• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.529-543
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• 2003

Deep-sea surface sediments, acquired from 1997 to 2002 in the Clarion-Clipperton fracture zone of the northeast equatorial Pacific, were analyzed for index and geotechnical properties to provide background information for the design of manganese nodule minor. The sediments were classified into 16 types based on the measured properties and evaluated in terms of miner maneuverabillity and potential environmental impacts arising from mining activities. It was found that the middle part of the study area covered with coarse siliceous sediments is more favorable to the commercial production than the northern part of pelagic red clay. In particular, Area B2 in the middle part is considered the best mining site since it shows the highest abundance as well as it consists mostly of normally to over consolidated (types B, C, D) coarse siliceous sediments that are appropriate for effective minor movement and accompany weak environmental impacts. Taking account of all the analyzed core logs, the average shear-strength values are proposed as a practical guideline fur movements of a manganese nodule miner: 6.0 kPa at 10cm and 7.0kPa at 40cm below the seabed.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.141-155
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• 2020

Species composition of fish in the shallow water at Daecheon beach was determined using monthly beach seine samples collected from April 2010 to March 2011. These data were compared with the previous data, one just after reclamation in 1984-1985, and the other in 1995-96, in order to assess the post-reclamation impact of the environmental change on the fish assemblage. A total of 30 species from 1,464 individuals with biomass of 17,808 g were identified. Dominant species in the number of individuals were Chelon haematocheilus (49.3%), Takifugu niphobles (13.7%) and Paralichthys olivaceus (10.0%). Among pelagic fish, migrant juvenile fish such as Sardinella zunasi and Thryssa kammalensis were abundantly collected in 1984-85, but the catch amount was gradually decreased as time untill only few pelagic fish were collected in 2010-2011. The benthic fish were most abundant in 1984-1985 among habitat groups, and Favonigobius gymnauchen and Kareius bicoloratus were the top two predominants. Species composition of benthic fish did not exhibited drastic changes in 1995-1996, but both the abundance decline and the species composition change was evident in 2010-2011. Among the semi-benthic fish from 1984-1985 samples, Sillago japonica and Konosirus punctatus predominated. Species composition was slightly changed in 1995-1996, but significant changes were met in 2010-2011 with the two predominats, Chelon haematocheilus and Takifufu niphobles. These changes in fish species composition may reflect the post-reclamation effect of the impaired water quality and the accumulation of organic rich fine sediments.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.115-127
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• 2009

Mineral quantification was performed on sediments of the Ulleung basin by X-ray powder diffraction and the computer software based on Rietveld quantification method. The sediments are dominated by amorphous opal-A with quartz, feldspars, micas, clays, calcite, and pyrite. The opal-A shows iterative variation in abundance with increasing burial depth. In addition, the relative abundance of opal-A is coincident with abundance of organic carbon contents, indicating that the Ulleung sediment consists mostly of amorphous silica derived from organism in the pelagic environment. Upward increase in the abundance of opal-A is markedly shown in the cores located in the slope region. On the other hand, there is a distinct tendency that the abundance of calcite is inversely proportional to that of opal-A. This indicates that the abundance of opal-A increases during the rise of sea level. Also, the fall of sea level lowers the abundance of opal-A.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.381-395
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• 2005

The spatial distributions of macrobenthic communities in Masan Bay were investigated during summer and winter, 2004. A total of 104 species were sampled with mean density of $448ind./m^2$ and biomass of $77.1g/m^2$ in winter. In summer, a total of 107 species occurred with $485ind./m^2$ and a biomass of $94.5g/m^2$. The most dominant species in winter were Paraprionospio pinnata (24.2%) among polychaetous worms and Theora fragilis (14.1%) among molluscs, but they were replaced in summer by Prionospio chirrifera (20.4%) and Lumbrineris longifolia (14.5%). The difference in species composition and abundance of benthic communities between the two seasons was due to the hypoxia in the bottom layer of the inner bay during summer, which defaunated the macrofauna of the sediments. In the winter when DO concentration increased to normoxia, the pelagic larvae of benthic fauna settled in the soft sediments, but there was a spatial gradient in values of total biomass, density, and H' and benthic pollution index (BPI): higher values were found toward the mouth of the bay. The multivariate analyses like the cluster analysis and MDS ordination showed that Masan Bay could be divided into two or four stational groups in winter and summer whether the hypoxia occurred or not. Group I consisted of sites at the inner bay and central area and Group II, sites at the bay mouth. In summer the inner bay area could be further divided into the shallow impoverished area and the deeper abiotic one.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.13-26
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• 1976

The basic rocks distributed in the Okchon paleogeosynclinal zone have been previously considered as intrusive in majority, but as sedimentary parensis in few variety. The present study is to find out some clues to conclude otherwise, if any, by clarifying 1) the nature and characteristics of the rocks, 2) type of the associated sedimentary rocks if any, and 3) their occurrence in related to regional geologic structure. The finding are as follows: 1) The basic rocks are identified and classified to hornblende gabbro, amphibolite, basalt and andesite (in part metamorphosed to meta-volcanics), green schist and peridotite(which appears in separate locality from the others). 2) Associated sedimentary rocks which appear to overlie the basic rocks are known as Kunjasan and Baekwhasan formations. The two formations are probably same, but been used differently by different authers at different localities. The rocks is exclusively consisted of cherty looking siliceous quartzite and some localitis it shows very calcarious nature. The formation seems to indicate a sort of pelagic siliceous sediments although it contain some pebbles. 3) The basic rock suites are always underlain by the same continuous, great thrust, which separates the Okchon paleogeosyncline zone from the neogeosynclinal zone in the area studied. The comparison of Okchon basic rocks suite to the ophiolite suites in other parts of the world indicates some similarity with which the writers suggested the probalility of Okchon basic rocks being ophiolites that occur along ancient geosuture line now represented by the great thrust.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.180-183
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• 2007

Over the last century the mercury (Hg) concentration in the environment has been increased by human activities with inputs from sources such as atmospheric deposition, urban runoff, and industrial effluents. Mercury can be transformed to methylmercury (MeHg) in anaerobic conditions by sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) and sediments are the principal location for MeHg production in aquatic environments. Interest in bioaccumulation of Hg and MeHg into lower trophic levels of benthic and pelagic organisms stems from public health concerns as these organisms provide essential links for higher trophic levels of food chains such as fish and larger invertebrates. Fish consumption is the major exposure route of MeHg to humans. Recently, it was reported that blood samples in Korea showed much higher Hg levels (5-8 times) than those in USA and Germany. Although this brings much attention to Hg research in Korea, there are very few studies on Hg biogeochemical cycling and bioaccumulation in aquatic environments. Given the importance of Hg methylation and MeHg transfer through food chains in aquatic environments, it is imperative that studies should be done in much detail looking at the fate, transport, and bioaccumulation of Hg and MeHg in the environment. Moreover, there should be long-term monitoring plans in Korea to evaluate the environmental and health effects of Hg and MeHg.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.130-137
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• 2001

A total of 58 species of radiolarians belonging to 41 genera were identified in 44 samples from core A9-EB2 of the Bransfield Basin in the Antarctic. The radiolarian assemblages from A9-EB2 are generally very low in abundance.The dominant species are Antarctissa denticulata, A. longa, A. strelkovi, Lithomelissa setosa, Lifhomitra lineata, Peridium longispinum and Phormacantha hystrix, constituting 75% of the total assemblage. Genera Challenge개n and Protocystis belonging to family Challeneriidae, found in core A9-EB2 have been recorded in the Quaternary sediments. Therefore, the geologic age of core A9-EB2 in Bransfield Basin is regarded to be Quternary (Pleistocene-Holocene). Typical circumpolar taxa such as Antarctissa strelkovi, A. denticulata, Cycladophora davisiana and Larcopyle buetschlii are representing the influence of waters from Bellingshausen Sea and Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Plectacantha oikiskos and Phomacantha hystrix are considered as a coastal indicator. Also, low amounts of Lithomelissa setosa are related to pelagic condition and entrance of cold waters from the Western Weddell Sea into Bransfield Basin. Therefore, the core sediments in Bransfield Basin were deposited under the coastal condition mainly influenced by the waters from Bellingshausen Sea and Antarctic Circumpolar Current. but also by the water from the Western Weddell Sea of the open-water condition.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.243-274
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• 2013

To investigate the research state and characteristics of dinoflagellate cyst along the Korean coastal waters, this work analyzed 45 studies conducted in the Korean coasts and basin, the south of Jeju, East China Sea including some part of the Yellow Sea. It was found that the research on dinoflagellate cyst began in the later half of the 1980s in Korea, and that the research areas focused on eutrophied regions where a red tide occurred or on the seas where coastal development occurred. In other words, no research on the East Sea was found. In terms of research contents, there were various studies on analysis of cyst assemblage, tracking of the changes in marine environment like process of eutrophication, roles as a seed population in occurrence of a red tide, creation of cyst by use of sediment trip and tracking of its changes, morphological changes by the change of pH concentration in the hypoxia zone of eutrophied region, germination of a specific species, and other international-level studies. Species composition and cell density also varied in the Korean coastal waters. However, much research on dinoflagellate cyst in Korea is not systematic, and is fragmentary and individual and hencesuffers from great limitations. The research results so far have focused only on specific regions, and sporadic research had been conducted by specific research groups. Dinoflagellate cyst of surface sediments represents the accumulation index of pelagic environment in the sea and is a useful index to understand the marine environment efficiently. In conclusion, Korea requires organized human resources and collaborative research on dinoflagellate cyst which in turn should be considered as a component of marine ecosystem and as an essential aspect of marine biology.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.581-588
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• 2023

This study reports depth-dependent elemental distribution and mineral abundance of the oceanic sediment sample (WP21GPC04) near the Mariana Trench collected during the WP21 expedition in 2021. The elemental distribution determined by μ-XRF shows no significant differences with varying depth, with an average SiO₂ 53.91 wt%, FeO 4.48 wt%, Al₂O₃ 16.56 wt%, MgO 2.56 wt%, CaO 4.79 wt%, Na₂O 3.52 wt%, K₂O 5.48 wt%, similar to the average chemical composition of global subducting sediments (GLOSS). The mineral abundances analyzed using synchrotron XRD, however, vary with depth. While quartz, mica, and plagioclase were identified at all depths, chlorite was found at shallow depths, and zeolite group minerals, phillipsite and heulandite, showed a gradual change in phase fraction with depth. This suggests a change in sedimentation and alteration environments in the region, or the potential for coexistence emerges due to similar sediment stability. Overall, this study will provide a basis for the future investigations on the evolution of sedimentary environment near the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific Ocean and the phase distribution and the behavior of subducting oceanic sediments, which will affect the lithological and geochemical characteristics of the Mariana susduction system.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.6 s.181
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• pp.739-752
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• 2006

Deep-sea surface sediments acquired by multiple corer from 69 stations in the Clarion-Clipperton fracture zone of the northeast equatorial Pacific, were examined to understand the correlation of mass physical properties and sedimen-tological processes. The seabed of the middle part ($8-12^{\circ}N$) of the study area is mainly covered by biogenic siliceous sediment compared with pelagic red clays in the northern part ($16-17^{\circ}N$). In the southern part ($5-6^{\circ}N$), water depth is shallower than carbonate compensation depth (CCD). The mass physical properties such as grain size distribution, mean grain size, water content, specific grain density, wet bulk density, void ratio, and porosity of sediments are distinctly different among the three parts of the study area. Surface sediments in northern part are characterized by fine grain size and low water contents possibly due to low primary productivity and high detrital input. Conversely, sediments in the middle part are characterized by coarse grain size and high water contents, which might be caused by high surface productivity and deeper depth than CCD. The sediments show low water contents and high density in the southern part, which can be explained by shallower depth than CCD. Our results suggest that the variations in mass physical properties of sediments are influenced by combined effects including biogenic primary productivity of surface water, water depth, especially with respect to CCD, sedimentation rate, detrital input, and the geochemistry of the bottom water (for example, formation of authigenic clay minerals and dissolution of biogenic grains).