• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2006

The possibility of oil reserve has been conformed because the oil has been produced by 450 barrel per day in the West Korea Bay basin of the North Korea. There is also possibility of giant oil reserve since it is geographically close to one of the biggest oil fields of Bohai Basin, China. Based on the on-going oil exploration and the present condition of investment, the areas of ongoing oil exploration are three: West Korea Bay B&C prospect explored by Swedish Taurus, the north of West Korea Bay and Anju basin explored by Canadian SOCO, and East Korea Bay explored by Australian Beach Petroleum. However, there is little or no possibility of oil reserve in the rest sea areas of three. Even though oil reserves were discovered in the some parts of land areas such as Kilju and Myungcheon, it was presumed to have no economical efficiency. Geology in West Korea Bay off the North Korea is similar to that in Bohai Bay off China. The basement consists of thick carbonate rock of the Late Proterozoic and Early Paleozoic overlain by Mesozoic ($6,000{\sim}10,000\;m$) and Cenozoic ($4,000{\sim}5,000\;m$) units. Source rocks are Jurassic black shale (3,000 m or more), Cretaceous black shale ($1,000{\sim}2,000\;m$), and pre-Mesozoic carbonates (several thousand meters). Reservoir rocks are Mesozoic-Cenozoic sandstone with high porosity and pre-Mesozoic fractured carbonate rocks. Petroleum raps are of the anticline, fault sealed, buried hill, and stratigraphic types. It absolutely needs to take up a positive attitude, the activation of ocean science and technology exchange, and the joint research and development of modern MT (Marine Technology) considering the state of establishing new international ocean order forcing on building up 200 nautical mile EEZ (exclusive economic zone) among coastal nations. Both South and North Koreas should extend the ocean jurisdiction and contiguity, and MT development dealing with the same sea areas. It is more urgent problem to find a way to have the North Korea participated in, and then to develop ocean management and ocean industry individually.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.475-488
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• 1995

In order to see the seasonal variation of nutrients and the limiting factors to the primary production in Deukryang Bay, both dissolved inorganic nutrients and salinity were measured in the surface waters during the periods from July 1992 to March 1993. The mean value of salinity was the lowest in ?all and the highest in early spring. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) was the highest in winter and the lowest in summer. However, both phosphate and silicate were the highest in summer and the lowest in fall. Salinity was generally higher in the outer region than in the inner region of the bay.DIN content was nearly depleted (less than $2{\mu}M$) in summer. From fall to spring, DIN content was nearly depleted in the inner region and relatively high in the outer region of the Day. Phosphate was the highest in summer showing an opposite distribution pattern to salinity, and it was nearly depleted (less than $0.1{\mu}M$) in fall and winter. In spring, however, phosphate content was slightly high in the outer region. Silicate content showed an opposite distribution pattern to salinity in summer. in other seasons, However, the distribution pattern of silicate was similar to the salinity. DIN seemed to be a limiting factor for the primary production at all area of the bay in summer and at the inner region in other season. However, phosphate seemed to be a limiting factor at all area of the bay in fall and winter and at the inner region in spring. Silicate may limit the production of diatoms at the inner region of the bay in winter and spying. Both phosphate and silicate showed a good inverse relationship with salinity in summer, which indicates inputs of these nutrients from the freshwater runoff. In the other seasons, both nitrate and silicate showed a positive linear relationship with salinity in the outer region of the bay, suggesting that these two nutrients were mainly supplied by the inflow of the offshore costal water which had high nitrate content associated with vertical mixing.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.241-249
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• 2018

As the international trade increases, vessel traffics around the Korean Peninsula are also increasing. Maritime accidents hence take place more frequently in the southern coast of Korea where many big and small ports are located. Accidents involving ship collision and sinking result in a substantial human and material damage as well as the marine environmental pollution. Therefore, it is necessary to locate the ships quickly when such accidents occur. In this study, we suggest a new ship detection index by comparing and analyzing the reflectivity of each channel of the Korea MultiPurpose SATellite-2 (KOMPSAT-2) images of the area around the Gwangyang Bay. A threshold value of 0.1 is set based on a histogram analysis, and all vessels are detected when compared with RGB composite images. After selecting a relatively large ship as a representative sample, the distribution of spatial reflectivity around the ship is studied. Uniform shadows are detected on the northwest side of the vessel. This indicates that the sun is in the southeast, the azimuth of the actual satellite image is $144.80^{\circ}$, and the azimuth angle of the sun can be estimated using the shadow position. The reflectivity of the shadows is 0.005 lower than the surrounding sea and ship. The shadow height varies with the position of the bow and the stern, perhaps due to the relative heights of the ship deck and the structure. The results of this study can help search technology for missing vessels using optical satellite images in the event of a marine accident around the Korean Peninsula.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.112-123
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• 1998

The objectives of this study are to investigate the trace elemental and stable isotopic compositions of aragonitic mollusk shells, such as Gomphina veneriformis melanaegis, Mytilidae and Umbonium coastatum, from the eastern coast of Korean peninsula and Cheju Island, and to compare their variations with latitude, that is, the temperature of the ambient seawater at which the skeletons grew. The Mg compositions of Gomphina veneriformis melanaegis tend to decrease with increasing water temperature, whereas those of Mytilidae and Umbonium coastatum do not show any trend. Sr compositions of Mytilidae tend to increase with increasing water temperature, whereas those of Gomphina veneriformis melanaegis decrease. Fe compositions of Umbonium coastatum tend to decrease with increasing water temperature, whereas those of Gomphina veneriformis melanaegis increase. Fe compositions of Mytilidae do not show any trend with water-temperature variations. Ba compositions of all the skeletons do not show any trend with water-temperature variations. Cd compositions of Mytilidae and Umbonium coastatum do not show any trend with increasing water temperature, whereas those of Gomphina veneriformis melanaegis increase. Cu compositions of Gomphina veneriformis melanaegis increase with increasing water temperature, whereas Mytilidae and Umbonium coastatum do not show any trend. Pb compositions of Umbonium coastatum do not show any tend with increasing water temperature, but those of other skeletons increase. Zn compositions of Mytilidae tend to decrease with increasing water temperature, whereas those of Gomphina veneriformis melanaegis increase. Zn compositions of Umbonium coastatum do not show any trend with increasing water temperature. Estimated water temperatures from oxygen isotopic data of all the skeletons are higher than the range of water temperature of the shallow seawater of the East Sea and around Cheju Island. The oxygen isotopic compositions of all the skeletons are well clustered, but they do not show any trend with latitude. Therefore, this could reflect that the organisms may not have secreted their shells in oxygen isotopic equilibrium with ambient seawater due to vital effect. Thus, isotopic compositions of all the organisms in this study may not be suitable for paleotemperature estimate.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.125-133
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• 2005

This study described the phonology and reproductive potential of four species of Korean seagrasses, Zostera caespitosa, Z. caulescem, Z. Japonica and Z. marina. Z. caespitosa and Z. caulescens sampled from a mixed stand at the subtidal area of Yulpo Bay, Geojedo of the South Sea of Korea in November 2002 and August 2003. Z japonica and Z. marina occurred at the depth between the middle intertidal and shallow subtidal (<1m below mean sea level) of Seungbongdo (in Yellow Sea) samples collected in February and October 2003. The sexual reproductive phase of the four Zostera species was apparently different in timing of flowering, reproductive period, fruiting and seed maturing. Z. caespitosa flowered from February to early May $(10-16^{\circ}C)$, and its seed production completed in early May. The reproductive shoots of Z. caulescens began to appear in January $(9^{\circ}C)$, and its flowering followed from February to June $(10-19^{\circ}C)$. The flowers of Z. japonica were observed from July to September $(18-22^{\circ}C)$, and its seeds matured from August to September. The most commonly I marina flowered from April to August $(7-21^{\circ}C)$ and developed into seeds in July. Z. caulescens, the largest plant, had the highest number of seeds per shoot and longest spadix length. Z. marina, which was intermediate In size, recorded the highest reproductive potential. The study indicates that the reproductive phase and potential of the four species of seagrass from Korea are highly related to water temperature, and the populations of these species show a perennial lifespan with a low sexual reproductive input.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.215-228
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• 1991

In the East Sea of Korea the vertical structure functions of the temperature field were evaluated and the characteristic thermal zone was classified by the use of the empirical orthogonal function(EOF) method. The East Sea of Korea within the hydrographic lines of 10-107 of the Fisheries Research and Development Agency of Korea(FRDA) can be divided into three thermal regions by the characteristics of the vertical temperature variability. They are the North Korean Cold Current(NKCC) region near the coast which extends parallel to the north-south direction, the Warm-Core(WC) region which dominates almost all the hydrographic stations of the Line 104 of the FRDA and occupies a few stations of the Line-103 and -105 with its axis at the Line 104, and the East Korea Warm Current(EKWC) region which is bisected into the northern and the southern part by the WC region, respectively. Considering the two most important modes, $85.20-98.20\%$ of the total variance of temperature variation are explained in the NKCC region, $85.20-92.90\%$ in the EKWC region, and$85.50-91.70\%$ in the WC region. The first mode has its peak value at the surface with the annual cycle of variation. The spatial pattern of the first mode portrays a coherent vertical variation in the EKWC region and a clear anti-correlation both in the NKCC region and in the WC region where the zero-crossing depths are loom and 200m, respectively. The second mode of the NKCC region is particularly noticeable, haying its peak at loom with coherent vertical variation. To study the time dependency of the vertical structure functions, the extended EOF(EEOF) method was used. The persistence of the first mode is less than 4 months in the study area. The annual variation of the first mode in the NKCC region is different from those in the WC region and in the EKWC region.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.185-192
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• 1991

The vertical distribution and chemical characteristics of water masses were measured along two south-north transects in the polar front region of the central Korean East Sea. In February, a thermocline was present at depth between 50m and loom at the southern sites of a landward A-transect, and its depth was gradually deepened northward. At an outside B-transect, a thermocline was observed at significantly deep depth of 300m to 400m at two northern stations(Stn. 10 and 11), though the depth of the southward stations was nearly identical to that at the northward stations on a A-transect. In September, there were vertically more various water masses, i.e. the Tsushima Warm surface water(TWSW) or more than $20^{\circ}C$, the Tsushima Middle water(TMW) with a range of $12{\~}17^{\circ}C$, the North Korea Cold Water(NKCW) with $1{\~}7^{\circ}C$ temperature, the Japan Sea Proper Water(JSPW) of less than $1^{\circ}C$, and the mixed water. The North Korea Cold Water could be distinguishable from the other waters, especially from the mixed water of the Tsushima Middle Water and the Japan Sea Proper Water by the pattern of $T-O_2$ diagram. For instance, the North Korea Cold Water had higher oxygen by $1{\~}2ml/l$ than those in the mixed water, although both the two water masses ranged $1{\~}7^{\circ}C$ in water temperature. AOU value was the highest in the JSPW and the lowest in the TWSW. Also, AOU indicated a nearly linear and negative correlation with water temperature. However, AOU data for two masses, the NKCW and the TMW, in September departed remarkably from a regression line. Moreover, the ratio of $$\Delta P/\Delta AOU)$ in September was about $0.45{\mu}g-at/ml$ and higher than the value observed in the open sea. This high value could be elucidated by two factors; intrusion of the NKCW with high oxygen and molecular diffusion of dissolved oxygen from the surface into the lower layer. AOU would be a useful tracer for water masses in the polar front area of the Korean East Sea.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.105-118
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• 2000

Anchored measurements (12.5 hr) of suspended sediment concentration and other hydrodynamic parameters were carried out at two stations located at the entrance to Hampyung Bay in summer (August 1999). Tidal variations in water temperature and salinity were in the range of 26.0-27.9$^{\circ}C$ and 30.9-31.5, respectively, indicating exchange offshore and offshore water mass. Active tidal mixing processes at the entrance appear to destroy the otherwise vertical stratification in temperature and salinity in spite of strong solar heating in summer. On the contrary, suspended sediment concentrations show a marked stratification with increasing concentrations toward bottom layer. Clastic particles in suspended sediments consist mostly of very fine to fine silt (4-16 ${\mu}$m) with a poorly-sorted value of 14.7-25.9 ${\mu}$m. However, at slack time with less turbulent energy, flocs larger than 40 ${\mu}$m are formed by cohesion and inter-collision of particles, resulting in a higher settling velocity. Strong ebb-dominated and weak flood dominated tidal currents, in the southwestern and the northeastern part, respectively, result in a seaward residual flow of -10${\sim}$-20 cm $s^{-1}$ at station H1 and a bayward residual flow less than 5.0 cm $s^{-1}$ at station H2. However, mean concentration of suspended sediments at station H1 is higher at flood (95.0-144.1 mg $1^{-1}$) than in ebb (75.8-120.9 mg $1^{-1}$). On the contrary, at the station H2, the trend is reversed with higher concentration at the ebb (84.7-158.4 mg $1^{-1}$) than that at the flood (53.0-107.9 mg $1^{-1}$). As a result, seaward net suspended sediment fluxes ($f_{s}$) are calculated to be -1.7 ${\sim}$-$15.610^{3}$ kg $m^{-2}$ $s^{-1}$ through the whole water column. However, the stations H1 and H2 show definitely different values of the flux with higher ones in the former than in the latter. Alternatively, depth-integrated net suspended sediment loads ($\c{Q}_{s}$) for one tidal cycle are also toward the offshore with ranges of 0.37${\times}$$10^{3}$ kg $m^{-1}$ and 0.21${\times}$$10^{3}$ kg $m^{-1}$, at station H1 and H2, respectively. This seaward transport of suspended sediment in summer suggests that summer-time erosion in the Hampyung muddy tidal flats is a rather exceptional phenomenon compared to the general deposition reported for many other tidal flats on the west coast of Korea.