• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.149-158
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• 1998

Volcanic rocks including rhyolitic tuff, rhyolite and welded tuff in the Bupyeong silver mine area form a topographic circular structure known as a resurgent caldera. Granitic rocks are emplaced inside and outside area of the circular structure. K-Ar dating and Nd-Sr isotope studies were carried out to invesitigate the origin and petrogenetic evolution of the rhyolitic and granitic magma in the Bupeong silver mine area. Whole rock K-Ar age ranges from 208 to 131 Ma for rhyolitic rocks. Radiometric ages for the granitic rocks are 167.6 Ma for pink feldspar biotite granite from inside granitic pluton of the circular volcanic body, 178.8 Ma for the Kimpo hornblende biotite granite and 111.8 Ma for the Songdo foliated granite from outside granitic plutons of the volcanic body. The radiometric age data indicates that the volcanic activities which are partly overlapped by granite plutonic activities in the Bupyeong mine area had recorded early Jurassic and early Cretaceous in age. Initial Sr and Nd isotopic ratios of the rhyolitic rocks ($^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$=0.710~0.719 and $^{143}Nd/^{144}Nd$=0.5115~0.5118) are similar to those of granitic rocks ($^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$=0.709~0.716 and $^{143}Nd/^{144}Nd$=0.5115~0.5116) from inside granite stock. This means that similar source materials of felsic magma responsibles for the Bupyeong volcanic rocks and inside plutonic rocks. Based on the Nd and Sr isotopic compositions, rhyolitic and granitic magmas in the Bupyeong area originated from the partial melting of the old continental crust which has Nd model age ranging from 1500 to 2900 Ma. This is analogous to those of the other Jurassic granitoids in South Korea.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.53-59
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• 2005

Rb-Sr isotopic ages of oxidized biotite in the weathering profile of granodiorite, Yecheon area, were measured by thermal ionization mass spectrometry, and compared with their K-Ar ages. A decrease of Rb-Sr isotopic age is well correlated with iron oxidation, and consistent with K-Ar age. Octahedral and interlayer cations including Rb and Sr were partly released from the oxidizing biotite by excess positive charge from iron oxidation. Divalent /sup 87/Sr decayed from monovalent /sup 87/Rb was more easily released from biotite, resulting in the reduction of Rb-Sr isotopic age. Weathered biotite is not suitable for the age dating of parent rocks, but behaviour of radiogenic isotopes provides useful information on the geochemical and structural changes of biotite during weathering.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.144-152
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• 1995

The Jangsan Quartzite of the Joseon Supergroup and the foliated granite (so-called granitlc gneiss of presumed Precambrian age) of the Yeongnam massif are in direct contact at Cheondong-ri area, 6 km @SE of Danyang. sllthough it has been thought traditionally that the Jangsan Quartzite overlies unconformably the f&ted granite, it is difficult to interpret the contact as an unconformity smce the basal conglomerate in- the lower part of the Jangsan Quartzite does not have any clast of the foliated granite, Rather, recent structural studies of this area indlcate that the contact is a ductile shear zone. However, the sense and age of the shear movement are still problematic. Our mesoscopic and microscopic studies of &tre Cheondong-11 semi-brittle shear zone involving foliated cataclasite and phyllonite, which is a pa& of the Ogdong fault, indlcate a top-to-the northeast shearing, i.e., dextral strike slip. We also performed Pb-Pb dating for the age-unknown foliated granite, since the age of deformed granite ccarr emtrain the maximum age of deformation. The whole rock and feldspar Pb isotape data for the foliated granite and a micaceous xenolith define an isoc chron age of $2.16{\pm}0.15$ Ga ($2{\sigma}$;MSWD=4.4) which is interpreted as the emplacement age of the granite. This early Proterozoic age agrees with those of Precambrian igneous activity In the Yeongnam massif reported previously. The obtaiPrfid gge confirms the traditional idea about the age of the foliated granite and indicates that other methd(s) should be employed to constrain the age of the shear movement.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.273-277
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• 2014

This paper presents a brief historical review of various attempts to estimate the age of the Earth, and reappraises the study of Patterson (1956) which revealed for the first time that the age of the Earth is $4550{\pm}70Ma$ by measuring Pb isotope ratios of several meteorites and a marine sediment. The standard model for the planetary formation of early solar system is: formation of solid particles condensed from the cooling of hot nebular gas -> formation of planet-sized bodies by accretion of those solid particles. The Moon is supposed to have formed from the accretion of the relicts produced by the collision of proto-Earth with Mars-sized body. It is not easy to pinpoint the age of the Earth, considering the series of events related to the formation of the Earth. So, I propose that the collision age as that of the Earth, since the present status of the Earth is thought to be the direct product of the collision. According to the previous studies, the collision age can be broadly constrained between the age ($4567.30{\pm}0.16Ma$) of the earliest condensates (CAI, calcium-aluminum rich inclusion) of the nebula gas, i.e., the age of the solar system, and the oldest age ($4,456{\pm}40Ma$) among rocks and minerals of the Earth and the Moon. We need more precise estimation of the collision age, since it is important in estimating time scale for the formation of planet-size body and in revealing thermal evolution of magma oceans of the Earth and the Moon presumably developed right after the collision.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.373-388
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• 2016

To understand human activity in the past, the information about past environmental change including geomorphological and climatic conditions is essential and this can be traced by using age dating and geochemical analysis of sediments from the prehistoric sites. The sedimentary sequence of Seokgwan-dong Paleolithic Site located in Seoul was 5m long unconsolidated sediments and consists of lower part bedrock weathering sediments, slope deposits and upper-part fluvial deposits. In this study, upper part sediments were used to reconstruct past environmental change through age dating and various physical and chemical analyses including grain size, magnetic susceptibility and mineral and elements. The fluvial sediments can be divided into 4 units including three organic layers. Grain size analysis results showed that the sediments were very poorly sorted with fining upward features. Magnetic susceptibility was relatively high in the organic layers, indicating environmental changes causing mineral composition change at that times. The mineral and major element composition are similar to Jurassic biotite granite which mainly consists of quartz, K-feldspar, biotite and muscovite. The radiocarbon age of $14,240{\pm}80yr$ BP was obtained from the lower most organic layer of Unit III(O), suggesting that the fluvial sediments formed at least from the early stage of deglacial period after the end of Last Glacial Maximum. Subsequent wet and warm climates and resultant fluvial process including slope sedimentation during the Holocene may have been responsible for the sedimentary sequence in Seokgwan-dong paleolithic site and surrounding area. The observed organic layers suggests frequent wetland occurrence combined with natural levee changes in this area.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.611-625
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• 2022

One of the applications of geomagnetic paleo-secular variation (PSV) is the age dating of archeological remains (i.e., the archeomagnetic dating technique). This application requires the local model of PSV that reflects non-dipole fields with regional differences. Until now, the tentative Korean paleosecular variation (t-KPSV) calculated based on JPSV (SW Japanese PSV) has been applied as a reference curve for individual archeomagnetic directions in Korea. However, it is less reliable due to regional differences in the non-dipole magnetic field. Here, we present PSV curves for AD 1 to 600, corresponding to the Korean Three Kingdoms (including the Proto Three Kingdoms) Period, using the results of archeomagnetic studies in the Korean Peninsula and published research data. Then we compare our PSV with the global geomagnetic prediction model and t-KPSV. A total of 49 reliable archeomagnetic directional data from 16 regions were compiled for our PSV. In detail, each data showed statistical consistency (N > 6, 𝛼₉₅ < 7.8°, and k > 57.8) and had radiocarbon or archeological ages in the range of AD 1 to 600 years with less than ±200 years error range. The compiled PSV for the initial six centuries (KPSV0.6k) showed declination and inclination in the range of 341.7° to 20.1° and 43.5° to 60.3°, respectively. Compared to the t-KPSV, our curve revealed different variation patterns both in declination and inclination. On the other hand, KPSV0.6k and global geomagnetic prediction models (ARCH3K.1, CALS3K.4, and SED3K.1) revealed consistent variation trends during the first six centennials. In particular, the ARCH3K.1 showed the best fitting with our KPSV0.6k. These results indicate that contribution of the non-dipole field to Korea and Japan is quite different, despite their geographical proximity. Moreover, the compilation of archeomagnetic data from the Korea territory is essential to build a reliable PSV curve for an age dating tool. Lastly, we double-check the reliability of our KPSV0.6k by showing a good fitting of newly acquired age-controlled archeomagnetic data on our curve.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.145-148
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• 2003

The Kunang cave paleolithic site is located at Tanyang [$N37^{\circ}2'$, $128^{\circ}21'E$], Chungbuk Province, which is in the Central part of the Korean peninsula. The cave is developed at 312 amsl in a karstic mountainous area. The South Han River flows across this region and other caves can also be found near the river. The site was discovered in 1986 and excavated 3 times by the Chungbuk National University Museum until now. The cave was wellpreserved from modem human activities until the first discovery. The full length of the cave is estimated to be ca. 140 m. However, a spacious part up to 11 m from the entrance has been excavated. Eight lithological units are divided over the vertical profile at a depth of 5 m. Each unit is deposited in ascending order as follow: mud layer (Unit 9), lower complex (Unit 8) which is composed of angular blocks and fragments with a muddy matrix, lower travertine layer (Unit 7； flowstone), middle complex (Unit 6; cultural layer) which is composed of fragments with a muddy matrix, middle travertine layer (Unit 5； flowstone), yellowish muddy layer (Unit 4), upper complex (Unit 3； cultural layer) which has a similar composition to Unit 8. the upper travertine layer (Unit 2； flowstone), and finally surface soil layer (Unit 1). The most abundant vestiges in the cultural layers are the animal bones. They are small fractured pieces and mostly less than 3 cm in length. About 3,800 bone pieces from 25 animal species have been collected so far, 90 percent of them belonging to young deers. Previous archaeological study of these bone pieces shows thatprehistoric people occupied the cavenot for permanent dwelling but for temporary shelter during their seasonal hunting activity. More extensive studies of these bones together with pollen analysis are in progress to reconstruct the paleoenvironment of this cave. Only a single date (12,500 BP) obtained from a U-Th measurement of the upper travertine layer was previously available. In spite of the importance of the cave stratigraphy, there was no detail chronological investigation to establish the depositional process of the cultural layers and to understand the periodic structure of the cave strata, alternating travertine floor and complex layers. We have measured five 14C age dating (38900+/-1000, 36400+/-900, 40600+/-1600, more than 51000 and 52000 14C BP) using Seoul National University 14C AMS facility, conducted systematic process of the collagen extraction from bone fragments samples. From the result, we estimate that sedimentation rate of the cave earth is constant, and that the travertine layers, Unit 2 and Unit 3, was formed during MIS 5a(ca. 80 kBP) and MIS 5c (ca. 100 kBP) respectively. The Kunang Cave site is located at Yochonli of the region of Danyang in the mid-eastern part of Korea. This region is compased of limestones in which many caves were found and the Nam-han river flows meanderingly. The excavations were carried out three times in 1986, 1988, and 1998.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.101-115
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• 2007

The CHIME (chemical Th-U-total Pb isochron method) dating on monazite was carried out for two foliated granites from a dextral ductile shear zone in the vicinity of Gangjin area, which is considered to be a southern extension of Sunchang shear zone. The result gives emplacement age of the medium-grained biotite granite and the coarse-grained biotite granite as $183.6{\pm}2.2Ma$(MSWD=0.21) and $171.7{\pm}4.0Ma$(MSWD=0.57), respectively. Microtextures of quartz and feldspar observed in the foliated granite are almost identical with those reported in Jurassic (ca 180 Ma) foliated granites from the Imsil-Namwon area of the Sunchang shear zone, and they constraint that the ductile deformation took place at temperature condition of $300{\sim}550^{\circ}C$. Assuming cooling curves of the foliated granites in this study are similar with those of Jurassic foliated granites from Imsil-Namwon area, dextral ductile shear in the Gangjin area would take place between 172 Ma and 150 Ma, about 10 Ma later than the previous estimation based on CHIME monazite ages.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.42 no.2 s.119
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• pp.165-176
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• 2007

Absolute age of the deposition of 1.3 km-thick Bunthang sequence within the Skardu intermontane basin of the Central Karakoram was determined using radioactive decay of cosmogonic $^{10}Be$ and $^{26}Al$ burial dating. The Bunthang sequence deposited around 2.65 Ma, which is the oldest glaciation in the region. The timing of deposition of the Bunthang sequence is consistent with the previous suggestion that the basin filling took place between Brunhess and Matuyama chrons. Four major sedimentary facies interfinger within the Bunthang sequence: glacial diamict, lacustrine, fluvial and lacustrine facies upward. This sedimentary distinctiveness and the lack of evidence on the faults for alternative pull-apart basin model around the Bunthang sequence, suggest that the depressional basin was formed by deep subglacial erosion during the exrtensive Bunthang Glacial Stage and subsequently the sediments underlain by basal diamict, was quickly deposited by preglacial and paraglacial processes. Temporary ponding of the Indus River due to tectonic uplift in the downstream or blockage by mass movements might make the basin filing more possible. The hypothesis that the single ice sheet developed on the Tibetan Plateau during the global last glacial cycle should be refuted by the existence of the older extensive Bunthang glacier Furthermore, the extensive glaciation during the early Quaternary (and thus progressive decrease in extent with time) suggests that there may have been significant uplift of the Pamir to the west and Himalaya to the south, which would have reduced the penetration of westerlies and Indian summer monsoon and hence moisture supply to the region.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.204-217
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• 2013

This study shows the geomorphological processes of Yuga alluvial fan at Dalseong-gun, Daegu in Korea, based on characteristics of geomorphological surfaces, analysis of geomorphological deposits and OSL age dating. Alluvial fans of this area are classified into three surfaces(YG-F1, YG-F2, YG-F3) and were formed by the depositional processes resulting from the changes in hydraulic geometry of flowing water which was a stream flowing out of mountains debouched on to a plain, not by a sudden decrease in surface gradient of river bed. YG-F3 surface, about 110,000 yr B.P.(MIS 5.4), was formed as Yongri river deposited a lot of debris. This result was due to the process that the deposition took place actively with the upward of base level as the last interglacial period began. Later, the denudation of the river valley and geomorphological surface constantly occurred and the local and seasonal changes were found in precipitation and stream discharge with the beginning of the interstadial of the last glacial stages(MIS 3), leading to YG-F2 formed by debris flow, earth flow, mud flow and stream flow. Then, short-term climate changes and temporal climate events repeatedly caused aggradation and denudation over time and going through these processes, YG-F1 is believed to have been made by earth flow or mudflow during the last glacial maximum(MIS 2).