• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.383-394
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate, through case studies, the usefulness of utilizing local R&D centers under science and technology ODA programs. For the past few decades, advanced countries have supported ODA projects of developing countries, but there have been negative opinions regarding the results. Through a case study of the black pearl cultivation project between the Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology and Micronesia, this study explains the usefulness of actively utilizing Korean R&D centers established and operational in recipient countries. Although black pearl cultivation is not an ODA project, the case study offers valuable insights as it is operated in a similar form and thus highly applicable to future projects. Based on the case study, four implications were derived to ensure the successful operations of science and technology ODA projects in the future. First, there is a need to improve relevance by making use of the technological capacities of local R&D institutes to develop projects that reflect the needs of recipient and donor countries. Second, trust must be established with local communities over the long term in order to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of project operations. Third, the proportion of science and technology ODA projects must be expanded to acquire sustainability, and more support should be granted to ODA projects involving marine resources, which are an advantage for countries of Micronesia. Lastly, the locals should be offered employment opportunities and regular training programs to allow for the actual transfer of knowledge instead of mere techniques. The implications derived in this study will prove useful in pursuing science and technology ODA projects, especially with Micronesia.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.311-318
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• 2019

We analyzed the preliminary survey data (2014-2016) of macrobenthic community biomass (n = 112) from the wind farm area located in the southern part of the west coast of Korea and compared this data with data from the entire west coast (n = 369; 2006-2008). Modal classes from frequency distributions were 6 times higher in the latter (5 vs. 32 g/㎡). The mean and median values of the latter were 1.3 and 1.7 times higher (mean, 20.7 vs. 27.8 g/㎡; median, 17.1 vs. 29.5 g/㎡), and the maximum value was 3.4 times higher. Mood's median test showed significant difference at p-value = 0.01. We estimated the biomass-to-depth relationships from each data set by using Akaike Information Criterion and regarded the non-overlap of the 95% confidence intervals as indicating significant difference. The biomass was different from a 10 m depth below, and 3 times higher in the west coast at around 20 m compared with the maximum depth of the wind farm area. A local event of catastrophic sedimentation ranging from 1 to 2 m was observed in the wind farm during winter surveys. This could be a probable source of the lower biomass, but information on biomass seasonality and a natural experimental approach seem to be needed for the conduct of further studies. This study is meaningful in that it provided the background to assess future changes by understanding the lower level of benthic productivity in the area. We expect this study will contribute to the preparation of measures that can remove or mitigate the source of the lower biomass and improve the productivity of fishery resources in the area.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.265-274
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• 2019

To trace the provenance of fine-grained sediments in response to the growth and retreat of glaciers (i.e., Ross Ice Sheet) that affects the depositional process, various kinds of analyses including magnetic susceptibility, granulometry, and clay mineral composition with AMS ¹⁴C age dating were carried out using a gravity core KI-13-GC2 obtained from the Central Basin of the Ross Sea continental margin. The sediments mostly consist of silty mud to sand with ice-rafted debris, the sediment colors alternate repeatedly between light brown and gray, and the sedimentary structures are almost bioturbated with some faint laminations. Among the fine-grained clay mineral compositions, illite is highest (59.1-76.2%), followed by chlorite (12.4-21.4%), kaolinite (4.1-11.6%), and smectite (1.2-22.6%). Illite and chlorite originated from the Transantarctic mountains (metamorphic rocks and granitic rocks) situated to the south of the Ross Sea. Kaolinite might be supplied from the sedimentary rocks of Antarctic continent underneath the ice sheet. The provenance of smectite was considered as McMurdo volcanic group around the Victoria Land in the western part of the Ross Sea. Chlorite content was higher and smectite content was lower during the glacial periods, although illite and kaolinite contents are almost consistent between the glacial and interglacial periods. The glacial increase of chlorite content may be due to more supply of the reworked continental shelf sediments deposited during the interglacial periods to the Central Basin. On the contrary, the glacial decrease of smectite content may be attributed to less transport from the McMurdo volcanic group to the Central Basin due to the advanced ice sheet. Although the source areas of the clay minerals in the Central Basin have not changed significantly between the interglacial and glacial periods, the transport pathways and delivery mechanism of the clay minerals were different between the glacial and interglacial periods in response to the growth and retreat of Ross Ice Sheet in the Ross Sea.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.275-288
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• 2019

We investigated flux, grain size distribution, Nd-Sr isotope composition, mineral composition, and trace metal composition (REEs and Sc) of inorganic silicate fraction (ISF, mainly Asian dust with an unrestricted amount of volcanic materials) deposited during 600~1000 ka across the Mid-Pleistocene Transition at core NPGP 1401-2A (32°01'N, 178°59'E, 5205m) taken from the central part of the North Pacific. Our results reveal about a 2-fold increase in ISF flux after 800 ka, which is associated with an increase in La/Sc and a decrease in mean grain size. Asian dusts are finer than volcanic materials and La/Sc increases with the enhanced contribution of Asian dusts. Thus, increased flux after 800 ka can be explained by the increased contribution of Asian dusts relative to volcanic materials, likely due to an intensified Westerly Jet (WJ) and the drying of the Asian continent after the MPT. Mean grain size of ISF varies systematically in relation to glacial-interglacial cycles with a decrease during glacial stages, which is consistent with the previous results in the study area. Such a cyclical pattern is also attributed to the increase in the relative contribution of Asian dusts over volcanic components in glacial stages due to intensified WJ and drying of the Asian continent. Thus, it can be concluded that climate changes that had occurred across the MPT were similar to those of interglacial to glacial transitions at least in terms of the dust budget. Different from the Shatsky Rise, however, compositional changes associated with glacial-interglacial mean grain size fluctuations are not observed in Nd-Sr isotope ratios and trace element composition in our study of the Hess Rise. This may be attributed to the location of the study site far (> 4,000 km) from the volcanic sources. The volcanic component at the study site comprises less than 10% and varies within 3% over glacial-interglacial cycles. Such a small variation was not enough to imprint geochemical signals.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.123-134
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• 2002

Seasonal variations of settling particles and metal fluxes were monitored at a nearshore site of Marian Cove, King Geroge Island, Antarctica from 28th February 1998 to 22nd January 2000. Near-bottom sediment traps were deployed at 30m water depth of the cove, and sampling bottles were recovered every month by SCUBA divers. Total particulate flux and metal concentrations were determined from the samples. Total particulate flux showed a distinct seasonality, high in austral summer and low in austral winter: the highest flux $(21.97g\;m^{-2}d^{-1})$ was found in February of 1999, and the lowest $(2.47g\;m^{-2}d^{-1})$ in September of 1998, when sea surface was frozen completely. Lithogenic particle flux accounted for 90% of the total flux, and showed a significantly negative correlation with the thickness of snow accumulation around the study site. It was suggested that the most of the lithogenic particles trapped in the bottles was transported by melt water stream from the surrounding land. Fluxes of Al, Fe, Ti, Mn, Zn, Cii, Co, Ni, Cr, Cd, and Pb showed similar seasonal variations with the total flux, and their averaged fluxes were 34000, 9000,960, 180, 13.8, 17.6, 3.0,2.1, 5.4, 0.02, and $1.5nmol\;m^{-2}d^{-1}$ respectively. Among the metals, Cu and Cd showed the most noticeable seasonal patterns. The Cd flux correlated positively with the fluxes of biogenic components while the Cu flux correlated with both the lithogenic and biogenic particle fluxes. The Cu flux peak in the late summer is likely related to a substantial amount of inflow of ice melt water laden with Cu-enriched lithogenic particles. On the other hands, the Cd flux peak in the early spring may be associated with the unusually early occurred phytoplankton bloom.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.503-518
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• 2003

This study examines the relationship among temperature, wind, and sea level pressure to understand recent warming in the vicinity of the Antarctic Peninsula. To do this, the surface air temperature, NCEP/NCAR reanalysis wind data and sea level pressure data for the period of 40 years are analyzed. The 40-year surface air temperature data in the Antarctic Peninsula reveals relatively the larger warming trends for autumn and winter than other seasons. The variability of the surface air temperature in this region is compared with that of the regional atmospheric circulation. The surface air temperature is positively correlated with frequency of northwesterlies and negatively correlated with frequency of southeasterlies. This relation is more evident in the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula for autumn and winter. The trend analysis of wind frequency in the study area shows increasing and decreasing trends in the frequency of northwesterlies and southeasterlies, respectively, in the northwestern part of the Weddell Sea for autumn and winter. And also it is found that these winds are closely related with decreasing of sea level pressure in the southeastern region of the Antarctic Peninsula. Furthermore from the seasonal variation of sea level pressure in this area, it may be presumed that decreasing of sea level pressure in the southeastern region of the Antarctic Peninsula is related with warming in the vicinity of the Antarctic Peninsula for autumn and winter. Therefore it can be explained that recent warming in the vicinity of the Antarctic Peninsula is caused by positive feedback mechanism, that is, the process that warming in the vicinity of the Antarctic Peninsula can lead to the decrease of sea level pressure in the southeastern region of the Antarctic Peninsula and these pressure decrease in turn lead to the variation of wind direction in northwestern part of Weddell Sea, again the variation of wind direction enhances the warming in the Antarctic Peninsula.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.557-567
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• 2003

High-resolution (3.5 kHz) subbottom profiles were analyzed in order to reveal sedimentation pattern of late Quaternary in the northern South Shetland continental margin and the South Scotia Sea, Antarctica. On the basis of clarity, continuity and geometry of surface and subbottom echoes together with seafloor topography, high-resolution echo characters are classified into eight echo types which represent rock basements (echo type III-1), coarse-grained subglacial till or moraine (echo type I-1), slides/slumps (echo type IV), debris-flow deposits (echo types II-3 and III-2), and bottom-current deposits (echo types I-2, II-1 and II-2). Subglacial till or moraine (echo type I-1) is mostly present in the lower continental shelf and upper continental slope of the northern South Shetland continental margin, which changes downslope to slides/slumps (echo type IV) and debris-flow deposits (echo types II-3 and III-2) in the middle to lower continental slope. This distribution suggests that the continental slopes of the northern South Shetland continental margin were mostly affected by downslope gravitational processes. Further downslope, bottom-current sediments (echo type I-2) deposited by the southwestward flowing Antarctic Deep Water (ADW) occur at the South Shetland Trench, reflecting an Interaction between mass flows and bottom currents in the area. In contrast to the northern South Shetland continental margin, the South Scotia Sea is dominated by bottom-current deposits (echo types II-1 and II-2), indicating that the sedimentation was mostly controlled by the westward flowing ADW. Flow intensity of the ADW has increased in the relative topographic highs, forming thin covers of coarse-grained contourites (echo type II-1), whereas it has decreased in the relative topographic lows, depositing thick, fine-grained contourites (echo type II-2). The poor development of wave geometry in the fine-grained bottom-current deposits (echo type II-2) is suggestive of the unsteady nature of the ADW flow.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.spc3
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• pp.361-371
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• 2003

The effect of bottom friction on the steady wind-driven circulation in the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea (YSECS) has been studied using a two-dimensional numerical model with and without tidal forcing. Upwind flow experiment in YSECS has also been carried out with a schematic time variation in the wind field. The surface water setup and circulation pattern due to steady wind forcing are found to be very sensitive to the bottom friction. When the effects of tidal currents are neglected, the overall current velocities are overestimated and eddies of various sizes appear, upwind flow is formed within the deep trough of the Yellow Sea, forming a part of the topographic gyre on the side of Korea. When tidal forcing is taken into account, the wind-induced surface elevations are smoothed out due to the strong tide-induced bottom friction, which is aligned almost normal to the wind stresses; weak upwind flow is farmed in the deep trough of the Yellow Sea, west and south of Jeju. Calculation with wind forcing only through a parameterized linear bottom friction produces almost same results from the calculation with $M_2$ tidal forcing and wind forcing using a quadratic bottom friction, supporting Hunter (1975)'s linearization of bottom friction which includes the effect of tidal current, can be applied to the simulation of wind-driven circulation in YSECS. The results show that steady wind forcing is not a dominant factor to the winter-time upwind flow in YSECS. Upwind flow experiment which considers the relaxation of pressure gradient (Huesh et al. 1986) shows that 1) a downwind flow is dominant over the whole YSECS when the northerly wind reaches a maximum speed; 2) a trend of upwind flow near the trough is found during relaxation when the wind abates; 3) a northward flow dominates over the YSECS after the wind stops. The results also show that the upwind flow in the trough of Yellow Sea is forced by a wind-induced longitudinal surface elevation gradient.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.427-435
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• 2003

Growth and pigment responses to different levels of solar radiation with or without ultraviolet (UV)-B component $({\lambda}=280-315nm)$ were investigated in Antarctic rhodophytes, Kallymenia antarctica and Palmaria decipiens, collected around King George Island during the summer of 2000. In K. antarctica specific growth rate, based on thallus area or fresh weight, decreased with increasing solar irradiances while P. decipiens were relatively insensitive to the effects of light. It is noticeable that the presence or absence of UV-B had no significant effect on growth for either species. However, K. antarctica showed a more pronounced reduction in chlorophyll (Chl a) concentrations at higher irradiances in the presence of UV-B. In P. decipiens, Chl a concentrations did not differ despite radiation level fluctuations being lower albeit than initial measurements. Thallus thickness was greater in K. antarctica than in P. decipiens. There were higher relative amounts of UV-absorbing pigments (UVAPs) in P. decipiens than in K, antarctica. The single absorbance peak obtained from the methanol extracts was resolved into three (316,332 and 346nm) in K. antarctica and four peaks (315,326,333 and 349 nm) in Palmaria as a result of the fourth-derivative. After 7 days exposure to solar radiation, the amount of UVAPs in K. antarctica was significantly reduced to a similar degree at all light levels, whereas that of P. decipiens remained unchanged except at 5% of surface irradiance. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of purified extracts indicated that P. decipiens possesses porphyra-334 in addition to three other mycosporine-like anlino acids (MAAs; asterina-330, palythine, shinorine), which are commonly present in K. antarctica. Significantly lower tolerance of K. antarctica to high levels of solar radiation may be connected with its usual absence in the eulittoral, while the active growth and elastic pigment responses of P. decipiens over a wide range of solar irradiance levels up to full sunlight seems to correspond well with its wide vertical distribution from rock pools down to 25-30m.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.469-481
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• 2003

This study is to suggest strategies for the aquaculture of marine fishes in Korea through the analysis of current domestic states and case studies of the advanced countries to enhance the competitiveness of the industry. To reveal the current state, a questionnaire study to the producers was carried out, and cases in Norway, China, Japan, USA were analysed in terms of national development strategies. From those analyses, 3 strategies for the improvement of the competitive edge in the industry were induced as followings. First, it is necessary to implement restructuring such as upsizing through consolidation of small units, networking, etc. Second, it is required to introduce the state-of-the-art technology with the newly-designed equipments to save energy and cost in the operation. Third, it is also required to implement programs to select the national strategic species and concentrate R&D resources on the selected ones.