• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.1 s.176
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• pp.53-61
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• 2006

Geochemical and sedimentological analyses of sediment piston core were used to trace paleoceanographic environmental changes in the East China Sea. The analytical results revealed three lithostratigraphic units (I, II, and III) corresponding to a highstand stage, a transgressive stage, and a lowstand stage, respectively. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) $^{14}C$ dated the boundaries between the units as 7 ka and II ka. That is, Unit I extended from the present to 7 ka, Unit II occupied a transitional episode from 7 to 11 ka, and Unit III was older than 11 ka. The transitional episode was characterized by sudden fluctuations in various geochemical proxies. Most strikingly, there was a gradual upward increase in both carbonate and total organic carbon (TOe) contents post-7 ka, during which time the ${\delta}^{l3}C$ values of organic material increased to a constant value. The gradual upward increase in the TOC and $CaCO_3$ contents in Unit I were accompanied by slight variations in grain size that probably reflect a stable modern oceanographic environment. Within Unit II (7 to 11 ka), the geochemical signals were characterized by abrupt and steep fluctuations, typical of a transgressive stage. Vertical mixing may have provoked an increase in productivity during this interval, with large amounts of terrigenous organic matter and/or freshwater being supplied by neighboring rivers. The geochemical signals remained stable throughout Unit III but exhibited different patterns than signals in Unit I. The high terrigenous organic matter content of Unit III suggests correspondence to a lowstand stage.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.531-537
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• 2004

In this study we discuss some problems that emerged from paleolimnological and paleontological investigations of terrestrial Holocene ecosystems on King George Island (South Shetland Islands) conducted by an Argentine-Polish research group. Biological and geochemical markers commonly used in standard analytical procedures are considered insufficient in tracing overlapping records of past environmental changes preserved in peat banks, lake sediments and ornithogenic remnants. Records that might be explained by predictable natural events (related to glacio-isostatic uplift of land), roughly predictable events (ecological succession), or unpredictable events (volcanic eruptions or accidental destruction of aquatic moss) may overlap or interfinger one with another providing that signals of regional and/or global climatic changes, are hardly identifiable. A more sophisticated and more selective methods are recommended to do discrimination between records of local and regional/golbal processes in studies on Holocene climatic history of the South Shetland Islands.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.539-553
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• 2001

Geochemical data of the Han river water, including four tributary water samples in the main Han river are presented in this paper. The concentration of dissolved ions in the North Han river water decreases in order of Ca>Na>K>Mg and HCO$_3$>NO$_3$>SO$_4$>Cl, which it mainly affected by the chemical weathering of granite and gneiss in the drainage basin. Meanwhile, the South Han river water shows a decreasing order of Ca>Mg>Na>K and HCO$_3$>SO$_4$>NO$_3$>Cl, which is controlled by the bed rock geology of carbornate rooks and the inflow of acid mine drainage from the metal and coal mines in the Taebaegsan and Hwanggangri areas. The main Han river waters are characterized by unusually high concentration of Na, Cl and SO$_4$ (Ca>Na>K>Mg and HCO$_3$>SO$_4$>CI>NO), indicating a significant anthropogenic pollution by human activities in the metropolitan Seoul city. The geochemical data of the Han river waters from 1981 through 1996 to 1999 records a significant increase in SO$_4$ and NO$_3$, which responsible for the increasing arid mane drainage and municipal anthropogenic pollution.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.98-108
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• 2000

A geochemical study on a hemipelagic core sediment taken from the northwest Pacific Ocean (eastern edge of the Shikoku Basin) was conducted to use of excess barium (Ba(ex)) for evaluate the paleoceano-graphic changes. Also, the excursion of sedimentary Ba(ex) was compared with those of biogenic opal, carbonate and organic carbon content in the sediment during the last glacial and interglacial periods. The calculated Ba(ex) derived from the major and minor element shows a distinctive glacial-interglacial variations, and the mass accumulation rate (MAR) of Ba(ex) shows coincident variations with the MARs of biogenic fractions. Especially, strong positive correlation (r$^2$=0.85) between the MAR of Ba(ex) and the MAR of biogenic carbonate is recognized. Based on the strong positive correlation(r$^2$=0.85) between the MAR of Ba(ex) and the MAR of carbonate content, we estimated the degree of carbonate dissolution rate during the glacial and interglacial periods. Assuming the proportional variation and the refractory nature of barium exist between two factors, the variation of index Ca/Ba ratio in sediment indicates the degree of carbonate dissolution. Sedimentary Ca/Ba ratios index clearly show a striking fluctuation between the glacial and interglacial periods with higher positive correlation during glacial and lower correlation during interglacial. This fact indicates enhanced carbonate dissolution during interglacial period. Thus, the sedimentary Ca/Ba ratio in sedimentary records can be used as one of the useful tools for estimation of the relative degree of carbonate dissolution. The excursion of Ba(ex) and the sedimentary Ca/Ba ratio follows the typical pacific carbonate dissolution type(enhanced dissolution during interglacial and reduced dissolution during glacial time) as suggested by previous work (e.g., Wu et al., 1990). Variation in sedimentary Ca/Ba ratio thus strongly supports that glacial-interglacial fluctuation in carbonate dissolution has been prevailed in the northwest Pacific Ocean.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.43-56
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• 1987

A study on sedimentation, geochemical behavior and seismic stratigrapht of the continental shelf sediments along the Korea Strait and a part of south and southeast offshore area of the Korea Peninsula was carried out. In the inner shelf floor with depth ranging up to 80m zonal distribution patterns of mud, sandy silt, and silty sand were observed. In the outer shelf, however, coarse sandy sediments are dominant, and shills and gravels were frequently observed. These observations seem to confirm the Holocene sedimentary processes on the continental shelves off the south, south to east coasts of Korea discussed by Park (1985 and 1986) and Park and Choi (1986). The suface sediments (upper most 5cm thick)from selected 9 stations were analyzed for Al,Mn, Fe,Cr,Ni,Cu,Zn and Pb in order to study geochemical behavior of the sediments in the study area. All data were normalized to Al to com,pensate the size effect of the sediments.In general,inner shelf sediments show slight enrichment compared to the outer shelf sediments.In particular,Pb and Zn show heavy enrichment in most of the sediments.to degrees comparable to those observed at the polluted Kwangyang and Masan Bay sediments.Thus,it is considered that rapid migration or movement of fine-grained sediments in the study area does exist. Three seismic stratigraphic units were analyzed based on the seismic records.The acoustic basement the lower sedimentary deposit(B)and the upper deposit(A)were observed.The strong reflectivity R,in particular, between unit A and B is considered to be an erosinal unconformity during the last Glacial time.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.96-106
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• 2004

A total of 116 surface sediment samples were obtained on the Yellow Sea and analyzed for grain size and geochemical elements in order to interpret the present sediment transportation. Thirty-nine cores and 3,070 line-km shallow seismic profiles are analyzed for sedimentary records of Yellow Sea in the past. Results show that the boundary of sediment transport between Korean side and Chinese side is about between $123^{\circ}E$ and $124^{\circ}E$. The similar result is produced from Shi et al. (in this publication). Two cyclonic patterns of surface sediments are recognized in the northeastern and southwestern Yellow Sea, while the strong front zone of the mud patch and sandy sediments are found in the southeastern Yellow Sea (the southwestern part of Korean coasts). The formation of fine-particle sediment packages, called for Northwest Mudbelt Deposit (NWMD), Hucksan Mudbelt Deposit (HSMD) and Jeju Mudbelt Deposit (JJMD), are resulted from eddies (gyres) of water circulations in the Yellow Sea. NWMD has been formed by cyclonic (anticlockwise) eddy. NWMD is composed of thick, homogeneous, relatively semi-consolidated gray clay-dominated deposit. On the other hand, HSMD and JJMD are formed by anticyclonic (clockwise) eddies. They are thick, homogeneous, organic-rich gray, silt-dominated deposit. Both core and surface sediments show that the middle zone across Chinese and Korean side contains bimodal frequency of grain-size distribution, indicating that two different transport mechanisms exist. These mud packages are surrounded by sand deposits from both Korea and China seas, indicating that Yellow Sea, which is the shallow sea and epicontinental shelf, is formed mostly by sand deposits including relict sands. The seismic profiles show such as small erosional/non-depositional channels, sand-ridges and sand-waves, Pleistocene-channelfilled deposits, a series of channels in the N-S major channel system, and thick Holocene sediment package, indicating that more complex sedimentary history exists in the Yellow Sea.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.507-514
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• 2004

A sediment core drilled from Lake langer on King George Island was analyzed for a variety of textural md geochemical properties along with $^{14}C$ age dates. These data were combined with published records of other cores to provide a detailed history of Holocene variation of total organic carbon (TOC) contents with respect to terrestrial paleoclimate change. The lithologic contrast of the lower diamicton and upper fine-grained sediments shows the glacier activity and subsequent lake formation. Low TOC contents fluctuated during the diamicton deposition whereas the increase of TOC began with the lake formation during the postglacial period that started about 5,000 yr B.p More notable are the distinct TOC peaks that may imply enhanced primary productivity during the warm period. The uniform and low TOC contents may reflect the limited productivity during the evolution of the lake. However, the recent TOC readvance clearly indicates gradual warming on King George Island. However, the paleoclimatic signature in the terrestrial lake environment during the Holocene seems to be subtle and less distinct, compared to the marine environment.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.71-80
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• 2001

To understand paleoceanographic environmental changes in the Esat Sea during the transitional period between Holocene and last glacial maximum, geochemical high resolution study was conducted by using a piston core(95PC-1) samples collected from the southernmost part of the Ulleung Basin. Geochemical results reveal that major distinctive paleoceanographic variations in transitional period are prominent. Major elemental concentrations show distinctive variations between glacial and Holocene suggesting changes in sediment supply. $TiO_2/Al_2O_3$ ratio of the sediment indicates different sediment composition between Holocene and glacial period. The content of total organic carbon ranging from 0.5% to 4% during transitional period. These vslues showed 2-4 times and two times higher than those of last glacial and Holocene, respectively. The C/N ratios deduced from organic matters exceed10 during transitional period suggesting terrigenous organic matter are supplied from continent, especially during last glacial maximum. Carbonate contents are relatively stable during Holocene and last glacial maximum with gradual decrease during glacial period with high fluctuation during transitional period. The variations of chemical index of weathering (CIW) also show a distinctive variation between glacial and Holocene, which is coincident with those of carbonate and organic carbon. The grain size distribution indicates that the difference content of silt fraction during Holocene and glacial period is closely related with climatic effect during glacial period. Therefore geochemical differences in sediment composition between Holocene and last glacial maximum is thought to be related to paleoceanographic, sea-level change and local paleoclimatic changes.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.48-55
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• 2009

To investigate the paleoceanographic environmental changes around the Okinawa Trough, Japan, a piston core (RN88-PC5) was conducted on benthic foraminiferal species composition, assemblage, sedimentological and geochemical analyses. Trubidite sediment intercalated in studied core contains different benthic foraminiferal species, dwelling in shallow coral reef species, from normal hemipelagic sediment. These different benthic foraminiferal species and its assemblage are interpreted as reworked sediment when turbidite current occurred, synchronically. Grain size analysis clearly showed that mean grain size difference occurred between trubidite and hemipelagic sediments. Geochemical analysis also showed the difference of chemical composition between two sedimentary facies. Results of the foraminiferal oxygen isotope analysis showing global surface water warming records since the last 10 ka. The geochemcial analysis and previous works showed that turbidite sediment of studied core indicating sporadic occurrence of regional paleoceanographic events. Assemblage of shallow coral reef benthic foraminifera especially occurred with turbidite layer clearly support the sporadic occurrence of paleoceanographic events such as regional earthquake.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.302-319
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• 1995

The geochemical properties, sedimentation rates, foraminiferal distributions, and oxygen and carbon isotope records of sediment from Cores S-2 and S-19 were studied to investigate late Holocene paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic changes of the admiralty and Maxwell Bay, King George Island, Antarctica. Total organic carbon contents increased from the lower part to the upper part of Cores S-2 and S-19, whereas calcium carbonate contents decreased from the lower part to the upper part of Cores S-2 and s-19,whereas calcium carbonate contents decreased from the lower part to the upper part of Cores S-2 and S-19. Twenty-seven foraminiferal species were identified, and Globocassidurina biora was mostly a bundant in sediment samples. The sedimentation rates ranged from 24 cm/kyr to 237 cm/kyr based on /SUP 14/C-age dating of G. biora. The sedimentation rates increased rapidly in the upper part of the Cores. б/SUP 18/O values ranged from 0.3% to 6.2% and б/SUP 13/C values ranged from -3.0% to 0.0% with several fluctuations of the values. The lowest part of Core S-2, at 128 cmbsf in depth, had a /SUP 14/C-age of 3,100${\pm}$60 yr B.P. and the lowest part of Core S-19, at 230 cmbsf in depth, of 7,400${\pm}$ yr B.P. The results of geochemical and sedimentological analyses of the core sediments suggested five stages of paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic changes as follows: war,-cold stage of 7,500∼6,500 yr B.P., cold stage of 6,500∼3,600 yr B.P., cold-warm stage of 3,600∼2,770 yr B.P., warm stage of 2,770∼2,380 yr B.P. and cold-warm stage of 2,380∼2,100 yr B.P.