• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.7-16
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• 2003

A 31m-long sediment core (SSDP-102) was taken from the inner shelf (about 40m water-depth) off the northwestern coast of the Korea Strait. Detailed lithofacies and organic-geochemical analyses were performed to establish a high-resolution stratigraphy in the Korea Strait shelf and to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental changes associated with the Holocene marine transgression. The stratigraphic framework of the core was primarily established using 6 AMS $^{14}C$ ages. The sedimentary record of the core SSDP-102 allows for the reconstruction of the paleoenvironmental changes during the last 12.1 ka BP. According to the high-resolution seismic reflection profiles, lithofacies and organic-geochemical data, the core SSDP-102 can be divided into three units (III to I in ascending order) above the acoustic basement. The three units reflect distinct changes of depositional environments resulted from the post-glacial marine transgression. Therefore, it is suggested that three phases of sea-level change have occurred within the inner shelf of the Korea Strait following the Holocene marine transgression. (1) estuarine environments from ca. 12.1 to 6.2 ka BP; (2) near-shore environments with a period of decreased rising of sea level between 6.2 and 5.1 ka BP; (3) near-shore to modem marine environments after 5.1 ka BP. In particular, the present marine conditions influenced by the warm Tsushima Current have been gradually established after ca. 5.1 ka BP.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.19-29
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• 2011

Clay mineral assemblages of core PC25A collected from the northern part of the Aleutian Basin in the Bering Sea were examined in order to investigate changes in sediment provenances and transport pathways. Ages of core PC25A were determined by both Last Appearance Datum of radiolaria (L. nipponica sakaii; $48.6{\pm}2\; ka$) and age control points obtained by the correlations of $a^{\ast},\; b^{\ast}$, and laminated sediment layers with the adjacent core PC23A, whose ages are well constrained. The corebottom age of core PC25A was calculated to be about 57,600 yr ago and core-top might be missing during coring execution. Average contents of smectite, illite, kaolinite, and chlorite during the last glacial period are 11% (5~24%), 47% (36~58%), 13% (9~19%), and 29% (21~40%), respectively. Clay mineral assemblages of the last glacial period are characterized by higher illite and lower smectite contents than those of core MC24 representing the modern values. Illite-rich clay sediments during the warm Early Holocene were transported from the northern part of Alaska continent (Province 1) through the ice-melt waters. During the deglacial period (B${\phi}$lling-All${\phi}$rod) of MIS 2, clay-sized particles seemed to be also transported by ice-melt waters mainly from Province 2 and Province 3 located farther south than Province 1. Higher smectite content during the Last Glacial Maximum is attributed to increased amounts of clay particles from the adjacent Alaska Peninsula (Province 4). From the early to the middle MIS 3, illite and smectite contents decreased, whereas chlorite content increased. With the low sea level standing during MIS 3 the supply of clay sediments from Province 2 and Province 3 was most likely intensified. Changes in clay mineral assemblages of core PC25A located in the northern part of the Aleutian Basin in the Bering Sea are closely related to the change of surface current system caused by sea level variation during the last glacial period.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.24-36
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• 2022

The Bonghwang-dong ruins in Gimhae, the central area of Geumgwan Gaya, is presumed to be the site of the royal palace, and excavations have been in progress at the Gaya National Cultural Heritage Research Institute. According to a research conducted by lowering the level to the base layer on the north side of the site, mostly shell layers composed of oysters were confirmed, and soil composed of different material was alternately filled in to form a site construction. In other words, it can be seen that there was work at the site of the Bonghwang-dong ruins that required large-scale labor, such as building ramparts and embankments. There is stratigraphic confusion such as showing different age values in the same shell layer through a chronological analysis of organic matter and charcoal in the sedimentary layer, and deriving a result value in the upper layer ahead of the lower layer. In addition, open-sea diatoms are observed not only in the sedimentary layers, but also the pits. Therefore, it is judged that the soil constituting the ruins was brought from the outside. The Bonghwang-dong ruins are located inside the commonly called Bonghwang earthen ramparts, where many excavation organizations conducted research within the estimated range of the earthen fortifications. As a result, it was found that it was similar to the sedimentary layers of the ruins of the Three Kingdoms Period, which were investigated along with the ruins of Bonghwang-dong. Through this, the surrounding ruins, including those of Bonghwang-dong, were located close to paleo-Gimhae Bay, so it is believed that the soil brought from the surroundings was used to reinforce the ground. As a result of the excavation research on the Bonghwang-dong ruins conducted so far, it was found by sedimentary layer analysis and soil experiments that the ruins were created on stable land. Relics excavated in the sediments of the ruins and carbon dating data show that Bonghwang-dong carried out large-scale civil construction work in the 4th century to build the site, which clearly shows the status of Geumgwan Gaya.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.34-47
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• 2009

AMS radiocarbon dates indicated that Eurimji reservoir, located at Jecheon City, Chungbuk Province, has been formed during the late Holocene Epoch. The sedimentary sequence at bottom reveals histories in hydrology, climate conditions and past vegetation dynamics. Ages controlled sedimentological and palynological analyses on ER 3-1 Core contribute to reconstruct paleoclimate and past hydrological conditions. These analyses suggest that lower interval (307.5m~309.5m elevations) of the ER 3-1 Core was deposited in stable from 1,920 yrBP to 1,420 yrBP, but upper layer sediment above these elevations was composed of reworked sediments during the pre and post 2,000 yrBP. Pollen assemblage indicates that watershed vegetation of the Eurimji reservoir, during the period of 1,920 yrBP~1,420 yrBP, was closely comparable to modern vegetation dominated Pinus and Quercus mixed vegetation. Also, riparian including Alnus, Fraxinus and Salix were inhabited along the banks of stream, and aquatics such as Typha, Nymphaea and Persicaria flourished at shore of the reservoir. According to cultural chronicle, it infers that the Eurimji reservoir was formed from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age or the beginning of ancient society. An integrated data suggested that Quercus-Pinus-Abies mixed forest flourished under cool and dry climate conditions during 3,200 yrBP~200 yrBP.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.385-396
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• 2023

The Mesozoic Bansong Group, distributed along the NE-SW thrust fault zone of the Okcheon Fold Belt in the Danyang-Yeongwol-Jeongseon areas, contains important information on the two Mosozoic orogenic cycles in the Koran Peninsula, the Permian-Triassic Songrim Orogeny and the Jurassic Daebo Orogeny. This study aims to review previous studies on the stratigraphy, depositional period, and basin evolution of the Bansong Group and to suggest future research directions. The perspective on the implication of the Bansong Group in the context of the tectonic evolution of the Korean Peninsula is largely divided into two points of view. The traditional view assumes that it was deposited as a product of the post-collisional Songrim Orogeny and then subsequently deformed by the Daebo Orogeny. This interpretation is based on the stratigraphic, paleontologic, and structural geologic research carried out in the Danyang Coalfield area. On the other hand, recent research regards the Bansong Group as a product of syn-orogenic sedimentation during the Daebo Orogeny. This alternative view is based on the zircon U-Pb ages of pyroclastic rocks distributed in the Yeongwol area and their structural position. However, both models cannot comprehensively explain the paleontological and geochronological data derived from Bansong Group sediments. This suggests the need for a new basin evolution model integrated from multidisciplinary data obtained through sedimentology, structural geology, geochronology, petrology, and geochemistry studies.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.593-607
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• 2015

This study examined the Holocene environmental changes by OSL dating and magnetic susceptibility (MS) in 12 sediment cores from estuarine tidal flat, Mosan Bay Estuary, west coast of Korea. For the complexity of the geomorphic characteristics of estuaries, it is difficult to obtain a series of data. The following significant results were derived using relatively simple methods. First, MS data shows sensitive changes in pattern according to the precipitation change during mid to late Holocene. Second, MS data show periodicity of 250 yr. when they were wavelet transformed. This periodicity is related with the intensifying of solar intensity, the East Asian Summer Monsoon and ENSO. Thus, MS data from estuarine sediments are valuable data which can explain mechanism of climate change in East Asia and worthy as proxy data.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.35-45
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• 2010

The aims of this study are to clarify the geomorphological development of a alluvial plain and discuss the vegetation environments and agriculture activities in the Wangpo-River alluvial plain at Neungsan-ri, Buyeo by analyzing geomorphological classification, sedimentary facies and age datings. The alluvial plain at Wangpo-River was formed by the influences of Geum-River with the sea-level rising during the Holocene. The basin of Wangpo-River consists of natural levees, back marsh-type alluvial plains, valley plains and hills. The natural levees by Geum-River largely distributes at the area where Wangpo-River flows to Geum-River and the alluvial plains at the middle and lower reach are the back marsh areas of Geum-River. Moreover, the area along Wangpo-River show higher contents of coarse materials and thinner peat sediments than the back marsh. The lower sandy deposits in the alluvium of Wangpo-River was formed with the influences of human in the Bronze Age during the sea level falling and the peaty deposits was formed due to the water level rising of Wangpo-River during the sea level rising in the early Iron Age.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.837-855
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• 2013

The remains and relics such as wood vessel, shell middens and acorn hollows related to marine environments were excavated at Bibong-ri, Changnyeong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, approximately 70km apart from the Nakdong River mouth. The sea-level changes were reconstructed based on characteristics of shell middens and acorn hollows, sedimentary facies, AMS dating, and diatom analysis. The shell middens and acorn hollows were constructed during the early Neolithic Age and provide information on the paleo-sea level, because of influences of marine processes. The sedimentary facies are classified into a bedrock, base gravel and Holocene sediment (marine, terrestrial and back marsh sediments), upward. The sea level fluctuated during the middle Holocene is in harmony with those in Sejuk-ri, Ulsan and Pyeongtaek. In particular, the sea level at Bibong-ri of study area was higher than the mean high tidal level in Gimhae by approximately 1m during 5,000yr BP and maintained the stable condition during 4,000yr BP.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.8-31
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• 2023

To understand the distribution and formation mechanism of benthic foraminiferal assemblages, grain size analysis, ¹⁴C radiocarbon dating, and benthic foraminifera analysis were conducted on thirty-two surface sediments collected from the continental shelf of the northern East China Sea, respectively. Surface sediment was composed of sandy mud~muddy sand facies with an average of 52.04% of sand, 13.72% of silt, and 34.20% of clay. These sedimentary facies are palimpsest sediment. Benthic foraminifera was classified into a total of 48 genera and 104 species, including agglutinated foraminifera, calcareous-hyaline, and calcareous-porcelaneous foraminifera. The production rate of agglutinated foraminifera increased toward the Yangtze River area while that of planktonic foraminifera increased toward Jeju Island. Dominant species are Ammonia ketienziensis, Bolivina robusta, Eggella advena, Eilohedra nipponica, Pseudorotalia gamardii, Pseudoparrella naraensis. ¹⁴C radiocarbon datings of Bolivina robusta and Pseudorotalia gamardii with the highest production rate were 2,360±40 yr B.P. and 2,450±40 yr B.P., respectively. In the result of cluster analysis, three assemblages composed of P. gaimardii, B. robusta, and A. ketienziensis-P. naraensis were classified broadly. P. gaimardii assemblage is thought to be formed from about 2.5 yr B.P. at the sea area of the Yangtze River to 50 m in water depth affected by fresh water. B. robusta assemblage is thought to be formed from about 2.4 yr B.P. at the sea area of Jeju Island to 50~100 m affected by offshore water. And then, A. ketienziensisP. naraensis assemblage was formed in the northwest sea area (Central Yellow Sea Mud). These distributions and composition of benthic foraminiferal assemblages formed from about 2.5 yr B.P. in the northern East China Sea are thought to be due to the change of benthic ecology environment that occurred by the sea level increase during the late Holocene.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.1 s.176
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• pp.83-93
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• 2006

The Kita-Yamato Trough is characterized by a SW-NE trending narrow graben between the Yamato Bank and the Kita-Yamato Bank in the central East Sea/Japan Sea (ES/JS). Core 20EEZ-1 was obtained in the flat summit of a small ridge from the southwest Kita-Yamato Trough. The sedimentation was mainly controlled by the supply of hemipelgic sediments and substantial tephras from explosive volcanic eruptions of the Quaternary volcanoes. The aim of this study is to reconstruct the tephrostratigraphy from the marine sediments collected from the Kita-Yamato Trough and to provide the atmosphere and ocean conditions during the explosive volcanic eruptions. According to the detailed tephrostratigraphy and lithofacies records, the core sediments were deposited during the last marine isotope stage (MIS) 7. The core consists of four lithofacies, idetified as, oxidized mud (OM), crudely laminated mud (CLM) and bioturbated mud (BM), interbedded with coarse-grained tephra (TP). The major element geochemistry and stratigraphic positions of seven tephra layers suggest that they originated from the Aira caldera in Kyushu area among the Japanese islands (AT tephra; 29.24 ka), unknown submarine volcano in the south Korea Plateau (SKP-I; MIS 3, SKP-II; MIS 4, SKP-IV; boundary between MIS 6 and MIS 5e, SKP-V; MIS 6, respectively), and the Baegdusan volcano in the Korean Peninsula (B-KY1; ca. 130 ka, B-KY2; ca. 196 ka). The absence of tephras originated trom Ulleung Island in core 20EEZ-l suggest that the tephras had not been transported into the Kita-Yamato Trough by atmosphere conditions during the eruptions. On the other hand, the B-KYI and the B-KY2 tephras derived from the Baegdusan volcano were founded in the Kita-Yamato Trough by a presence of prevailing westerly winds during the eruptions. Furthermore, the SKP tephras were characterized by the transport across the air-water interface, causing quickly thrust of raising eruption plumes from subaqueous explosive eruptions. Surface currents may play an important role in controlling the distribution patterns of the SKP tephras to distal areas. The tephrostratigraphic study in the Kita-Yamato Trough provides the important chronostratigraphic marker horizons and the detailed atmosphere and ocean conditions during the explosive eruptions.