• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.1 s.176
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• pp.39-51
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• 2006

Rare earth elements(REEs) in transgressive shelf core sediments were analysed to identify constraints of REE distribution patterns and sediment provenances in the northern East China Sea(ECS). Sediments of Chinese and Korean rivers, such as Huanghe and Yangtz rivers, Keum and Yeongsan rivers that supply sediments to the northern ECS, were also analysed to figure out their typical REE distribution patterns. The distribution patterns of Chinese and Korean river sediments, which are normalized with upper continental crust (UCC) REE values, appear to be enriched in middle rare earth elements (MREEs) in Chinese river sediments, whereas in light rare earth elements (LREEs) in Korean river sediments. We assign the MREE-enriched convex-type distribution pattern in Chinese river sediments as 'C-type', and the LREE-enriched linearly decreasing pattern in Korean river sediments as 'D-type'. A major constraint of the REE concentration in northern ECS core sediments is interpreted to be LREE-enriched monazite $((Ce,\;La)PO_4)$ that is ubiquitous in and around the study area. Meanwhile, the distribution pattern of northern ECS sediments appears to be between the C-type and the D-type. We suggest that the nothern ECS sediments are the mixture of China and Korea riverine sediments that have been accumulated in paleo-river mouth, paleo-coast, and present-day shelf environment as well.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.311-323
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• 2007

The Yellow and East China seas received a vast amount of sediment $(>10^9ton/yr)$, which comes mainly from the Changjiang and Huanghe rivers of China and the Korean rivers. However, there are still no direct sedimentological-geochemical indicators, which can distinguish these two end-members (Korean and Chinese river sources) in these seas. The purpose of this study is to provide the potential geochemical-tracers enabling these river materials to be identified within the sediment load of the Yellow and East China seas. The compositions of major elements (Al, Fe, Mg, K, Ca, Na, and Ti) of Chinese and Korean river sediments were analyzed. To minimize the grain-size effect, furthermore, bulk sediments were separated into two groups, silt $(60-20{\mu}m)$ and clay $(<20{\mu}m)$ fractions, and samples of each fraction were analyzed for major and strontium isotope $(^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr)$ compositions. In this study, Fe/Al and Mg/Al ratios in bulk sediment samples, using a new Al-normalization procedure, are suggested as an excellent tool for distinguishing the source of sediments in the Yellow and East China seas. This result is clearly supported by the concentrations of these elements in silt and clay fraction samples. In silt fraction samples, Korean river sediments have much higher $^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$ ratio $(0.7229{\sim}0.7253)$ than Chinese river sediments $(0.7169{\sim}0.7189)$, which suggests the distribution pattern of $^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$ ratios as a new tracer to discriminate the provenance of shelf sediments in the Yellow and East China seas. On the basis of these geochemical tracers, clay fractions of southeastern Yellow Sea mud (SEYSM) patch may be a mixture of two sediments originated from Korea and China. In contrast, the geochemical compositions of silt fractions are very close to that of Korea river sediments, which indicates that the silty sediments of SEYSM are mainly originated from Korean rivers.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.481-496
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• 2012

REE, major and trace elements, and Sr-Nd isotopic ratios of surface sediments around Jeju Island were analyzed for identifying the origin of the sediments. The Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) between 44.2 to 68.9 (av. 59.4) shows a similarity with the Huanghe sediment. The most sediments found within the study areas show a very similar chondrite-normalized REE pattern that has enriched LREE ($La_{(N)}/Sm_{(N)}$ >3) and small negative Eu anomaly, typically of average shales. The UCC-nornalized REE patterns of the southwestern offshore sediment samples show a very similar pattem with the Changjiang sediment with enriched in most REE and more convex REE pattern than those of the Huanghe and Keum rivers sediments, which indicates that the Changjiang River's suspended sediments have been transported into the western part of Jeju Island. The $^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$ isotopic ratios vs ${\varepsilon}_{Nd}(0)$ values were thus used as a tracer to discriminate the provenance of sediments in the study area. Based on the discriminated diagram, it clearly showed that most sediments in the western and northwestern part were closely plotted with sediments of the Huanghe River. However, the sediments in the southwestern part near the Changjianf estuary were closely plotted with submerged delta sediments of the Changjiang River. In contrast, the sediment samples of the northeastern part showed discriminative figures from those of the Chinese rivers. It suggests that sediments around Jeju Island must be originated from diverse sources.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.235-247
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• 2019

The Central South Sea Mud (CSSM), developed in the Seomjin River estuary, is known to be supplied with sediments from Heuksan Mud Belt (HMB) and Seomjin River. However, in order to form a mud belt, more sediments must be supplied than supplied in the above areas. Therefore, research on additional sources should be conducted. In this study, clay minerals, major elements analyzes were performed on cores 16PCT-GC01 and 16PCT-GC03 in order to investigate the transition in the provenance and transport pathway of sediments in CSSM. The Huanghe sediments are characterized by higher smectite and the Changjiang sediments are characterized by higher illite. Korean river sediments contain more kaolinite and chlorite than those of chinese rivers. Korean river sediments have higher Al, Fe, K concentraion than Chinese river sediments and Chinese rivers have higher Ca, Mg, Na than those of Korean rivers. Therefore, clay minerals and major elements can be a useful indicator for provenance. Based on our results, CSSM can be divided into three sediment units. Unit 3, which corresponds to the lowstand stage, is interpreted that sediments from Huanghe were supplied to the study area by coastal or tidal currents. Unit 2, which corresponds to the transgressive stage, is interpreted to have a weaker Huanghe effect and a stronger Changjiang and Korean rivers effect. Unit 1, which corresponds to the highstand stage when the sea level is the same as present and current circulation system is formed, is interpreted that sediments from Changjiang and Korean rivers are supplied to the research area through the current.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.337-345
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• 2003

Surficial sediments from the northern coastal area of Jeju Island, southeastern Yellow Sea (South Sea of Korea) were analyzed for grain-size texture, some geochemical characteristics and clay mineralogy in order to assess their provenance. Rare-earth element compositions and some geochemical discrimination diagrams, especially of Ti/Al, Nb/Al and Rb/Al ratios, were revealed to be useful indices for identifying the origin of sediments. These indices, together with clay mineral compositions, suggest that the coarse-grained sediments originate from the volcanic rocks of Jeju Island, whereas the fine-grained sediments are derived from Chinese rivers, especially the Changjiang River. The oceanic circulation pattern and the physical-chemical properties of seawater in the Yellow and East China seal support the possibility that the fine-pained Changjiang (Yangtze River) sediments can reach the coastal area of Jeju Island (southeastern Yellow Sea).

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.92-99
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• 2005

To discriminate the provenance of shelf sediments in the East China Sea, textural and elemental compositions along with strontium isotopic ratio ($^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$) were analyzed and compared with the sediments originated from Chinese rivers. The sediments in the study area are composed of fine-grained mud with a mean grain size of $47\;{\phi}$ and their $CaCO_3$, contents range from 3.9 to 11.5% (average 7.6%). In the study area, the content of most metallic elements are strongly constrained by sediment grain size (quartz dilution effect) and that of biogenic material and, thereby, their spatial distribution seems not enough for understanding sediment provenance in the study area. The muddy sediments of the Yangtze river have much lower $^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$ ratio ($0.71197{\sim}0.71720$) than the Yellow Sea shelf muddy sediments which are supposed to be originated from the Huanghe river ($0.72126{\sim}0.72498$), suggesting the distribution pattern of $^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$ ratios as a new tracer to discriminate the provenance of shelf sediments in the study area. Different source rock compositions and weathering processes between both drainage basins may account for the differences in $^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$ ratio. Although the ratios show wide range, from 0.71445 to 0.72184 with an average 0.71747 in the study area, they are close to the values of the Yangtze river sediments, suggesting that the sediments were mainly originated from the Yangtze river. The previous studies on the dispersal pattern of modern sediments and the physico-chemical properties of seawater in the Yellow and East China seas support the possibility that the fine-grained Yangtze river sediments can reach to the East China Sea shelf as well as to the southeastern Yellow Sea.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.40-54
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• 2008

Small and large dams are installed in the course of a stream for maintaining the water level of the stream or obtaining agricultural water. Currently about 18,000 of them are installed in Korea to supply water. However, the environmental problems of small dams are well known : the interruption of stream eco-corridors, deterioration of water quality in the upper reaches of the small dam, changes in the habitats of riparian organisms, damages to the stream scenery. In a very few of these small dams artificial eco-corridors like fishways are installed, but the number is very minimal.Accordingly, to efficiently restore stream eco-corridors by removing these small dams, it will be necessary to closely examine physical impacts, such as changes in the riverbed and changes in the shape of the stream caused by the removal, chemical impacts, such as changes in water quality, and transport and accumulation of contaminated sediments and biological impacts, such as changes in the habitats of organisms, and develop related technologies in advance, and have these technologies verified through demonstration application in the sites. In this study, we analyzed the physical, chemical and ecological impacts of the removal of the above-mentioned small dams, and conducted a research on the demonstration small dam removal project for a spot investigation. As a result, the small dam removal will restore the eco-corridor, there by improving the habitat of fishes and crustaceans. The number of major underwater organisms inhabiting the Gokreungcheon, such as Korean spotted sleepers, Chinese minnows, Microphysogobio yaluensis, Abbottina rivularis, stone morokos, striped shinners, long-nosed barbels, and Chinese mitten crabs, is expected to increase, and the food chain in the ecosystem will improve so that species diversity will improve as well.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.25-37
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• 2009

Geochemical composition and clay minerals of surface and core sediments around off the Jeju Island were analyzed for identification of sediment origins. The clay mineral distribution is mainly controlled by the sediment source and the dominant circulation pattern. Smectite is highly concentrated (>8%) in the northwest near the South Yellow Sea and in the outer-shelf mud patch. It seems to be due to the high supply of smectite transported from China where fine-grained sediments are discharged from modern and ancient Huanghe River. The relatively high abundance of kaolinite are found in northeastern nearshore area and the southwest near Changjiang estuary. It seems to be supplied from Changjiang River and the southwestern Korea rivers. The sediment accumulation rates measured by $^{210}Pb$ geochronrom mowere 0.20 to 0.54cm/mr or 0.15 to $0.42g/cm^2{\cdot}mr^{-1}$ AOJI, with decreasing rates from the west part to the east part, resulting in the supply of fine-grained suspended sediments from the Changjiang and Huanghe Rivers system. The discrimination diagrams clearly show that the sediments around Jeju Island in the northern East China Sea are ultimately sourced from Chinese rivers, especially from the Huanghe River, whereas the sediment in the northeast part might come from Korean rivers and the Jeju Island.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.198-208
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• 2006

To investigate the provenance of outer-shelf mud patch in the East China Sea, the geochemical compositions were analyzed and compared with those of Chinese rivers sediments. The mud sedimentary facies are distributed in the central region and sandy mud facies are also widely distributed around the study area. The major elements (Fe, Mg, K, Ti, and Mn) show strong positive correlation with Al, and trace elements also indicate the same characteristics; hence, clay minerals are likely to be the promising host for those elements. The high concentration of Fe, Ti, and Mn elements are found in the western middle part near the Changjiang estuary, indicating that it seems to result from the influence of the Changjiang River. Elemental ratios including Sc/Al, Ti/Nb, Th/Sc, Cr/Th, Nb/Co, and Th/U were thus used as provenance indicators to identify the sediment origins of the East China Sea. The discrimination diagrams clearly show that most of the sediment in the northern part are originated from the Huanghe River, while the muddy sediments in the western part near the Changjiang estuary might come from the Changjiang River, suggesting that the outer-shelf muddy sediments of East China Sea are originated from diverse sources.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.257-266
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• 2018

East China Sea (ECS) is known to be supplied with large amounts of sediments form Huanghe, Changjiang and various rivers in Korea. Many studies have been conducted to identify the effects of rivers and deposition process of ECS, but no consensus has been reached. In this study, clay minerals, rare earth elements (REEs) and grain size were analyzed to study the provenance and sedimentation environment of core 99MAP-P63 in ECS. Clay mineral contents of 99MAP-P63 are abundant in order of illite, chlorite, kaolinite, and smectite. The provenance of 99MAP-P63 sediments using clay minerals is interpreted as the Changjiang regardless of depth. As a result of REEs analysis, 99MAP-P63 sediments are very similar to Chinese rivers sediments. Therefore, the provenance of 99MAP-P63 is Changjiang, and the influence of Korean river seems to be insignificant. 99MAP-P63 sediments are generally classified as sandy silt, but the top of the core is divided into sand with a sand contents of 85 %. Compared with surrounding cores, sandy silt sediments arecorresponded to the low stand stage when sea-level was low, and the sediments were thought to have been supplied directly through the paleo-Changjiang. Sandy sediments in uppermost of core are corresponded to transgressive stage. Although distance from estuary was increased due to sea-level rise, it was possible to supply coarse sediments due to high bottom stress, and the paleo-Changjiang sediments deposited in study area were re-deposited.