• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.159-169
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• 2004

Sedimentation and depositional pattern of the fine-grained sediments in the southeastern inner shelf of Korea were studied using a very high-resolution seismic profiles and sediment data. The recent mud deposits up to 45 m thick are distributed in the inner shelf forming a nearshore belt from the eastern part of Geoje Island to off the Pohang along the coast. The sediment in this area consists of homogeneous mud with mean grain size between $8.6\;to\;5.3\phi$ and does not show any distinct variability It gradually becomes finer and well sorted northeastward along the coast. Sediments normally appear as structureless massive mud but X-radiographs show that some bioturbation and faint lamination are present. The sediments accumulate at a rate of 0.18-0.44 cm/yr and the rate coincides well with the long-term (a 1000-year scale) accumulation based on very high-resolution seismic data. Distribution of wet bulk density and velocity shows a gradual increase from the southeastern part of Ulsan to off Pohang, whereas porosity shows a reverse pattern. Correlations between velocity and porosity/mean grain size are different from other regions compared, due to the difference of sediment texture and sedimentary environment. The recent shelf deposits are seismically characterized by three distinct facies: 1) well-stratified (near the river mouth), 2) semi-transparent (eastern part of Geoje Island), and 3) transparent (off Ulsan). The results suggest that fine-grained sediment derived from rivers, forming a nearshore mud belt, have been transported northeastward by the northeastward-flowing coastal current.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.166-174
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• 1987

Distribution, bathymetry and textural parameters of the bottom sediment deposited between Geoje and Namhae Islands were studied to understand the depositional environment of the area. The study area is divided into three different provinces. Except for the Gwangyang Bay and Changseon Channel, mud dominates in the western part whereas sandy mud and muddy sand prevail in the southeastern part including the eastern area of the Yogji Island. The relict sediment is located in the eastern part of the area. Generally, the Holocene sediment, located in the northern part of the area, is considered to be transported and deposited by a pelagic suspension mode. Influence of strong tidal currents results in some depressions in the vicinity of Changseon Island and the eastern part of the Yogji Island, The Tsushima Warm Current is supposed to affect the southern part of the area. The two parallels sand ridges lying in the southeastern part of the area are covered with very thin Holocene mud. This seems to be caused by the winnowing effect of the current. The similarity between the two directions of the current and the ridges encourages this idea. The boundary between the Holocene and relict sediment, however, lies further south the ridges.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.242-258
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• 2012

The Yellow Sea has sensitively responded to high-amplitude sea-level fluctuations during the late Quaternary. The repeated inundation and exposure have produced distinct transgression-regression successions with extensive exposure surfaces in Kyeonggi Bay. The late Quaternary strata consist of four seismic stratigraphic units, considered as depositional sequences (DS-1, DS-2, DS-3, and DS-4). DS-1 was interpreted as ridge-forming sediments of tidal-flat and estuarine channel-fill facies, formed during the Holocene highstand. DS-2 consists of shallow-marine facies in offshore area, which was formed during the regression of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS)-3 period. DS-3 comprises the lower transgressive facies and the upper highstand tidal-flat facies in proximal ridges and forced regression facies in distal ridges and offshore area. The lowermost DS-4 rests on acoustic basement rocks, considered as the shallow-marine and shelf deposits formed before the MIS-6 lowstand. This study suggests six depositional stages. During the first stage-A, MIS-6 lowstand, the Yellow Sea shelf was subaerially exposed with intensive fluvial incision and weathering. The subsequent rapid and high amplitude rise of sea level in stage-B until the MIS-5e highstand produced transgressive deposits in the lowermost part of the MIS-5 sequence, and the successive regression during the MIS-5d to -5a and the MIS-4 lowstand formed the upperpart of the MIS-5 sequence in stage-C. During the stage-D, from the MIS-4 lowstand to MIS-3c highstand period, the transgressive MIS-3 sequence formed in a subtidal environment characterized by repetitive fluvial incision and channel-fill deposition in exposed area. The subsequent sea-level fall culminating the last glacial maximum (Stage-E) made shallow-marine regressive deposits of MIS-3 sequence in offshore distal area, whereas it formed fluvial channel-fills and floodplain deposits in the proximal area. After the last glacial maximum, the overall Yellow Sea shelf was inundated by the Holocene transgression and highstand (Stage-F), forming the Holocene transgressive shelf sands and tidal ridges.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.303-312
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• 2011

Analysis of high-resolution seismic profiles from the southeastern continental shelf of Korea reveals that the Holocene transgressive deposits consist of five sedimentary units characterized by retrograding or backstepping depositional arrangements. Unit I, forming a linear sediment body along the shelf margin, is an ancient beach/shoreface deposit formed during the early stage of transgression. During the transgression, the paleo-channels were backfilled with fluvial or coastal-plain sediments, forming Unit II as an incised-channel fill deposit. The near-surface sediment was reworked and eroded by shoreface erosion, forming a thin lag of sands (Unit III) on the midshelf. During the middle stage of the transgression, the shoreline may have stabilized at around 70 - 80 m below the present sea level for some period of time to allow the formation of sand ridge systems (Unit IV). Unit V in the inner shelf was deposited in an estuarine environment during the middle to late stage of transgression. Such transgressive stratigraphic architecture is controlled by a function of lateral changes in the balance among rates of relative sea-level rise, sediment input and marine processes at any given time.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.27-37
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• 2003

The Neolithic relics containing sedimentary deposits have been found in the Moonamni coastal zone of the East Sea, Korea. The purpose of this research is to establish the late Quaternary stratigraphy of the coastal dune deposit and to elucidate its depositional environment of the Neolithic-site sediments on the basis of analytical properties of grain size population and mineralogy of the sediments. As a result, the vertical sections of the sediments from three trenches are characterized by three major stratigraphic depositional units of Unit 3, Unit 2 and Unit 1 in ascending order. Unit 3 and 2 can be further divided into tow sub-units. Unit 3 is composed of massive sands in the lower part and muddy sand in the upper part. It is considered that the Unit 3 is a typical dune deposit showing well-sorted sands. Unit 2 is characterized by the cross-bedding, and include archaeological remains such as pottery shards. This unit can be further divided into two sub-units of muddy sand in the lower part and sand in the upper part. Unit 1 occupies the top section and consists of modem dune sediment. The Neolithic cultural remains would be accumulated in the coastal dune area in relation to dynamic condition of beach system under the high stand of Holocene sea-level at about 7,800∼6,500 yr B.P. or so.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.479-488
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• 2004

Five sediment cores from the tidal flat of artificial Lake Shihwa are analyzed in terms of sedimentology and geochemistry to evaluate the heavy metal contamination and redox condition of surficial sediment following the Shihwa seawall construction. The variability of concentrations of various elements depends on the depositional environment, and reflects the various redox conditions and sediment provenances. The amounts of Ti and Al and their ratio of Ti/ Al with respect to Li clearly indicate that there is an anthropogenic contribution to the surficial sediment. The high concentrations of heavy metals suggest an anthropogenic contribution at ST. 34 and ST. 22. Concentrations of most elements (Cr, Cu, Zn and Pb) are higher near the Shihwa-Banwol industrial complex than in the central part of Lake Shihwa. Concentrations of heavy metal in surficial sediment near the Shihwa-Banwol industrial complex are two to eight times higher than in the center of Lake Shihwa. Enrichment factors (EF), which are normalized by the unpolluted shale, suggests a significant metallic contamination near the Shihwa-Banwol industrial complex (SBIC). The redox condition is divided into two anoxic and mixed oxi $c_oxic zones based on the carbon:sulfur (C/S) ratios of organic matter and elemental relationships. Correlations among geochemical elements Mn, U and Mo are significantly different from site to site, and may therefore be an indicator of the spatial redox condition. Controlling factors for switching anoxic/oxic conditions are thought to be water depth and the differences in industrial effluent supply. The variations of the Cu/Mn ratio in the sediments confirms above mentioned spatial differences of a redox condition in part, and therefore shows a location-dependence redox condition in sediments at four other sites. The redox condition of the surficial sediment characteristics of the Shihwa Lake are controlled by its geographic location and water depth.th.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.15-24
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• 2001

The concentration changes of discharged wastewater effluents due to ambient current flows and density stratifications in an outfall mixing zone have been investigated by using the outfall mixing zone analysis of Huang et al.[1996]. This analysis was applied to Masan sea outfall case and the concentration distributions of wastewater effluent discharges were simulated using three month period of current-meter data measured in the outfall site. Hourly concentration distributions of wastewater effluents were averaged for the period of 15 days which covers the flow conditions of the neap and the spring tidal currents in Masan Bay. The results show that the wastewater concentrations in the Masan outfall mixing zone were very low due to the higher dilution rates during the period of strong ambient currents and less density stratifications. The higher concentrations in the mixing zone were found in August because of strong density stratifications with low ambient currents. The mixing zone was extended to the west coast beach area because of major tidal current directions. This result can be used to explain the dynamical reasons for the depositional distribution of the contaminated sediments in Masan sea outfall area.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.198-207
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• 1999

Five core sediments acquired from the Lake Shihwa are analyzed for variations of sedimentary environment and heavy metal pollution after the Shihwa seawall construction. The depositional environment of the study area is divided into anoxic, oxic and mixed suboxic conditions based on the C/N ratio and C/S ratios of organic matters. Controlling factors for redox condition are the water depth and the difference in industrial effluents supply. Correlations among geochemical elements (Mn, U, Mo) show a distinctive difference and thus can be used as an indicator of redox condition. The content of Al, Ti are dependent on the sediment characteristics, and the contents of heavy metals (Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb) indicate heavy metal pollution. The concentrations of heavy metals are higher near Shiswa-Banwol industrial complexies than the central part of Lake Shihwa. Especially, the accumulation of the heavy metal at the surface sediments near Shihwa-Banwol industrial complex are two to eight times higher than in the center of Lake Shihwa.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 1996

Stable isotopic ratios of the carbonate rocks and chemical compositions of the matrix of pebble bearing phyllitic rocks known as the Hwanggangri Formation, which are in hot debate on their origin such as tillite, debris flow and turbidite, were determined to interpret their depositional environment. Argillaceous matrix of the pebble bearing phyllitic rocks has a high content of CaO (av. 19.5%) and MgO (av. 8.3%), corresponding to calcareous sandy shale. No difference of chemical compositions including trace elements and REE is in the matrices between the Hwanggangri and the Kunjasan Formations. Carbonate rocks from the Okchon zone and outside of the zone range $-2.5{\sim}+6.1$‰ in ${\delta}^{13}C$ and $+5.8{\sim}+25.9$‰ in ${\delta}^{18}O$, indicating normal marine limestone. However, unusally $^{13}C$ enriched carbonate rocks might be deposited in the highly evaporated sedimentary basin. A wide variation of ${\delta}^{18}O$ values is responsible for metamorphism with a $^{18}O$ depleted meteoric water. Isotopic equilibrium temperatures by graphite-calcite geothermometer show a higher metamorphic temperature ($547{\sim}589^{\circ}C$) in the Okchon zone than those ($265{\sim}292^{\circ}C$) in the Samtaesan Formation of the Chosun group. Rhythmic alternation of relatively thin shale with thin limestone in the Kounri Formation is not cherty layer but thin limesilicate bed by metasomatic replacement. Judging from the isotopic and chemical compositions of the carbonate rocks and calcareous matrix of the pebble bearing phyllitic rocks, the Hwangganari Formation was deposited in the shallow marine environment favorable to debris flow.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.182-188
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• 1990

The sedimentation processes and heavy metal distributions at the Nakdong estuary were investigated during October 1987 and September 1988. The depositional sedimentary environment of the studied area was estuarine environments and was divided into three provinces depending on its textural parameters such as barrier, tidal falt, and water passes. The relationship between the textural parameters showed that the barrier was under strong wave action, that the tidal flat was under relatively weak wind-driven currents, and that the water passes were under strong and continuous tidal currents. Each environments was resulted from different transport mechanism. the sand barrier sediments were transported by all three populations including suspension, saltation, and bed load, and water pass-deposited sediments were by the bad load with some suspension population. In water mass over the studied area, the concentrations of heavy metals including Cu, Cd, $Cr^{+6}$, Pb and Zn were recorded to be 27.8, 6.7, 20.4, 16.3, and 37.3 ppb in their highest concentrations, respectively. and those in sediments were 20.0, 1.65, 25.4, 15.4, and 132.0 ppm, respectively. The total up take factored of Cu, Cd, $Cr^{+6}$, Pb, and Zn by V. Muller (corbicula fluminea) were 1600, 310, 310, 490 and 7900, respectively.