• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.87-101
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• 1989

The development of the Hantan river basin can be divided into three stages. The first stage include the ancient Hantan channel system prior to the Chongokni basalt which yield dates of about 0.6 mya from the K/Ar dating method. During this period the Baekuyri formation was formed. The Baekuyri formation is widely observed under the Chongokni basalt along the current river system. The second stage is the period when stream channels stayed on the top of the basalt plateau. Aggradation and deggradation were continued by meandering and braiding channel systems until major stream channel was formed. The currently remaining deposit on the top of the basalt was formed by lacustrine and fluvial systems in this period. During this period Pleistocene hominid was present on edge of water and flood plain and left Paleolithic material. This period was begun at the time of the final basalt flow dated about 300,000 BP. The third stage is designed for the time when the Hantan river channel was dropped down to a level from which the channel could not influence the top of the basalt any more No more deposit could be formed but erosion by surface water has been continued on the top of the basalt since then. The dropping of the Hantan river channel was probably not very long after the final flow of the basalt. Because of frost action and heavy concentrated precipitation in the basin area along with blocky and clumnar joint structure of the basalt, erosional process of the basalt is believed to have been carried out within a relatively short time. The lowering of the Hantan river channel was probably completed in a cycle of major fluctuation of world cimate. Also, the redclay on the top of the basalt is believed to have been formed during a warm period around 200,000 BP, which accords with the climatic change suggested above fair1y well. The Paleolithic materials in tile deposits fell accordingly into approximately same time period.