• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.277-288
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• 2005

Spatial distribution and vertical structures of water masses around the Antarctic continental margin are described using synthesized hydrographic data. Antarctic Surface Water (AASW) over the shelf regime is distinguished from underlying other water masses by the cut-off salinity, varying from approximately 34.35 to 34.45 around Antarctica. Shelf water, characterized by salinity greater than the cut-off salinity and potential temperature less than $-17^{\circ}C$, is observed on the Ross Sea, off George V Land, off Wilkes Land, the Amery Basin, and the Weddell Sea, but in some shelves AASW occupies the entire shelf. Lower Circumpolar Deep Water is present everywhere around the Antarctic oceanic regime and in some places it mixes with Shelf Water, producing Antarctic Slope Front Water (ASFW). ASFW, characterized by potential temperature less than about $0^{\circ}C$ and greater than $-17^{\circ}C$, and salinity greater than the cut-off salinity, is found everywhere around Antarctica except in the Bellingshausen-Amundsen sector. The presence of different water masses over the Antarctic shelves and shelf edges produces mainly three types of water mass stratifications: no significant meridional property gradient in the Bellingshausen and Amundsen Seas, single property gradient where ASFW presents, and a V-shaped front where Shelf Water exists.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.442-453
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• 2002

A total of 64 species belonging to 23 genera of diatom fossils are identified from the Core GC 98-06 in the southern Drake Passage, Antarctica. The diatom assemblages are dominated by Actinocyclus actinochilus, Coscinodiscus asteromphalus, Eucampia antarctica, Fragilariopsis kerguelensis, Thalassiosira lentiginosa, T. ritscheri and T. anguste-lineata, which are about 73% of the assemblage. Open water species are more abundant than sea ice species in the diatom assemblages of the core. Fragilariopsis. kerguelensis and Thalassiosira lentiginosa are valuable indicators of the habitats. Especially, F. kerguelensis represent the influence of waters from the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Sea ice taxa represents the influence of cold waters from Bransfield Strait Water and melt water from the sea-ice at during warm periods. The reworked diatoms such as Denticulopsis dimopha (Miocene) and D. hustedtii (Pliocene) are occurred with Quaternary species (Actinocyclus actinochilus, Fragilariopsis kerguelensis, Thalassiosira lentiginosa, and T. glacilis). The presence of reworked diatoms indicates the transportation of the older diatoms into the Drake passage from the circumference sediments, due to strong bottom current activity of Antarctic circumpolar deep water.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.155-172
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• 2023

The collapse of ice shelves is a process that can severely increase the rise of global sea-levels through the reduction of the buttressing effect of ice shelves and the consequent acceleration of the ice flow of ice sheets. In recent years, the West Antarctic ice shelves in the Amundsen Sea, whose buttressing effect is essential for a great part of the West Antarctic ice sheet, have been experiencing the most rapid melting and thinning in the world. The melting of the West Antarctic ice shelves is caused primarily by heat transported by Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW). For this reason, it is important to investigate ice-ocean interactions that could influence the melting of ice shelves and evaluate the stability of West Antarctic ice shelves. A lot of researchers have been actively investigating the West Antarctic ice shelves in the Amundsen Sea. High-impact journals have recognized the importance of and published studies on ice-ocean interactions occurring near and under the ice shelves as well as the connections among ice shelves. However, in situ observations are limited due to extreme weather and sea-ice conditions near the ice shelves; therefore, many scientific questions remain unanswered. This study introduces the characteristics of the Amundsen Sea and investigate the past and latest research issues in this region. This study also gives suggestions regarding important scientific questions and directions for future research that should help early-career scientists take the lead in future research on the melting dynamics of the West Antarctic ice shelves in the Amundsen Sea.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.407-418
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• 2008

Seawater samples were collected at discrete depths from five stations across the polar front in the Drake Passage (Antarctic Ocean) by the $20^{th}$ Korea Antarctic Research Program in December, 2006. Nitrate concentrations of seawater increase with depth within the photic zone above the depth of Upper Circumpolar Deep Water (UCDW). In contrast, ${\delta}^{15}N$ values of seawater nitrate decrease with depth, showing a mirror image to the nitrate variation. Such a distinct vertical variation is mainly attributed to the degree of nitrate assimilation by phytoplankton as well as organic matter degradation of sinking particles within the surface layer. The preferential $^{14}{NO_3}^-$ assimilation by the phytoplankton causes $^{15}{NO_3}^-$ concentration to become high in a closedsystem surface-water environment during the primary production, whereas more $^{14}{NO_3}^-$ is added to the seawater during the degradation of sinking organic particles. The water-mass mixing seems to play an important role in the alteration of ${\delta}^{15}N$ values in the deep layer below the UCDW. Across the polar front, nitrate concentrations of surface seawater decrease and corresponding ${\delta}^{15}N$ values increase northward, which is likely due to the degree of nitrate utilization during the primary production. Based on the Rayleigh model, the calculated ${\varepsilon}$ (isotope effect of nitrate uptake) values between 4.0%o and 5.8%o were validated by the previously reported data, although the preformed ${\delta}^{15}{{NO_3}^-}_{initial}$ value of UCDW is important in the calculation of ${\varepsilon}$ values.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.341-349
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• 2004

Hyrdography and deep currents were measured from 1997 to 1999 to investigate deep-sea environments in the KODOS (Korea Deep Ocean Study) area of the northeastern tropical Pacific. KODOS area is located meridionally from the North Equatorial Current to the boundary between the North Equatorial Current and the Equatorial Counter Current. Strong thermocline exists between 10 m and 120 m depths at the study area. Since that strong thermocline does hardly allow vertical mixing between surface and lower layer waters, vertical distributions of temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and nutrients drastically change near the thermocline. Salinity-minimum layer, which indicate the North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) and the Antartic Intermediate Water (AAIW), vertically occupies vertically at the depths from 500 m down to 1400 m. The NPIW and the AAIW horizontally occur to the north and to the south of $7^{\circ}N$, respectively. The near-bottom water shows the physical characteristics of $1.05^{\circ}C$ and 34.70 psu at the depths of 10 m to 110 m above the bottom (approximately 4000-5000 m), which was originated from the Antarctic Circumpolar Water. It flows northeastwards for 2 to 4 months at the study area, and its mean velocity was 3.1-3.7 cm/s. Meanwhile, reverse (southwestward) currents appear for about 15 days with the average of 1.0-6.1 cm/s every 1 to 6 months. Dominant direction of the bottom currents obtained from the data for more than 6 months is northeastward with the average speeds of 1.7-2.1 cm/s. Therefore, it seems that deep waters from the Antarctica flow northwards passing through the KODOS area in the northeastern tropical Pacific.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.83-97
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• 2022

The Amundsen Sea in West Antarctica is one of the most affected regions by climate change, but it is one of the least studied realms due to difficulties in access. Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) launched a research project in the Amundsen Sea in 2010 using the icebreaker research vessel (IBRV) Araon and has been conducting various research initiatives. In this paper, previous researches derived from the Amundsen Sea Embayment by Korean researchers are introduced. Through previous studies, researchers have been able to interpret the environmental and biogeochemical changes according to the inflow Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) and provide information for climate models. In particular, researches using radiocarbon isotopes (¹⁴C) were introduced to understand the physical and biogeochemical mechanisms of the carbon cycle in the Amundsen Sea. Opportunely, with the construction of a second icebreaker research vessel, the direction for systematic and long-term polar data acquisition can be presented.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.737-747
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• 1999

To estimate biomass and distribution of the Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), hydroacoustic survey was conducted on board of R/V Yuzhmorgeologiya, which was chartered by Korea Antarctic Research Program (KARP) group from 18 to 21 December 1998, in the northern part of the South Shetland Islands, Antarctic Ocean, The scientific echo sounder (towing body type) used was EK- 500 (SIMRAD, Norway) with echo integrator (BI-500) at 38 kHz frequency and recorded mean backscattering cross-section coefficient (SA) per 1 $mile^2$ of sea surface. Also, Bongo net sampling was carried out to determine the size of krill and CTD (Conductivity, Temperature and Depth) casting to understand physical structure. Water column was divided into 5 layers (22$\~$65 m, 65$\~$115 m, l15$\~$65 m, 165$\~$215 m and 215$\~$315 m) to know vertical distribution of krill biomass. The standard length of krill collected was between 30 mm and 51 mm, and adult krill had single mode (41 mm). Maximum horizontal length of krill patch was about 35 nautical mile and vertical thickness was about 275 m. High density of krill was appeared in frontal area between Circumpolar Deep Water (>$1^{\circ}C$) and very low temperature water mass (< $-0.5^{\circ}C$) that originate from Weddell Sea. According to the results calculated using target strength equation, krill density was totally higher in continental slope and open water areas than in coastal area. In the study area, krill seems to distribute in depth; density was low at first layer ($\={\rho}=17.0\;g/m^2$) and higher at fourth layer ($\={\rho}=40.19\;g/m^2$). The estimated krill biomass at total survey area and water column was about 2.77 million metric ion ($\={\rho}=151.0\;g/m^2$) and coefficient of valiance ( CV, $\%$) was 19.92. The proportions and biomass of krill biomass at each layer were as follows; layer 1 ($11.3\%$, 0.31 million metric ton, CV=16.24), layer 2 ($13.3\%$, 0.37 million metric ton, CV=34.91), layer 3 ($23.7\%$, 0.66 million metric ton, CV=41.5), layer 4 ($26.6\%$, 0.74 million metric ton, CV=27.84) and layer 5 ($25\%$, 0.69 million metric ton, CV= 26.83).