• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.53 no.4
• /
• pp.413-423
• /
• 2020

Over the wide area, King Sejong Station and the nearby land are uncovered with snow and ice conditions. Therefore, the active layer on the permafrost has been formed to be much thicker than the other Antarctica region. Electrical resistivity survey of Wenner and dipole-dipole arrays was undertaken at a series of time in the freezing season at the King Sejong Station to delineate subsurface structure and to monitor active layer in permafrost terrain. Time-lapse resistivity structures are well in terms of the vegetation distribution, ground surface temperature, and snow depth. Horizontal high resistivity belt(>1826 Ωm) at very shallow depth is thickening with the lapse of time, probably caused by the freezing of the water in the pore spaces with decrease of ground temperature. Subsurface structures for the area of low snow-cover and vegetated zone area are comprised of 0~0.5 m deep high-resistive gravel-rich soil, 0.5~3 m deep low-resistive active layer, and the underlying permafrost. In contrast, the unvegetated area and high snow-buildup is characterized with high resistivities larger than approximately 2000 Ωm due to freezing of the soil throughout the year. Data interpretation and correlation schemes explored in this paper can be applied to confirm the active layer, which is expected to get thinner in additional survey during the thawing season.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.666-672
• /
• 2014

The effect of nitric oxide (NO) treatment on the quality of kiwifruit, cv. Hayward, was studied at room temperature after cold storage for one or three months at $0^{\circ}C$. Kiwifruits cold-stored for one month were treated with $200{\mu}L{\cdot}L^{-1}$ NO and subsequently transferred to room temperature to monitor quality changes over the course of their shelf life. Weight loss was high in fruits not treated with NO. Ethylene production was delayed for two days by NO treatment, and respiration rate was reduced to less half than that of the control. The kiwifruits stored for three months were treated with $N_2$ and 100, 200, or $500{\mu}L{\cdot}L^{-1}$ NO, or air alone. The highest weight loss was observed in kiwifruit treated with $100{\mu}L{\cdot}L^{-1}$ NO. While ethylene production was high in fruits treated with $100{\mu}L{\cdot}L^{-1}$ NO and without the treatment, it was relatively low in the kiwifruit treated with 200 and $500{\mu}L{\cdot}L^{-1}$ NO. Firmness was abruptly decreased in fruits not treated with NO, while the kiwifruit exposed to $200{\mu}L{\cdot}L^{-1}$ NO maintained the s ame level of f irmness for 9 days a t room t emp erature. In addition, growth o f Botrytis cinerea was inhibited by NO as compared with the air and $N_2$ treatments. Our findings indicate that NO can be used effectively for prolonging shelf life and maintaining fruit quality during distribution after cold storage. The optimum NO concentration for cold-stored kiwifruits was found to be $200{\mu}L{\cdot}L^{-1}$.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.281-291
• /
• 2014

In March to August 2013, the emission of gases ($CH_4$, VOC, $CO_2$, $O_2$, and LEL) was measured three times from the intertidal flat sediments at Sogeun-ri, Taean-gun, in the Mid-western seashore of Korea by using chamber method. After analyzing gas emission concentrations inside of flux enclosure chamber by using a GC equipped with Agilent 6890. The gas emission fluxes were calculated from a linear regression of the changes in the concentrations with time. The ranges of gas flux during the experimental period were $+0.06{\sim}+0.60mg/m^2/hr$ for $CH_4$, $+58.45{\sim}+95.58mg/m^2/hr$ for $CO_2$, $-0.02{\sim}-0.20mg/m^2/hr$ for $O_2$, and $-0.60{\sim}+0.65mg/m^2/hr$ for VOC, respectively. The flux measurement results revealed that $CH_4$ fluxes during March in the relatively low sediment temperature ($14.5^{\circ}C$) were significantly higher ($+0.60mg/m^2/hr$) than during June and August ($+0.06{\sim}+0.18mg/m^2/hr$) in high sediment temperature ($32.0{\sim}36.8^{\circ}C$). $CH_4$ flux to mean size of sediments and temperature of inner chamber exhibited strong positive correlation ($R^2=-0.97$ and $R^2=-0.89$, respectively).

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.451-464
• /
• 2022

The high-level nuclear waste repository is a deep geological disposal system exposed to complex environmental conditions such as high temperature, radiation, and ground-water due to handling spent nuclear fuel. Continuous exposure can lead to cracking and deterioration of the structure over time. On the other hand, the high-level nuclear waste repository requires an ultra-long life expectancy. Thus long-term structural health monitoring is essential. Various sensors such as an accelerometer, earth pressure gauge, and displacement meter can be used to monitor the health of a structure, and a piezoelectric sensor is generally used. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a highly durable sensor based on the durability assessment of the piezoelectric sensor. This study designed an accelerated life test for durability assessment and life prediction of the piezoelectric sensor. Based on the literature review, the number of accelerated stress levels for a single stress factor, and the number of samples for each level were selected. The failure mode and mechanism of the piezoelectric sensor that can occur in the environmental conditions of the high-level waste repository were analyzed. In addition, two methods were proposed to investigate the maximum harsh condition for the temperature stress factor. The reliable operating limit of the piezoelectric sensor was derived, and a reasonable accelerated stress level was set for the accelerated life test. The suggested methods contain economical and practical ideas and can be widely used in designing accelerated life tests of piezoelectric sensors.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.65-71
• /
• 2013

Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) pollinosis is the most popular pollinosis in Japan. It has been reported that Cryptomeria japonica pollen allergenic species are suspended as fine particles in the urban atmosphere. These allergenic fine particles are responsible for inducing asthma by breaking into the lower respiratory tract. It has also been found that pollinosis symptoms on the sufferers appear mainly at night-time by the results from epidemiological studies. However, the exact reason for these phenomena is not yet clarified. In this study, the diurnal and nocturnal behaviours of Cryptomeria japonica pollen grains and their allergenic species in the urban area of Saitama city of Kanto Plain were investigated. Airborne pollen grains and allergenic Cry j 1 concentrations in total suspended particulate matter (TSP) were investigated at two sampling sites, a heavy traffic road (roadside site) and at the balcony of the $10^{th}$ floor of the Building of Research and Project of Saitama University (general urban site). The latter sampling site where located about 300 m away from the roadside site was used as a general urban site unaffected by automobile traffic. The airborne pollen counts were measured with a real-time pollen monitor. Cry j 1 particles were collected with two high volume air samplers, and these concentrations were measured by surface plasmon resonance method with a Biacore J system. The diurnal variation of the airborne pollen counts was similar to the trends of temperature and wind speed during the day-time; whereas its tendency with wind speed trend was not observed during the night-time. Airborne pollen counts were lower with northern wind than with southern wind because the pollen comes from the mountainous areas, and the mountains in the south are closer, about half the distance to the northern mountains. It is suggested that the peaks of airborne pollen counts during night-time in the sampling site occurred by transport of pollen grains released during day-time in the mountainous forest areas, located c.a. 100 km away from the sampling site. On the roadside site the allergenic Cry j 1 concentrations were higher than at the general urban site, nevertheless pollen grains counts were lower. These results suggested that worsening of pollinosis symptoms during night-time in urban area was caused by transport of pollen grains during day-time in the mountainous forest areas. Moreover, pollen allergenic species become different morphology from pollen grain at roadside site, and the subsequent pollen grains re-suspension by automobile traffic.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.344-356
• /
• 2013

This study is a continuation of the 22 year consecutive study (1972~1993) to monitor community dynamics of forest in Mt. Kwanak. This study was intended to provide basic data for urban forest management in the future by analyzing actual changes in vegetation structure of forest in Mt. Kwanak caused by urban environmental changes. For the past 39 years (1972~2010), average temperature increased by approximate between 1.1 and $1.7^{\circ}C$ and soil acidification (pH $5.40{\rightarrow}4.50$) and contents of $K^+$ ($0.67{\rightarrow}0.25$) and $Ca^{{+}{+}}$ ($3.20{\rightarrow}0.87$) apparently tended to decrease. According to analysis importance percentage and DBH class of community types classified based on DCA, the succession stopped at Quercus mongolica for 39 years. In addition, the succession was expected to be held at Q. mongolica or to shift from Pinus densiflora to Q. mongolica and from Q. acutissima to Q. serrata. Size of trees growing in forest of Mt. Kwanak increased but the number of species and population of trees showed a downward trend for the 39 years and Styrax japonica and Sorbus alnifolia, which are indicator species, increased their dominance continuously. Decrease in contents of $K^+$, $Ca^{{+}{+}}$, and $Mg^{{+}{+}}$ and soil acidification for the past 39 years was found to affect degradation of vegetation structure in Mt. Kwanak.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
• /
• v.23 no.7
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2019

The primary purposes of this study are to understand a fundamental effects of electro-deposition on reinforcing steel in saturated Ca(OH)2 electrolyte, and evaluate the corrosion rates of rebars under cyclic 3wt.%NaCl immersion and dry corrosion environment. The three cement mortar specimens with cover thickness 5, 10 and 30mm, were prepared in the experiment. To monitor the corrosion rates of rebars in mortar, the three cement mortar specimens were exposed to 110 wet-drying cycles(8-hour-immersion in 3wt.%NaCl and 16-hour-drying in a room temperature) in the laboratory. During the wet-dry cycles, the polarization resistance, Rp, and solution resistance, Rs, were continuously measured. The instantaneous corrosion rates of rebars on the effect of electro-depositing with sat. Ca(OH)2 electrolyte were estimated from obtained R-1p and degrees of wetness were estimated from Rs values. From the experimental results, the corrosion rates of rebars were greatly accelerated by wet/dry cycles. During the mortars exposed to drying condition, the large increases in the corrosion rates were showed at all rebar surfaces in three mortar specimen, attributed from the accelerated reduction rates of dissolved oxygen in drying process. However, the corrosion rates on rebar surface electrochemically deposited with sat. Ca(OH)2 electrolyte showed the clear decreases, caused by calcium deposits in the porous rust layer.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.269-275
• /
• 2000

It is well recognized that damage resulting from freeze-thaw cycles is a serious problem causing deterioration and degradation of concrete. In general, freeze-thaw cycles change the microstructure of the concrete ultimately leading to internal stresses and cracking. In this study, a new method for one-sided stress wave velocity measurement has been applied to evaluate freeze-thaw damage in concrete by monitoring the velocity change of longitudinal and surface waves. The freeze-thaw damage was induced in a $400{\times}350{\times}100mm$ concrete specimen in accordance with ASTM C666 using s commercial testing apparatus. A cycle consisted of a variation of the temperature from -14 to 4 degrees Celsius. A cycle takes 4-5 hours with approximately equal times devoted to freezing-thawing. Measurement of longitudinal and surface wave velocities based on one-sided stress wave velocity measurement technique was made every 5 freeze-thaw cycle. The variation of longitudinal and surface wave velocities due to increasing freeze-thaw damage is demonstrated and compared to determine which one is more effective to monitor freeze-thaw cyclic damage progress. The variation in longitudinal wave velocity measured by one-sided technique is also compared with that measured by the conventional through transmission technique.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.47 no.4
• /
• pp.437-441
• /
• 2019

Verticillium wilt disease is caused by a fungal plant pathogen Verticillium dahliae, which attacks commercial crops such as chrysanthemum. The conventional methods so far used to identify this fungal pathogen require high expertise and are time-consuming. Therefore, in this study, we developed an assay for the rapid and specific detection of V. dahliae infection using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method. For this assay, four primers for LAMP were designed for targeting cellulose-growth-specific protein partial mRNA gene in Verticillium dahliae. Under standard condition, the optimum reaction temperature for amplification is around 60 ℃ within 60 minutes. This LAMP assay was designed to amplify only present in V. dahliae. When this LAMP assay applied to the DNAs for four other soil-borne fungi and host plants, no amplification was detected. Therefore, this LAMP assay we developed for V. dahliae is expected to do detection at the early stage of its infection. The fast and reliable detection method will allow us to develop effective management system to monitor and control infection of this pathogen in chrysanthemum plant.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.283-292
• /
• 2007

Atmospheric concentrations of radon had been continuously observed in Seoul, Korea since December 1999, as a tracer for long-range transport of air pollutants from China continent to Korea. In order to study radon as a tracer of long-range transport, it is important to know information about the atmospheric distribution and variation of radon concentration and its time variation. Atmospheric radon concentration are measured with electrostatic radon monitor(ERM) at Hanyang University located in Eastern area of Seoul. Air sample is taken into a vessel of ERM, and alpha particles emitted by radon daughters $Po^{218}$ are detected with ZnS(Ag) scintillation counter. Hourly mean concentrations and hourly alpha counts are recorded automatically. The major results obtained from time series observation of atmospheric radon were as follows : (1) The mean of airborne radon concentration in Seoul was found to be $7.62{\pm}4.11\;Bq/m^3$ during December $1999{\sim}January$ 2002. (2) The hourly variation of radon concentrations showed the highest in 8:00AM ($8.66{\pm}4.22\;Bq/m^3$) and the lowest in 3:00AM ($6.62{\pm}3.70\;Bq/m^3$) and 5:00AM ($6.62{\pm}3.39\;Bq/m^3$). (3) the seasonal variation of radon concentrations showed higher during winter-to-fall and lower during summer-to-spring. (4) Correlation between airborne radon concentration and the meteorological factors were -0.21 for temperature, 0.09 for humidity, -0.20 for wind speed, and 0.04 for pressure. (5) The mean difference of airborne radon concentration between Asian dust ($5.36{\pm}1.28\;Bq/m^3$) and non-Asian dust ($4.95{\pm}1.49\;Bq/m^3$) phenomenon was significant (p=0.08). We could identify time series distribution of radon concentration related meteorological factors. In addition, radon can be considered a good natural tracer of vertical dispersion and long-range transport.