• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.519-536
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• 2008

The relatively tranquil area within the Gogunsan Archipelago was for the first time investigated preliminarily with respect to modern sedimentological processes in association with the emplacement of the Saemangeum Dyke. Basic sedimentological observations, bathymetry and surface sediments were performed twice during 2006-2008 to compare the results and elaborate changes during that period of time. In addition, sediment dynamical observations were carried out with latest measuring equipment along two transects crossing the entrances of the archipelago, including 12-hour onboard measurements of current, suspended sediments, temperature, and salinity. This dataset was used to reveal hydrodynamic characteristics for spring season April-May and to estimate the direction and relative magnitude of the net flux of suspended sediments. There occurred three depositional areas (A to C) within the archipelago, where sediment texture was also changed. In area A, around Yami Island and the dyke, and area B, in the center of the archipelago, surface sediments became coarsened over the two-year period; sand content increased 5% at the expense of silt content in the former, whereas silt content increased 3% at the expense of clay content in the latter. By comparison, area C in the western entrance of the archipelago shows a textural trend of fining with more silt and clay (combined increase of 5%) at the expense of sand content. The accumulation of sediments in areas A and B is attributable to the sand and silt resuspended from the seabed sediments off sector 4 of the dyke during the winter. The origin of the fine materials depositing on area C is uncertain at present, although suspended sediments moving offshore around the archipelago may be one of the most likely candidates for the source. The temperature of seawater increased rapidly from $9-10^{\circ}C$ in April to $14-16^{\circ}C$ in May, whereas salinity remained more or less constant at 31-32%o during the two months. Both of these parameters showed little variations with depth through a tidal cycle, suggesting good mixing of seawater without any help of significant waves. The consistency of salinity during a tidal cycle also indicates no insignificant effects of freshwater from the rivers Mangyung and Donjin emitting through the opening gap near Sinsi Island. The suspended sediment concentrations were higher at the entrance between Sunyu and Sinsi islands than at the entrance between Hoenggyong and Sinsi islands, ranging from 20 and 30 mg/l and from 5 and 15 mg/l, respectively at the sea surface. Although tidal currents were variable across a transect between Sunyu and Sinsi islands, the currents across the entrance between Hoenggyong and Sinsi islands flowed consistently in the same direction all over the transect during a tidal cycle. The estimation of net flux of suspended sediments indicates that suspended sediments are transferred to the Gogunsan Archipelago mainly through a relatively deep trough adjacent to Sinsi Island toward the shallow area around Yami Island and the dyke.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 2022

The analysis of seven islands in Gogunsan archipelago, Korea with insect fauna and vascular plant flora was carried out based on a field survey conducted in May, July, and September. As a result, a total of 2,817 insect individuals including 264 species and 315 taxa of vascular plant were recorded. Bangchukdo the largest island among the seven islands showed the largest number both insect species and plant taxa. The similarity analysis suggested that the nearness of each island strongly affected the insect fauna and vascular plant flora on each island. In addition, there was significant correlation between the areas of each island and the numbers of insect species (Spearman's correlation coefficient=0.857, P-value=0.014). In the future, the results of this study can be used as data related to island ecology and conservation.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.251-277
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• 2019

The Gogunsan Archipelago is composed of two island groups; the first group includes Mal-do, Myeong-do, Gwangdae-do, and Bangchuk-do islands consisting of Neoproterozoic rocks, and the second group includes Yami-do, Sinsi-do, Muneo-do, Jangja-do, and Seonyu-do islands consisting of Cretaceous rocks. The first group mainly consists of the Bangchuk formation which can be divided into two layers; the lower layer was more deformed than the upper layer. The former was intruded by mafic and felsic volcanic rocks formed in the volcanic arc tectonic setting 930-890 Ma and the latter was deposited ca. 825-800 Ma. In these islands, large scale folds with east-west fold axes were beautifully formed; the Maldo island fold was designated as natural monument and large scale beautiful chevron fold was developed on the Gwangdae-do island. In addition, there are unique zebra-shaped outcrop formed by a mixing of basic and acidic magma and Independent Gate shaped outcrop formed by coastal erosion. On the other hand, the Yami-do, Sinsi-do, Muneo-do, Jangja-do and Seonyu-do islands consist of 92-91Ma Cretaceous volcanic rocks and, in Sinsi-do island, the Nanshan formation deposited ca. 92 Ma. These Cretaceous volcanic rocks formed by melting of the continental crust by the heat supplied from the uplifting mantle due to the extension caused by a retreat of subducting ocean slab. Yami-do and Sinsi-do islands are composed of rhyolite. In Yami-do island, bands with vertical joint formed by cooling of the bottom part of the lava, are shown. In Sinsi-do island, large-scale vertical joints formed by cooling of lava flow, were developed. The Jangja-bong of Jangja-do island and Mangju-bong of Seonyu-do island are composed of brecciated rhyolite and formed a ring shaped archipelago contributing to the development of marine culture by providing natural harbor condition. They also provide beautiful views including 'Seonyu 8 views' along with other islands. As mentioned above, the Gogunsan archipelago is rich in geoheritages and associated cultural and historical resources, making it worth as a National Geopark.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.136-159
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• 2019

This study was carried out to investigate the flora of six islands belonging to the Gogunsan Archipelago (i.e., Sinsi-do, Seonyu-do, Munyeo-do, Yami-do, Bian-do, and Duri-do) in the Korean Peninsula. As results of five field surveys from March to October of 2016, we have identified 575 total taxa, representing 527 species, five subspecies, 42 varieties, and one hybrid, placed in 358 genera and 118 families. Of these 575 taxa, four are endemic to Korea, six taxa are listed on the Korean Red List of threatened species, 67 are floristic regional indicator plants, and 74 are invasive alien species. In this study, we compared species richness among the islands, and find that the larger the islands, the higher the species richness. In the case of habitat affinity types, forest species were most common, followed by farmland, seacoast, bare ground and wetland species. From similarity analyses based on the composition of vascular plants, each island did not exhibit either local specificity or unique diversity. On the contrary, the proportion of invasive alien and ruderal species may increase by human activities. Investigations and analyses of island flora such as this are important to assess the current status of the flora, predict future vegetation patterns and the spread of the alien species, and establish managment plans of plant diversity.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.56-66
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• 2008

Subtidal surface currents are derived from HF radar measurements in the Saemangeum coastal ocean of the Yellow sea in July 2002 and from September to November 2004. The surface current field is analyzed to examine the effect of wind, river plume and coastline change on the spatial distribution and temporal variation of the surface currents. In July 2002, average wind speed was 0.5 m/s and freshwater discharge from the Keum River was $0.88{\times}10^7\;ton/day$. Temporal mean currents ($\overline{U}$) flow to the northwest with speed of $7{\sim}10\;cm/s$ near the Keum River estuary, to the west as fast as 13 cm/s near the opening gap of the Saemangeum $4^{th}$ dyke, and to the northwest off the Gogunsan-archipelago. This flow pattern is a result of the Keum River plume dispersal and tide-residual currents from the opening gap of the Saemangeum $4^{th}$ dyke. Time series of spatially-averaged current (<$U-\overline{U}$>) direction is highly (r=0.98) correlated with wind direction. From September to November 2004, the opening gap of the Saemangeum $4^{th}$ dyke was closed, northwesterly wind blew with speed of 2.5 m/s on average and the Keum River discharge was $1.19{\times}10^7\;ton/day$. Temporal mean current field ($\overline{U}$) has weak surface flow in most of the coastal ocean and relatively strong currents flow to the southwest with speed of 10 cm/s along the shape coastline of the Gogunsan-archipelago and the Saemangeum $4^{th}$ dyke. The strong flow is generated by the prevailing northwesterly wind which pushes the Keum River plume toward the Saemangeum $4^{th}$ dyke. The residual currents from the opening gap of the Saemangeum $4^{th}$ dyke disappeared and correlation coefficient between time series of spatially-averaged current () direction and the wind direction is 0.69.