• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.1-7
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• 2003

Environmental changes caused by the abrupt climatic change are one of the important issues in the scientific community. In the East Sea, abrupt climatic shift, called Younger Dryas, is identified. The age of the Younger Dryas cold episode occurred at 11.2 ka. Overall, changes in circulation and bottom water conditions occurred during the Younger Dryas cold episode in the study area. Especially, climatic transition from meltwater spike to the Younger Dryas cold episode is characterized by significant shifts of oxygen isotope values, the coiling ratios of Neogloboquadrina pachyderma, and the planktonic foraminifers abundances. The impact of abrupt climate change on the ecosystem is very significant. In the East Sea, the calcium carbonate secreting organism(foraminifers) is replaced by silicon dioxide secreting organisms(diatom, radiolarian) after the abrupt and severe cold climatic event. Based on the Doctrine of Uniformitarianism, at least climate change for the next 100 years would be severely influence on the marine ecosystem.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 1999

The latest-Quaternary paleoceanographic history of the Ulleung Basin, the East Sea (the Sea of Japan) is reconstructed on the base of planktonic foraminifera, oxygen and carbon isotopes, and accelerator mass spectrometer radiocarbon (AMS-$^{14}$C) data from two cores. Sinistral populations of Neogloboquadrina pachyderma are dominant during the last glacial period while dextral forms of Neogloboquadrina pachydeyma are abundant in the Holocene. An abrupt increase in ${\delta}^{18}$O values in both cores that began about 11 ka B.P may indicate the Younger Dryas cooling episode. A low-salinity event, marked by light ${\delta}^{18}$O values (0-1 %), is observed before the Younger Dryas event. As previous works suggested, the low-salinity event is probably due to the freshening of surface water caused by fresh water input from Huang Ho river and/or the excess of precipitation over evaporation. The lowest salinity water in the Ulleung Basin was probably continued from approximately 18 ka B.P. to 15 ka B.P. The ${\delta}^{18}$O values have gradually decreased since the Younger Dryas as a result of the continuous inflow of the warm Tsushima Current into the East Sea.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.74-76
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• 2007

The modern foraminiferal distribution patterns and species diversity in surrounding seas of Korea are controlled by winter monsoon and characteristics of water masses. Abrupt climate change, Younger Dryas cold episode" is identified in Korea. The Younger Dryas is characterized by local extinctions of foraminifera. Several record-breaking climate phenomena observed in Korea, especially September, 2007.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.207-212
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• 2017

During the last glacial-interglacial transition, there were multiple intense climatic events such as the Bølling-Allerød warming and Younger Dryas cooling. These events show abrupt and rapid climatic changes. In this study, the climate events and cycles during this interval are examined through wavelet analysis of Arctic and Antarctic ice-core $^{18}O$ and tropical marine $^{14}C$ records. The results show that periods of ~1383-1402, ~1029-1043, ~726-736, ~441-497 and ~202-247 years are dominant in the Arctic region, whereas periods of ~1480, ~765, ~518, ~311, and ~207 years are prominent in the Antarctic TALDICE. In addition, cycles of ~1019, ~515, and ~209 years are distinct in the tropical region. Among these variations, the de Vries cycle of ~202-209 years, correlated with variations in solar activity, was detected globally. In particular, this cycle shows a strong signal in the Antarctic between about 13,000 and 10,500 yr before present (BP). In contrast, the Eddy cycle of ~1019-1043 years was prominent in Greenland and the tropical region, but was not detected in the Antarctic TALDICE records. Instead, these records showed that the Heinrich cycle of ~1480 year was very strong and significant throughout the last glacial-interglacial interval.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.18 no.2 s.23
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• pp.23-31
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• 2004

Temperature variations, and carbon dioxide and methane concentrations are summarized during the past 400,000 years. Atmospheric temperature varied approximately within $10^{\circ}C$ during the past 400,000 years. Most of the time during the past 400,000 years, temperature was lower than today except 410000, 320000, 250000, and 125000 years ago. Temperature was slightly higher or at least similar to today during the time period of 410000. 320000, 250000, and 125000 years ago. The carbon dioxide concentration varied between 180 and 300 ppm, and the methane concentration varied between 40 and 700ppb. The present atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide is 375 ppm and methane is 1750 ppb. Temperature was 5-$7^{\circ}C$ lower than today during the Last Glacial Maximum(18,000 years ago) and the Younger Dryas(10,000 years ago). Temprature was varied within $1^{\circ}C$ during the past 10,000 years. Especially Middle Holocene Climatic Optimum(6,000 years ago), Medieval Warm Period (500-1,000 years ago), and Little Ice Age(100-500 year ago) were global climatic events. In general, mechanism for the Middle Holocene Climatic Optimum, Medical Warm Period, and Little Ice Age can be explained by the solar insulation, however their exact mechnism is not well known. Carbon dioxide concentration during the past 400,000 years never reached the current value of 375 ppm. Furthermore, the current methane concentration never reached during the past 20Ma. However, current temperature value has happened several times during the past 400,000 years. The implication of this is unsolved question so far. This should be challenged in the near future.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.325-331
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• 2016

Three diatom assemblage zones were erected from HMB-103 core sediment of the Heuksan Mud Belt. The paleoenvironmental changes were reconstructed basing on diatom analyses using indicator species, cold and warm water species, and salinity. Seventy-six species belonging to 41 genera were identified in the core sediments. The number of diatom valves per gram of dry sediment ranged from 0.1 to $15.4{\times}10^4g^{-1}$. As a result, diatom assemblage I in about 45,000 yr B.P showed a high abundance in cold species indicating a major influence by the Korea Coastal Current. Diatom assemblage II from 14,000 to 11,646 yr B.P is characterized by rare abundance and indicative of the cold periods at Younger Dryas with the lower sea-level. However, diatom assemblage III from 11,646 yr B.P to Holocene was more affected by the Yellow Sea Warm Current while the progressive sea level rise.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.9-21
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• 2002

In Korea, many open-air upper palaeolithic sites are located at the river valley, particularly exposed in gently rotting terrain along the river course. They are situated at an altitude less trail 30 m above present river bottom, and covered with the blankets of slope deposits of several meters in thickness. The purpose of this research is to eluridate depositional and vegetational environment of the alluvial upper palaeolithic Jangheung-ri sites on the basis of analytical properties of grain size population, chronology, palynology, soil chemistry and clay mineralogy and magnetic susceptibility of the Jangheung-ri Quaternary formations. The lithostratograpy of Jangheung-ri sit is subdivided into 3 layers based on the depositional sequence and radiocarbon ages. From bottom to top, they are composed of slope deposits with lower paleosol layers, young fluvial sand and gravel with backswamp organic muds, and upper paleosol layers. The upper paleosol was formed under rather dry climatic condition between each flooding period. Dessication cracks were prevalent in the soil solum which was filled with secondarily minuted fragments due to pedogenetic process. The soil structure shows typical braided-typed cracks in the root part of cracking texture, and more diversified pattern of crackings downward. The young fluvial sand gravel were formed by rather perennial streams after LGM. The main part of organic muds was particularly formed after 15Ka. Local backswamp were flourished with organic muds and graded suspension materials in the flooding muds were intermittently accumulated in the organic muds until ca. 11Ka. This episode was associated with migration of Nam River toward present course. Organic muds were formed in backswamp or local pond. Abies/Picea-Betula with Ranunculaceae, Compositae, Cyperaceae were prevalent. This period is characterized with B$\Phi$lling, Older Dryas, Allerod, and Younger Dryas (MIS-1). Stone artefacts were found in the lower paleosol layers formed as old as 18Ka-22Ka. Based on the artefacts and landscape settings of the Jangheung-ri site, it is presumed that settlement grounds of old people were buried by frequent floodings of old Nam River, the river-beds of which were heavily fluctuated laterally and river-bed erosions were activated from south to north in Jangheung-ri site until the terminal of LGM9ca 17Ka).

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.185-195
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• 1998

Two piston cores (94PC-2 and 95PC-4) taken from the East Sea (Sea of Japan) are studied to evaluate the paleoceanographic changes and its interaction with climatic variation. The bulk geochemistry of the non-biogenic fractions of 54 sediment samples is determined using X-ray fluorescence. Four geochemical stratigraphic units at both core sediments are recognized based on the variations in major element concentration. These chemical stratigraphic units correspond well with the sedimentological and paleontological facies. Source materials are considered as basic and/or intermediate rocks judging from silica content. A distinctive boundary around 11 kyr may correspond to Younger Dryas event. The switch of most major elements at this level and the distinctive changes in concentration of typical terrigenous elements (TiO$_2$ and Al$_2$O$_3$) are the strong evidence for the difference in sources of terrigenous materials. The weathering indices exhibit high degree in Core 94PC-2 and low degree in Core 95PC-4. The changes in weathering degree can be distinguished by the lowest value occurred at 11 kyr in Core 94PC-2 and by a gradual decrease from top to bottom in Core 95PC-4. The profiles of potassium and sodium exhibit specific excursions between the Holocene and the late Pleistocene. This implies that sediments of the two cores originating from different sources with different weathering degrees. The distinct two-group distributions in K$_2$O/CaO vs. Na$_2$O/K$_2$O also support the difference in provenance of aluminosilicate materials at the boundary of 11 kyr. Thus, supply patterns of terrigenous materials are stable in Holocene and more complicated in the last glacial period.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2006

Analyses of sedimentological and geochemical parameters from two radiocarbon-dated sediment cores (JM98-845-PC and JM98-818-PC) retrieved from the central part of Isfjorden, Svalbard, in the Arctic Sea, reveal detailed paleoclimatic and paleoceanographic histories over the last 15,000 radiocarbon years. The overconsolidated diamicton at the base of core JM98-845-PC is supposed to be a basal till deposited beneath pounding glacier that had advanced during the LGM (Last Glacial Maximum). Deglaciation of the fjord commenced after the glacial maximum, marked by the deposition of interlaminated sand and mud in the ice-proximal zone by subglacial meltwater discharge, and prevailed between 13,700 and 10,800 yr B.P. with enriched-terrigenous organic materials. A return to colder conditions occurred at around 10,800 yr B.P. with a drop in TOC content, which is probably coincident with the Younger Dryas event in the North Atlantic region. At this time, an abrupt decrease of TOC content as well as an increase in C/N ratio suggests enhanced terrigenous input due to the glacial readvance. A climatic optimum is recognized between 8,395 and 2,442 yr B.P., coinciding with 'a mid-Holocene climatic optimum' in Northern Hemisphere sites (e.g., the Laurentide Ice sheet). During this time, as the sea ice receded from the fjord, enhanced primary productivity occurred in open marine conditions, resulting in the deposition of organic-enriched pebbly mud with evidence of TOC maxima and C/N ratio minima in sediments. Fast ice also disappeared from the coast, providing the maximum of IRD (ice-rafted debris) input. Around 2,442 yr B.p. (the onset of Neoglacial), pebbly mud, characterized by a decrease in TOC content, reflects the formation of more extensive sea ice and fast ice, which might cause decreased primary productivity in the surface water, as evidenced by a decrease in TOC content. Our results provide evidence of climatic change on the Svalbard fjords that helps to refine the existence and timing of late Pleistocene and Holocene millennial-scale climatic events in the Northern Hemisphere.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.17-23
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• 2003

In Korea terrestrial fluvial sequences can be used as pedological and sedimentological markers indicating a millenium-scale environmental and climatic changes imprinted in fluvial sub-environments, which in turn are represented by the cyclicity of fluvial sands, backswamp organic muds, and flooding muds intercalations of frostcracked or dessicated brown paleosols. Post LGM and Holocene fluvial and alluvial sedimentary sequences of Korea are formed in such landscapes of coastal, floodplain, backswamp and hillslope areas. Among them, the most outstanding depositional sequences are fluvial gravels, sands and organic mud deposits in coastal, fluvial, or alluvial wetlands. The aim of this study is to explain the sedimentary sequences and palynofloral zones since the last 15,000years, on the basis of organic muds layers intercalated in fluvial sand deposits. Jangheung-ri site of Nam river, Soro-ri site of Miho river, Youngsan rivermouth site in Muan, Oksan-ri site of Hampyeong and Sanggap-ri site of Gochang are illustrated to interpret their sedimentary facies, radiocarbon datings, and palynofloral zonation. Up to the Middle to Late Last Glacial(up to 30-35Ka), old river-bed, flooding, and backswamp sequences contain such arboreal pollens as Pinus, Abies, and Picea, and rich in non-arboreal pollens like Cyperaceae, Gramineae, Ranunculaceae, and Compositae. During the LGM and post-LGM periods until Younger Dryas, vegetation has changes from the sub-alpine conifer forest(up to about 17-11Ka), through the conifer and broad-leaved deciduous forest, or mixed forest (formed during 16,680-13,010yrB.P), to the deciduous and broad-leaved forest (older than 9,500yrB.P). In the Earliest Holocene flooding deposits, fragments of plant roots are abundant and subjected to intensive pedogenic processes. During Holocene, three arboreal pollen zones are identified in the ascending order of strata； Pinus-Colyus zone(mixed conifer and deciduous broad-leaved forest, about up to 10Ka), Alnus-Quercus forest (the cool temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest, about 10Ka-2Ka), and Pinus forest (the conifer forest, about after 2Ka), as examplified in Soro-ri site of Cheonwon county. The palynological zonations of Soro-ri, Oksan-ri, Sanggap-ri, Youngsan estuary, and Gimhae fluvial plain have been recognized as a provisional correlation tool, and zonations based on fluvial backswamp and flooding deposits shows a similar result with those of previous researchers.