• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.737-760
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• 2022

For the geological disposal of high-level radioactive wastes (HLW), an understanding of deep subsurface environment is essential through geological, hydrogeological, geochemical, and geotechnical investigations. Although South Korea plans the geological disposal of HLW, only a few studies have been conducted for characterizing the geochemistry of deep subsurface environment. To guide the hydrogeochemical research for selecting suitable repository sites, this study overviewed the status and trends in hydrogeochemical characterization of deep groundwater for the deep geological disposal of HLW in developed countries. As a result of examining the selection process of geological disposal sites in 8 countries including USA, Canada, Finland, Sweden, France, Japan, Germany, and Switzerland, the following geochemical parameters were needed for the geochemical characterization of deep subsurface environment: major and minor elements and isotopes (e.g., ³⁴S and ¹⁸O of SO₄^2-, ¹³C and ¹⁴C of DIC, ²H and ¹⁸O of water) of both groundwater and pore water (in aquitard), fracture-filling minerals, organic materials, colloids, and oxidation-reduction indicators (e.g., Eh, Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺, H₂S/SO₄^2-, NH₄⁺/NO₃^-). A suitable repository was selected based on the integrated interpretation of these geochemical data from deep subsurface. In South Korea, hydrochemical types and evolutionary patterns of deep groundwater were identified using artificial neural networks (e.g., Self-Organizing Map), and the impact of shallow groundwater mixing was evaluated based on multivariate statistics (e.g., M3 modeling). The relationship between fracture-filling minerals and groundwater chemistry also has been investigated through a reaction-path modeling. However, these previous studies in South Korea had been conducted without some important geochemical data including isotopes, oxidationreduction indicators and DOC, mainly due to the lack of available data. Therefore, a detailed geochemical investigation is required over the country to collect these hydrochemical data to select a geological disposal site based on scientific evidence.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.65-74
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• 2014

Borehole investigation which is mainly used to figure out geotechnical characterizations at construction work has the benefit that it provides a clear and convincing geotechnical information. But it has limitations to get the overall information of the construction site because it is performed at point location. In contrast, geophysical measurements like seismic survey has the advantage that the geological stratum information of a large area can be characterized in a continuous cross-section but the result from geophysics survey has wide range of values and is not suitable to determine the geotechnical design values directly. Therefore it is essential to combine borehole data and geophysics data complementally. Accordingly, in this study, a three-dimensional spatial interpolation of the cross-sectional distribution of seismic refraction was performed using digitizing and geostatistical method (krigring). In the process, digital map were used to increase the trustworthiness of method. Using this map, errors of ground height which are broken out in measurement from boring investigation and geophysical measurements can be revised. After that, average seismic velocity are derived by comparing borehole data with geophysical speed distribution data of each soil layer. During this process, outlier analysis is adapted. On the basis of the average seismic velocity, integrated analysis techniques to determine the three-dimensional geological stratum information is established. Finally, this analysis system is applied to dam construction field.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.36-44
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• 2013

We conducted the airborne magnetic and radiometric survey for the characterization of the black shale related and pyrometamorphic uranium deposits distributed in Geumsan area. For the successful characterization of the uranium deposits, the general geological and structural geological features were investigated based on the lithological and linear feature analysis to individual magnetic and radiometric data as the first step. Lithological analysis from the magnetic reduction to the pole and downward continuation map revealed that prominent positive anomalies caused by black and dark gray slate member were clearly recognized as magnetic sources. These results indicate that magnetic survey, even though it is not a direct method for the detection of uranium, can be a useful tool in uranium detection. By the linear feature analysis based on 2nd vertical derivative and curvature map, two linearments corresponded the gray hornfels and black slate member were extracted and in succession, the additional uranium potential zone was inferred. Final discrimination whether uranium-rich or not was confirmed by radiometric and uranium anomaly map. From these analysis, we finally concluded that uranium deposit originated by pyrometamorphic process was confined near the intrusive area only. On the contrary, it was found that black shale related uranium deposit is distributed and extended through out the entire survey area with south-west to north-east direction. In addition, from the linear feature analysis based on radiometric total anomaly map, the typical discontinuous characteristics were recognized in areas where uranium-contained linearments cross the faults. From the above discussion, we concluded that airborne magnetic and radiometric survey are complementary to each other. So it is preferable to carry out simultaneously for the efficient data processing and fruitful interpretation.

• Atmosphere
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.169-182
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• 2009

To improve the performance of climate and numerical models, concerns on the land-atmosphere schemes are steadily increased in recent years. For the realistic calculation of land-atmosphere interaction, a land surface information of high quality is strongly required. In this study, a new land cover map over the Korean peninsula was developed using MODIS (MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data. The seven phenological data set (maximum, minimum, amplitude, average, growing period, growing and shedding rate) derived from 15-day normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) were used as a basic input data. The ISOData (Iterative Self-Organizing Data Analysis), a kind of unsupervised non-hierarchical clustering method, was applied to the seven phenological data set. After the clustering, assignment of land cover type to the each cluster was performed according to the phenological characteristics of each land cover defined by USGS (US. Geological Survey). Most of the Korean peninsula are occupied by deciduous broadleaf forest (46.5%), mixed forest (15.6%), and dryland crop (13%). Whereas, the dominant land cover types are very diverse in South-Korea: evergreen needleleaf forest (29.9%), mixed forest (26.6%), deciduous broadleaf forest (16.2%), irrigated crop (12.6%), and dryland crop (10.7%). The 38 in-situ observation data-base over South-Korea, Environment Geographic Information System and Google-earth are used in the validation of the new land cover map. In general, the new land cover map over the Korean peninsula seems to be better classified compared to the USGS land cover map, especially for the Savanna in the USGS land cover map.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.99-104
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• 2004

A combination of drilling, geophysical well logging, and electrical soundings was performed to evaluate seawater intrusion in Baeksu-eup, Youngkwang-gun, Korea. The survey area extends for over 24 $km^2$. To delineate the extent of seawater intrusion, 60 vertical electrical soundings (VES) have been carried out. Twelve wells were also drilled for the collection of hydrogeological, geochemical, and geophysical well logging data, to delineate the degree and vertical extent of seawater intrusion. To map the spatial distribution of seawater in this coastal aquifer, geophysical data and hydrogeochemical results were used, and the relation between the resistivity of groundwater and equivalent NaCl concentration was found. Layer parameters derived from VES data, various in-situ physical properties from geophysical well logging, and the estimated equivalent NaCl concentration were very useful for quantitative evaluation of seawater intrusion. Our approach for evaluating seawater intrusion can be considered a valuable attempt at enhancing the use of geophysical data.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.35-45
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• 2018

Imaging technologies are applied at various geological scales including pore scale, core scale and intermediate scale in order to characterize pore space of rocks as well as to map the fluid distribution in porous media. This technical report presents experimental results using core-flooding apparatus suited with imaging technology. Three different core samples, that are homogeneous, fractured and heterogeneous cores, were used to assess the two-phase fluid migration behavior as $CO_2$ displaces resident brine. We show that imaging technology can be effective in characterizing salt-precipitation, capillary pressure and spatio-temporal variation of trapping mechanisms.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 2000

The slope gradient of the Korean Peninsula was analyzed by using DEM(DTED level 1). The Peninsula has high percentages of gentle slopes. But low plains and very steep slope regions are scarcely distributed in the Peninsula. Altitude lower than 150m areas are composed of plains and undulated plains. The steepest and most rugged topographies are observed in the range of altitude from 500m to 1,000m areas. The areas of altitude greater than 1,000m show plateau landscapes. By overlapping digital geology maps and the gradient grade maps, We revealed the characteristics of slope regions by geological districts. High latitude with steep slope are well developed in the geological districts of granitic gneiss(ARgr) and gneiss($PR_1$) of the Pre-Cambrian, sandstone of the Paleozoic era(P-T), and sedimentary rocks of the Mesozoic era($J_2$). Low altitude with gentle slope areas are representative in the districts of granite of the Mesozoic era($Jgr_1$), the Cretaceous sedimentary rocks of the Mesozoic era($K_1$, $K_2$) and the Cenozoic strata(N). Basalt extruded the Quaternary($Q_1$) are observed in the areas of very gentle slope but greater than 1,000m altitude.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.209-215
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• 2014

In order to develop a new mineral exploration technique, a study was carried out about the potential mapping of Moisan area using SIP (Spectral Induced Polarization) data. The SIP inversion results were classified according to the geological regions, and the distribution characteristics of resistivity and phase values of SIP data were analyzed at the ore region. Based on the characteristics of SIP of ore bodies, we performed 3D potential mapping of Moisan area. The analyzed potential map was verified using that the locations and patterns of high potential regions of the results are well matched with those of the known ore bodies. If we get the higher spatial resolution SIP data, the potential mapping technique using SIP data can be effectively applied to the estimation of mining deposit.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.63-65
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• 1974

In this study, it is aimed to elucidate the relationship between the distribution of barren land in mountainous area and the geological and topographical characteristics of barren land in south Korea. To do this, the Land Use Classification Maps for mountainous areas (scale:1/50,000), compiled by the Roseources Survey Office of Mountainous and Forest Areas, Geological Maps of Korea (scale: 1/50,000), and Map of Geology of Korea (scale: 1,000,000), compiled by the construction Research Institute of Korea were used. The following conclusions have been obtained from this study. 1) Areas of strata that are most liable to dilapidation are found in such order of the broadest to broad as region of granite, granite-gneiss, and the specific stratum called the Kyongsang Stratum (named after the provinces) of the northern and southern Kyongsang Provinces comprising sandstones, gravelstones, crumblestones, and other stones similar to these species. These rocky hills occupy vast areas in size, so to speak, they are estimated to cover roughly 57% of the total barren and naked areas in the country. 2) The average size in area of barren and nated land, as one piece of land, 32 hectares of granite region, 15 hectares of granite-gneiss region and little less than 13 hectares of Kyongsang strata region were calculated.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.37-48
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• 1994

In spatial information processing, particularly in non-renewable resource exploration, the spatial data sets, including remote sensing, geophysical and geochemical data, have to be geocoded onto a reference map and integrated for the final analysis and interpretation. Application of a computer based GIS(Geographical Information System of Geological Information System) at some point of the spatial data integration/fusion processing is now a logical and essential step. It should, however, be pointed out that the basic concepts of the GIS based spatial data fusion were developed with insufficient mathematical understanding of spatial characteristics or quantitative modeling framwork of the data. Furthermore many remote sensing and geological data sets, available for many exploration projects, are spatially incomplete in coverage and interduce spatially uneven information distribution. In addition, spectral information of many spatial data sets is often imprecise due to digital rescaling. Direct applications of GIS systems to spatial data fusion can therefore result in seriously erroneous final results. To resolve this problem, some of the important mathematical information representation techniques are briefly reviewed and discussed in this paper with condideration of spatial and spectral characteristics of the common remote sensing and exploration data. They include the basic probabilistic approach, the evidential belief function approach (Dempster-Shafer method) and the fuzzy logic approach. Even though the basic concepts of these three approaches are different, proper application of the techniques and careful interpretation of the final results are expected to yield acceptable conclusions in cach case. Actual tests with real data (Moon, 1990a; An etal., 1991, 1992, 1993) have shown that implementation and application of the methods discussed in this paper consistently provide more accurate final results than most direct applications of GIS techniques.