• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.83-97
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• 2022

The Amundsen Sea in West Antarctica is one of the most affected regions by climate change, but it is one of the least studied realms due to difficulties in access. Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) launched a research project in the Amundsen Sea in 2010 using the icebreaker research vessel (IBRV) Araon and has been conducting various research initiatives. In this paper, previous researches derived from the Amundsen Sea Embayment by Korean researchers are introduced. Through previous studies, researchers have been able to interpret the environmental and biogeochemical changes according to the inflow Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) and provide information for climate models. In particular, researches using radiocarbon isotopes (¹⁴C) were introduced to understand the physical and biogeochemical mechanisms of the carbon cycle in the Amundsen Sea. Opportunely, with the construction of a second icebreaker research vessel, the direction for systematic and long-term polar data acquisition can be presented.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.155-172
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• 2023

The collapse of ice shelves is a process that can severely increase the rise of global sea-levels through the reduction of the buttressing effect of ice shelves and the consequent acceleration of the ice flow of ice sheets. In recent years, the West Antarctic ice shelves in the Amundsen Sea, whose buttressing effect is essential for a great part of the West Antarctic ice sheet, have been experiencing the most rapid melting and thinning in the world. The melting of the West Antarctic ice shelves is caused primarily by heat transported by Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW). For this reason, it is important to investigate ice-ocean interactions that could influence the melting of ice shelves and evaluate the stability of West Antarctic ice shelves. A lot of researchers have been actively investigating the West Antarctic ice shelves in the Amundsen Sea. High-impact journals have recognized the importance of and published studies on ice-ocean interactions occurring near and under the ice shelves as well as the connections among ice shelves. However, in situ observations are limited due to extreme weather and sea-ice conditions near the ice shelves; therefore, many scientific questions remain unanswered. This study introduces the characteristics of the Amundsen Sea and investigate the past and latest research issues in this region. This study also gives suggestions regarding important scientific questions and directions for future research that should help early-career scientists take the lead in future research on the melting dynamics of the West Antarctic ice shelves in the Amundsen Sea.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.490-499
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• 2015

In this study, a local ice pressure prediction has been conducted by using measured data from two ice breaking tests that was conducted for a relatively big ice floe at Amundsen Sea in the Antarctica from January 31 to March 30 2012. The symmetry of load was considered by attaching strain gauges on the same sites inside the shell plating of ship at the port and the starboard sides in the bow thrust room. Using measured strain data, after the ice pressure was converted by the influence coefficient method and the direct method, the two values were found to be similar.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.254-258
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• 2014

Field trial in ice-covered sea is one of the most important tasks in the design of icebreaking ships. To correctly estimate ice load and ice resistance on ship's hull, It is essential to understand the material properties of sea ice during ice field trials and to perform the proper experimental procedure by gathering sea ice data. A measurement of sea ice properties was conducted during February and March of 2012 with the Korean Icebreaking research vessel "ARAON" in the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica. This paper describes a test procedure to obtain sea ice data which provide basic information to estimate ice loads and icebreaking performance of the ship. The data gathered from sea ice field trials during the 2012 Antarctic voyage of the ARAON includes ice temperature/salinity/density and the compressive/flexural strength of sea ice. This paper analyses the gathered Antarctic sea ice material properties comparing with the previous data obtained during ARAON's Arctic and Antarctic voyages in 2010.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.63-77
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• 2019

In order to investigate the behavior and seasonal variability of Mn as one of the bio-essential metals in the Amundsen sea, which is known as the most biologically productive coastal area around the Antartica, seawaters were collected using a clean sampling system for 10 stations (96 ea) in 2014 (ANA04B) and for 12 stations (139 ea) in 2016 (ANA06B) surveys of RV ARAON. Dissolved and particulate Mn concentration varied in the range of 0.15-4.43 nmol/kg and <0.01 to 2.42 nM in 2014 and in the range of 0.25-4.15 nmol/kg and 0.01-2.64 nM in 2016, respectively. From the sectional distribution of dissolved and particulate Mn, it might be suggested that dissolved/particulate Mn was provided from iceberg melting and diffusion/resuspension from sediments, respectively. Although this sea is highly productive, there was little evidence regarding the biological origin of dissolved Mn, but particulate Mn only in sea ice and offshore areas could be explained as originating from organic matters, e.g. phytoplanktons. And it could be suggested that the subsurface maximum of dissolved Mn was formed by isopycnal transport of melting materials from ice wall to offshore. Compared to early (2014) summer, temperature, salinity, biomass, dissolved and particulate Mn in late (2016) summer indicated that temporal variations might be resulted from the reduction of ice melting and mCDW flow, which induced a reduction in resuspension. In addition, in the late summer, particles including biomass were reduced, which brought about a reduction in the removal rate of dissolved Mn.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.277-288
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• 2005

Spatial distribution and vertical structures of water masses around the Antarctic continental margin are described using synthesized hydrographic data. Antarctic Surface Water (AASW) over the shelf regime is distinguished from underlying other water masses by the cut-off salinity, varying from approximately 34.35 to 34.45 around Antarctica. Shelf water, characterized by salinity greater than the cut-off salinity and potential temperature less than $-17^{\circ}C$, is observed on the Ross Sea, off George V Land, off Wilkes Land, the Amery Basin, and the Weddell Sea, but in some shelves AASW occupies the entire shelf. Lower Circumpolar Deep Water is present everywhere around the Antarctic oceanic regime and in some places it mixes with Shelf Water, producing Antarctic Slope Front Water (ASFW). ASFW, characterized by potential temperature less than about $0^{\circ}C$ and greater than $-17^{\circ}C$, and salinity greater than the cut-off salinity, is found everywhere around Antarctica except in the Bellingshausen-Amundsen sector. The presence of different water masses over the Antarctic shelves and shelf edges produces mainly three types of water mass stratifications: no significant meridional property gradient in the Bellingshausen and Amundsen Seas, single property gradient where ASFW presents, and a V-shaped front where Shelf Water exists.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.414-417
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• 2008

We have extracted a surface deformation map of a part of Canisteo Peninsula on Amundsen Sea in West Antarctica by applying 4-pass DInSAR technique to two ERS-1/2 tandem pairs obtained on October 21-22, 1995 (diff-pair) and March 9-10, 1996 (topo-pair), and analyzed changes of glaciers, sea ice, ice shelves, and their kinematic interactions. We observed fast motion of glaciers pushing the adjoining sea ice. Some interferometric phases indicate the up-rise of sea ice of which type is thought to be land-fast ice to exert repulsive force against the pushing glacier. There were other glaciers and sea ice that moved to the same direction, suggesting that the sea ice in these regions was land-fast ice weakly harnessed to sea bottom or pack ice not harnessed at all. Several small circular fringes in ice shelves suggested that islands or seamounts on the bottom of ice shelves deterred the movement of ice shelves, resulting in the rise of ice surface.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.109-124
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• 2014

In order to understand the carbon cycle in the Amundsen Sea of the Southern Ocean, the export fluxes of particulate organic carbon from the euphotic zone to deep water estimated using ${\psi}$/${\psi}$ disequilibrium method. Seawaters in 14 water columns were collected during February and March 2012, and analyzed for total and dissolved ${\psi}$, and particulate organic carbon. Total ${\psi}$ activities in the water column showed deficiency and excess relative to those of ${\psi}$ depending on the water depth. Deficiency of total ${\psi}$ in the euphotic zone showed mirror images both with chlorophyll-a and fluorescence, and was consistent with the loss of nitrate, which indicated the effect of biological activity. In addition, deficiency of total ${\psi}$ from deep water was associated with the increase of total dissolvable Fe/Mn concentration. Excess total ${\psi}$ activity presented below the euphotic zone might be related to particulate ${\psi}$ concentrated in this water depth. Mean export flux of ${\psi}$ estimated using the steady state model was $867{\pm}246dpmm^{-2}day^{-1}$. Mean export flux of particulate organic carbon, which were estimated by the product of total ${\psi}$ flux and ratio of POC/${\psi}$ ($7.08{\pm}4.27{\mu}molCdpm^{-1}$) in the sinking particles, was $5.9{\pm}3.9mmolCm^{-2}day^{-1}$. These fluxes were similar levels to those in the Weddell Sea during February and March 2008. Export ratios (ThE) relative to the primary production in the euphotic zone were in the range of 3-54% (av. 28%).

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.478-483
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• 2012

The speed performances of ice sea trial on the Arctic(2010 & 2011) area were shown different results depend on the ice floe size. Penetration phenomena of level ice was not happened on medium ice floe and tore up by the impact force because the mass of medium ice floe is similar to the mass of Araon which is Korean ice breaking research vessel and did not shut up by the ice ridge or iceberg. The sea trial on the Amundsen sea was performed at the big floe which is classified by WMO(World Meteorological Organization). Three measurements of ice properties and five results of speed trial were obtained with different ice thicknesses and engine powers. To evaluate speed of level ice trial and model test results at the same ice thickness and engine power, the correction method of HSVA(Hamburg Ship Model Basin) was used. The thickness, snow effect, flexural strength and friction coefficient were corrected to compare the speed of sea trial. The analyzed speed at 1.03m thickness of big floe was 5.85 knots at 10MW power and it's 6.10 knots at 1.0m ice thickness and the same power. It's bigger than the results of level ice because big floe was also slightly tore up by the impact force of vessel based on the observation of recorded video.