• 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.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2022

Nitrate (NO₃^-) plays an important role in aquaculture and ecosystems in the Korea Strait. Observational data propose that ocean currents are crucial to NO₃^- budget in the Korea Strait. However, assessment of budget by currents and biogeochemical processes has not yet been investigated. This study examines seasonal and spatial variations in NO₃^- budget by currents and biological processes in the Korea Strait from 2011 to 2019 using a physical-biogeochemical coupled model. Model results suggest that current-driven net supply of NO₃^- is consumed by uptake of phytoplankton in the Korea Strait. Advective influx is driven by the Tsushima warm current and the influx by the Jeju warm current is approximately one third of it. All of the influxes are transported out to the East Sea through the Korea Strait, of which two third passes through the western channel and the rest through the eastern channel. Annual mean NO₃^- net transport show that currents supply NO₃^- year round except for January, but the budget by biogeochemical processes consumes it every season except for winter.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.325-334
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• 2008

A biogeochemical model was used to estimate air-sea $CO_2$ exchange over the East China Sea. Since fresh water discharge from the Changjiang River and relevant chemistry were not considered in the employed model, we were not able to produce accurate results around the Changjiang River mouth. This factor aside, the model showed that the East China Sea, away from the Changjiang River mouth, takes approximately $1.5{\sim}2\;mole\;m^{-2}yr^{-1}$ of $CO_2$ from the atmosphere. The model also showed that biological factors modify the air-sea $CO_2$ flux by only a few percent when we assumed that biological activity increased two-fold. Therefore, we can argue that the biological effect is not strong enough over this area within the framework of the current phosphate-based biological model. Compared to the preindustrial era, in 1995 the East China Sea absorbed $0.4{\sim}0.8\;mole\;m^{-2}yr^{-1}$ more $CO_2$. If warming of the sea surface is considered, in addition to the increase in atmospheric $CO_2$ concentration, by 2045 the East China Sea would absorb $0.2{\sim}0.4\;mole\;m^{-2}yr^{-1}$ less $CO_2$ compared to the non-warming case.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.121-124
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• 2006

Argo drifters provide information of the vertical structure in the water column and have a potential for the improvement of understanding phytoplankton primary production and biogeochemical cycles in combination with ocean color satellite data, which can obtain the horizontal distribution of phytoplankton biomass in the surface layer. Our examples show that using Argo drifters with satellite-measured horizontal distribution of phytoplankton biomass at the sea surface allow an improved understanding of the development of the spring bloom. The other possible uses of Argo drifter are discussed.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.225-233
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• 2015

To understand the fluctuation of global carbon levels caused by the biogeochemical cycle within the ocean interior, it is essential to achieve comparability of global oceanic nutrient data to a fairly high degree. The Scientific Committee on Ocean Research (SCOR) commissioned a working group (WG147) to establish a system for achieving comparability of oceanic nutrient data within 1% among laboratories around the world. The introduction of international activities for improving nutrient comparability will facilitate the use of nutrient reference material of seawater by researchers within Korea, which will help in meeting international standards of nutrient comparability and promote international cooperation.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.565-580
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• 2023

In this study, we reviewed and summarized comprehensive roles and importance of natural analogue studies for demonstrating the safety and improving the reliability of the safety for the deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste. We also investigated domestic and foreign status of natural analogue studies in order to study and substantiate complex and various radionuclide behaviors in subsurface disposal environments. In addition, we investigated and uranium behaviors in groundwater and rock in uranium deposits including domestic uranium deposits in Ogcheon Metamorphic Belt and biogeochemical interactions in geological environments. Although there are many limitations and uncertainties in directly using the information and data for uranium behaviors obtained from uranium deposits in the disposal safety assessment, the information and data can be utilized in the disposal safety assessment and safety case construction both in qualitative and partly quantitative ways.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.199-205
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• 2015

Nitrogen and phosphorus are the limiting elements for growth of phytoplankton, which is a major primary producer of marine ecosystem. Incidentally the stoichiometry of N/P of ocean waters, measured by the (nitrate + nitrite)/phosphate ratio converges to a constant of 16. This characteristic ratio has been used widely for the understanding the ecosystem dynamics and biogeochemical cycles in the ocean. In the East Sea, several key papers were issued in recent years regarding the climate change and its impact on ecosystem dynamic and biogeochemical cycles using N/P ratio because the East Sea is a "miniature ocean" having her own meridional overturning circulation with the appropriate responding time and excellent accessibility. However, cited N/P values are different by authors that we tried to propose a single representative value by reanalyzing the historical nutrient data. We present N/P of the East Sea as $12.7{\pm}0.1$ for the year 2000. The ratio reveals a remarkable consistency for waters exceeding 300m depth (below the seasonal thermocline). We recommend to use this value in the future studies and hope to minimize confusion for understanding ecosystem response and biogeochemical cycles in relation to future climate change until new N/P value is established from future studies.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.123-130
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• 2009

Hyporheic zone is an area where hydraulic exchanges occur between surface water and ground water. Such transient area is anticipated to facilitate diverse biogeochemical reactions by providing habitats for various microorganism. However, only a few data are available about microbial properties in hyporheic zone, which would be important in better understanding of biogeochemical reactions in whole streams. The study site is Naesung stream, located in the north Kyoung-Sang Province, of which sediment is sandy with little anthropogenic impacts. Soil samples were collected from a transect placed perpendicular to stream flow. The transect includes upland fringe area dominated by Phragmites japonica, bare soil, and soil adjacent to water. In addition, soil samples were also collected from downwelling and upwelling areas in hyporheic zone within the main channel. Soils were collected from 3 depth in each area, and water content, pH, and DOC were measured. Various microbial properties including extracellular enzyme activities ($\beta$-glucosidase, N-acetylglucosaminidase, phosphatase and arylsulfatase), and microbial community structure using T-RFLP were also determined. The results exhibited a positive correlation between water content and DOC, and between extracellular enzyme activities and DOC. Distinctive patterns were observed in soils adjacent to water and hyporheic zone compared with other soils. Overall results of study provided basic information about microbial properties of hyporheic zone, which appeared to be discernable from other locations in the stream corridor.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.229-237
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• 2012

Using results from an Earth System model, we investigated change in primary production in the East China Sea, under a global warming scenario. As global warming progresses, the vertical stratification of water becomes stronger, and nutrient supply from the lower part to the upper part is reduced. Consequently, so is the primary production. In addition to the warming trend, there is strong decadal to interdecadal scale variability, and it takes a few decades before the warming trend surpasses natural variability. Thus, it would be very hard to investigate the global warming trend using data of several years' length.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2023.05a
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• pp.413-413
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• 2023

Wetlands are a critical component of the global carbon cycle and are essential in mitigating climate change. Accurately quantifying wetland carbon emissions is crucial for understanding and predicting the impact of wetlands on the global carbon budget. The uncertainty quantifying carbon in wetlands may comes from the ecosystem's hydrological, biochemical, and microbiological variability. The Community Land Model is a sophisticated and flexible land surface model that offers several configuration options such as energy and water fluxes, vegetation dynamics, and biogeochemical cycling, necessitating careful consideration for the alternative configurations before model implementation to develop a practical model framework. We conducted a systematic literature review, analyzing the alternatives, focusing on the carbon stock pools configurations and the parameters with significant sensitivity for carbon quantification in wetlands. In addition, we evaluated the feasibility and availability of in situ observation data necessary for validating the different alternatives. This analysis identified the most suitable option for our study site, the Binbong Wetland, in Korea.