• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.264-274
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• 2023

The Korea Strait comprises a continental shelf in a shallow sea that experienced glacio-eustastic sea-level changes during the Quaternary period. A long core of 76.6 m in length was acquired at the South Sea Drilling Project site (SSDP-101; 34°19.666'E and 128°16.335'N) with a 60 m water deep. The uppermost massive sand beds were interpreted as sandy sediments of the nearshore marine sand ridge in the shallow sea during the transgression of sea level, whereas the lower parts of alternating sandy and muddy beds were interpreted as deposits in marsh, estuary, and tidal flat environments. A three-layered geoacoustic model was reconstructed for the sedimentary succession in the high-resolution seismic profile based on a 140-grain size and sediment type of core SSDP-101. For the actual underwater simulation and experiments, the in-situ P-wave speeds were calculated using the sound speed ratio of the Hamilton method.

• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.4 no.1_2 s.5
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• pp.1-11
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• 1996

Multichannel deep seismic reflection data in the Main Pass area of the northern Gulf of Mexico are interpreted in this study for the stratigraphy and the depositional history. Structural analysis of deep seismic reflection data provides new information on the locations of paleo-shelf margins and the basement. The basement occurs at about $7.5{\cal}km$ depth at the northern end of seismic line LSU-1 in the Mississippi shelf. The Jurassic and early Cretaceous shelf margins occupy approximately the same position, whereas the Oligocene shelf margin occurs about 28 km farther landward. Ten major seismic stratigraphic sequences are identified for the Mesozoic and Cenozoic sed-imentary section. Correlation of sequence boundaries defined in this study with those in other areas of the circum-Gulf region indicates that majo. regional unconformities formed at the mid-Miocene (10.5 Ma), mid-Oligocene (30 Ma), mid-Cretaceous (97 Ma), and top-Jurassic (131 Ma). Three distinct periods a.e recognized in the depositional history of the Main Pass area of the northern Gulf of Mexico: (1) shallow ma.me deposition du.ins the period from the opening of the Gulf to the mid-Cretaceous, (2) deep marine deposition in the Cretaceous to the mid-Oligocene, and (3) shallow marine deposition prevailed since the mid-Oligocene to present. A comparison of depositional rates between the Main Pass area and the Destin Dome area indicates that the northern Gulf of Mexico continental margin was initiated as a terrigenous sediment wedge province in the late Cretaceous.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.7-16
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• 2003

A 31m-long sediment core (SSDP-102) was taken from the inner shelf (about 40m water-depth) off the northwestern coast of the Korea Strait. Detailed lithofacies and organic-geochemical analyses were performed to establish a high-resolution stratigraphy in the Korea Strait shelf and to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental changes associated with the Holocene marine transgression. The stratigraphic framework of the core was primarily established using 6 AMS $^{14}C$ ages. The sedimentary record of the core SSDP-102 allows for the reconstruction of the paleoenvironmental changes during the last 12.1 ka BP. According to the high-resolution seismic reflection profiles, lithofacies and organic-geochemical data, the core SSDP-102 can be divided into three units (III to I in ascending order) above the acoustic basement. The three units reflect distinct changes of depositional environments resulted from the post-glacial marine transgression. Therefore, it is suggested that three phases of sea-level change have occurred within the inner shelf of the Korea Strait following the Holocene marine transgression. (1) estuarine environments from ca. 12.1 to 6.2 ka BP; (2) near-shore environments with a period of decreased rising of sea level between 6.2 and 5.1 ka BP; (3) near-shore to modem marine environments after 5.1 ka BP. In particular, the present marine conditions influenced by the warm Tsushima Current have been gradually established after ca. 5.1 ka BP.

• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.5 no.1_2 s.6
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• pp.36-47
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• 1997

This study presents multi-variable sequence model for a broader application of sequence concept proposed by Exxon group. The concept of the multi-variable model is based on the fact that internal organization and boundary type of the sequences are determined by three varying factors including 3rd-order cycles of eustasy, and tectonic movement and sediment influx with 2nd-order changes. Instead of Exxon group's systems tracts, this model adopts parasequence sets as the fundamental building blocks of the sequence, because they are descriptive stratigraphic units simply defined by internal stacking pattern, reflecting interactions of accommodation and sediment influx. Seven sequence types which vary in number and type of internal parasequence sets are formulated as associations of four types of accommodation development and three grades of sediment influx. In the southwestern margin of Ulleung Basin, the multi-variable sequence analysis of shelf-slope sequence shows systematic changes in stratal patterns and the numbs, of constituent parasequence sets (i.e. sequence type). These changes are interpreted to reflect temporal and spatial changes in type and rate of tectonic movement and sediment influx, as a result of back-arc opening and closing. During the back-arc opening, rapid subsidence, continuous rise of relative sea level, and high sediment influx gave rise to sequences dominantly of single progradational parasequence set. In the early stage of back-arc closing accompanied by local contractional deformation, different types of sequences contemporaneously formed depending on the spatial changes in tectonically-controlled accommodation and influx rates. During the subsequent slow back-arc subsidence, rise-dominated relative sea-level cycle was coupled with moderate to high sedimentation rate to have resulted in sequences consisting of $2~3$ parasequence sets.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.6 s.175
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• pp.633-642
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• 2005

We present the sedimentary sequence and distribution pattern of the late Holocene muddy deposits in the northern East China Sea shelf using the high-resolution 'Chirp' profiles. The seismic sedimentary sequence overlying acoustic basement (basal reflector-B) can be divided into two depositional units (Unit 1 and 2) bounded by erosional bounding surface (mid reflector-M). The lower Unit 1 above basal reflector-H is characterized by the acoustically parallel to subparallel reflections and channel-fill facies. The upper Unit 2, up to 7 m in thickness, shows seismically semi-transparent seismic facies and lenticular body form. On the base of sequence stratigraphic concept, these two sediment units have developed during transgression and highstand period, respectively, since the last sea-level lowstand. The transgressive systems tract (Unit 1) lie directly on the sequence boundary (reflector B) that have farmed during the last glacial maximum. The transgressive systems tract in this study consists mostly of complex of delta, fluvial, and tidal deposits within the incised valley estuary system. The maximum flooding surface (reflector M) corresponding to the top surface of transgressive systems tract is obviously characterized by erosional depression. The highstand systems tract (Unit 2) above maximum flooding surface is made up of the mud patch filled with the erosional depression. The high-stand mud deposits showing a circle shape just like a typhoon symbol locates about 140 km off the south of Cheju Island with water depth of $60\~90m$. Coverage area and total sediment volume of the mud deposits are about $3,200km^2$ and $10.7\times10^9\;m^3$, respectively. The origin of the mud patch is interpreted as a result of accumulating suspended sediments derived from the paleo-Yellow and/or Yangtze Rivers. The circular distribution pattern of the mud patch appears to be largely controlled by the presence of cyclonic eddy in the northern East China Sea.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.173-184
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• 2019

Variations in grain size distribution and clay mineral assemblage are closely related to the sedimentary facies that reflect depositional conditions during the glacial and interglacial periods. Gravity cores BS17-GC15 and BS17-GC04 were collected from the continental shelf and rise in the eastern Bellingshausen Sea during a cruise of the ANA07D Cruise Expedition by the Korea Polar Research Institute in 2017. Core sediments in BS17-GC15 consisted of subglacial diamicton, gravelly muddy sand, and bioturbated diatom-bearing mud from the bottom to the top sediments. Core sediments in BS17-GC04 comprised silty mud with turbidites, brownish structureless mud, laminated mud, and brownish silty bioturbated diatom-bearing mud from the bottom to the top sediments. The clay mineral assemblages in the two core sediments mainly consisted of smectite, chlorite, illite, and kaolinite. The clay mineral contents in core GC15 showed a variation in illite from 28.4 % to 44.5 % in down-core changes. Smectite contents varied from 31.1 % in the glacial period to 20 % in the deglacial period and 25.1 % in the interglacial period. Chlorite and kaolinite contents decreased from 40.5 % in the glacial period to 30.3 % in the interglacial period. The high contents of illite and chlorite indicated a terrigenous detritus supply from the bedrocks of the Antarctic Peninsula. Core GC04 from the continental rise showed a decrease in the average smectite content from 47.2 % in the glacial period to 20.6 % in the interglacial period, while the illite contents increased from the 21.3 % to 43.2 % from the glacial to the interglacial period. The high smectite contents in core GC04 during the glacial period may be supplied from Peter I Island, which has a known smectite-rich sediment contributed by Antarctic Circumpolar Currents. Conversely, the decrease in smectite and increase in chlorite and illite contents during the interglacial period was likely caused by a higher supply of chlorite- and illite-enriched sediment from the eastern Bellingshausen Sea shelf by the southwestward flowing contour current.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.169-183
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• 1989

Polychaete assemblages and their responses to habitat conditions were investigated in the southeastern continental shelf of Korea. The result of cluster analysis revealed that the study area could be divided into two regions, one including the shallow coastal region and the other the offshore region. The shallow coastal region sustained 4 polychaete assemblages: Nothria holobranchiata assemblage in the most northern part of fine sediments off Pohang, Magelona-Maldane assemblage off Gampo, Ophelina acuminata assemblage in the middle coastal area off Ulsan, Nothria conchylega assemblage in the south part off Pusan. These coastal polychaete assemblages contained less than 10 species per station and showed very low species diversity (H' = 1.22-1.52). The offshore also contained 4 assemblages: Terebellides-Aglaophamus assemblage in the northern and deep area of very fine sediments, Myriochele oculata and Spiophanes kroyeri assemblages in the central area of sandy bottoms, and Ninoe palmata assemblage in the southern offshore of sandy bottom. The offshore assemblages showed rather more species and higher diversity than coastal assemblages (H' = 1.90-2.26). The offshore region consisting of sandy sediment showed very low population densities. Some dominant species showed specific preference to sediment types and this phenomenon could be detected through their feeding modes. Depth or bottom temperature seems to be related to the distribution of most dominant worms. Thus the polychaete assemblages of the study area are found to be under the control of both a gradient of sedimentary properties and that of bottom temperature.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.236-244
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• 1986

This study was carried out for appreciable information on the proper habitats and feeding modes of some dominant polychaetes in the continental shelf of the East Sea during April, 1985. Among 95 polychaete species, we select ed 9 dominant species in terms of their occurring frequency, abundance and population density. These are Terebellides stroemi, Chaetozone setosa, Magelona japonica, Ampharete arctica, Aglaophamus sinensis, Nothria holobranchiata, Lumbrineris japonica, Myriochele gracilis, Notoproctus pacificus. Major food item s of these species are centric diatoms and detritus. The feeding modes of the the m are mainly surtace or subsurface deposit feeding, though two specters, M.holobranchiata and L. japonica, could be assumed to be potential carnivores. To a certain degree, most deposit feeders in the coarse sediments showed selectivity in feeding and tube building. The feeding mode, gut content and the tube structure, and the distribution pattern of dominant polychaetes correspond well with the habitat tharacters, e.g.the bottom topography, the source of food and the sediment composition.

• 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.29 no.4
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• pp.328-340
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• 2008

To discriminate the provenance of shelf sediments in the western part off Jeju Island, the textual and elemental compositions were analyzed and compared with the sediments originating from Changjiang and Huanghe Rivers of China and the Korean (Keum) River. The sediments in the study area are composed of coarse silt with a mean pain size of $3.6{\sim}8.5{\phi}$ and their $CaCO_3$ contents ranged from 0.92 to 9.75 wt.%. The ratios of TOC over total nitrogen (TN) showed that the study area sediments contained more organic matters of marine origin than those of terrigenous origin. The high concentration of Fe/Al, Ti/Al and Mn/Al figures were found in the southwestern part near the Changjiang esturay, indicating that it seemed to result from the influence of the Changjiang River. The discrimination diagrams including Sc/Al vs Cr/Th, Th/Sc vs Nb/Co and Ti/Nb vs Th/Sc were thus used as provenance indicators to identify the sediment origins of the western part off Jeju Island. Based on these discriminated diagrams it clearly showed that most of the sediment in the western part were originated from the Huanghe River, but the sediments in the southwestern part near the Changjiang esturay might come from the Changjiang River. In contrast, the sediment samples of the northeastern part showed the higher figures than those of the river sediments and other regions, suggesting that the sediments in the western part off Jeju Island must be originated from diverse sources.