sedimentary change in west coast of Korea. Furthermore, it gives useful data for making a "land-ocean interaction" model for west coast of Korea.