• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.481-491
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• 2014

Blue-ice area is a glacial ice field in ice sheet, ice shelf and glaciers where snow ablation and sublimation is larger than snowfall. As the blue-ice area has large influences on the meteorite concentration mechanism and ice mass balance, it is required to quantify the concentration of blue-ice. We analyzed spectral reflectance characteristics of blue-ice, snow and cloud by using MODIS images obtained over blue-ice areas in McMurdo Dry Valleys, East Antarctica, from 2007 to 2012. We then developed Normalized Difference Blue-ice Index (NDBI) algorithm which quantifies the concentration of blue-ice. Snow and cloud have a high reflectance in visible and near-infrared (NIR) bands. Reflectance of blue-ice is high in blue band, while that lowers in the NIR band. NDBI is calculated by dividing the difference of reflectance in the blue and NIR bands by the sum of reflectances in the two bands so that NDBI = (Blue-NIR)/(Blue + NIR). NDBI calculated from the MODIS images showed that the blue-ice areas have values ranging from 0.2 to 0.5, depending on the exposure and concentration of blue-ice. It is obviously different from that of snow and cloud that has values less than 0.2 or rocks with negative values. The change of NDBI values in the blue-ice area has higher correlation with snow depth ($R^2=0.699$) than wind speed ($R^2=0.012$) or air temperature ($R^2=0.278$), all measured at a meteorological station installed in McMurdo Dry Valleys. As the snow depth increased, the NDBI value decreased, which suggests that snow depth can be estimated from NDBI values over blue-ice areas. The NDBI algorithm developed in this study will be useful for various polar research fields such as meteorite exploration, analysis of ice mass balance as well as the snow depth estimation.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2004

Sedimentary facies and high-resolution echo facies were analyzed to elucidate sedimentation pattern of the late Quaternary glacial-marine deposits in the northern continental margin of the South Shetland Islands. Six sedimentary facies are classified, based on grain texture and sedimentary structures in gravity cores. The high-resolution (3.5 ㎑) echo characters are classified into 6 echo facies on the basis of clarity, continuity, and shape of bottom and subbottom echoes together with seafloor topography. Distribution of the echo and sedimentary facies suggest that there was a significant change in sedimentation pattern between the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and subsequent glacier-retreating period. When the grounded glaciers extended to the present shelfbreak during LGM, coarse-grained subglacial tills were widespread in the shelf area, and deep troughs in the shelf were carved beneath the fast-flowing ice steam. As the glacial margin retreated landward after LGM, dense meltwater plumes released from the retreating ice-front were funneled along the glacier-carved troughs, and accumulated channel- or cannyon-fill deposits in the shelf and the upper to mid slope. At that time, slope sediments seem to have been reworked by slope failures and unsteady contour currents, and further transported by fine-grained turbidity currents along the South Shetland Trench. After the glacial retreat, sediments in the shelf and slope areas have been mainly introduced by persistent (hemi) pelagic settling, and fine-grained turbidity currents frequently occur along the axis of the South Shetland Trench.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.45-55
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• 2013

Campbell Glacier in East Antarctica is one of the major glaciers that flow into Terra Nova Bay. It is necessary to estimate accurate extent and flow velocity of Campbell Glacier which influences the dynamics of mass balance of East Antarctic Ice Sheet. However, few studies on Campbell Glacier have been performed since 1990s. In this study, we obtained a total of 59 COSMO-SkyMed SAR images over Campbell Glacier from June 2010 to January 2012. We estimated variations in the extent of Campbell Glacier Tongue and flow velocity of Campbell Glacier by applying the image digitizing and the offset tracking by image matching. Although the extent of Campbell Glacier Tongue decreased in summertime due to ice calving and increased in wintertime, the variation in the extent was very small. Campbell Glacier Tongue retained mean extent of 75.5 $km^2$. The ice discharge of Campbell Glacier Tongue was estimated to be $0.58{\pm}0.12km^3/yr$, which was bigger than in 1989. The flow velocity over Campbell Glacier Tongue was estimated to be from 181 to 268 m/yr that was faster than in 1988-1989, which contributed to the increase in the ice discharge of the glacier.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.299-309
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• 2005

The community structure of meiobenthos was studied in the sediment of Kongfjorden, Spitsbergen of Svalbard Island in the Arctic Sea. Samples of meiobenthos were collected in August, 2003. Meiobenthic organisms were collected by SCUBA and van veen grab or acryl sub-corers 34mm in internal diameter, and were taken from upper sediment to a depth of 3cm at each station. A total of 26 meiofaunal groups were found in the sediment of Spitsbergen in Svalbard Island. Nematodes were the most dominant faunal group. Sarcomastigophorans, benthic harpacticoids, and nauplius larvae of crustaceans, were also important components of the meiobenthic community of Kongsfjorden. All of these low faunal groups were comprised of more than 90% of total meiobenthos at every station. The total density of meiobenthos at each station was highest at station MeG 6 $(3,583{\pm}1,137inds./10cm^2)$, and lowest at station $MeG9(28{\pm}1inds./10cm^2)$. Meiobenthos in general showed the highest density in the upper 1cm layer. This may be associated with food and oxygen supply to subsurface. Harpacticoids showed extreme preference at the surface and little presence in layers deeper than 2cm. These animals may be less resistant to oxygen deficiency, and nauplius also showed the same trend. However, in St. MeG 8 and 9, meiobenthos were dense at depths of more than 0-1cm, at especially at depths of 2-3m because of relatively easy penetration of oxygen. Based on the results of cluster analysis, three meiobenthos assemblages were distinguished: one was in the outer and two were in the inner fjord. Station SCU 5 was grouped with the meiobenthos assemblage located in the outer fjord. The outer ford community was characterised by : 1) a relatively low mean number of meiobenthos taxa, 2) a relatively high density of harpacticods and nauplius. One of the inner ford communities (a group of four nation: MeG 2, 3, 8, 9) was in the proximity of the glaciers. Specifically, it was characterised by : 1) a low mean number of meiobenthos taxa, 2) a low density. The other inner ford community was characterised by both a high density and great mean number of meiofaunal taxa.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.55-65
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• 2016

Background: In this article, it was analyzed how snow melting affects the assembly of lichen and moss communities in a small area of the coastal region of Barton Peninsula, which is in maritime Antarctic. In the small area, even though there is a huge gap of difference of the environment between the snow-filled area and snow-melt one, the latter did not have distinctive environmental gradients. Results: Depending on the snow melting time, coverage and species diversity of lichens and mosses tend to increase remarkably. For species with significant changes depending on the snow-covered period, there are Andreaea regularis, crustose lichens, Placopsis contortuplicata, Usnea aurantiaco-atra, and snow algae. In this area, the process of vegetation assembly process has shown the directional development in the order of snow algae${\rightarrow}$crustose, lichen sub-formation${\rightarrow}$fruticose lichen, moss cushion sub-formation (Andreaea sociation)${\rightarrow}$fruticose lichen, and moss cushion sub-formation (Usnea sociation), according to the order of snow melting. These directional development stages are shown in gradual change in small area with the snow melting phenomena. However, in the snow-free area, where water is sufficiently supplied, it is expected that moss carpet sub-formation (Sanionia sociation) will be developed. Vegetation development in the small area with the snow melting phenomena, depending on differences of resistance on snow kill and moisture settled by species in according to the time of snow melting, tolerance model to form community is followed. Conclusions: The research results explain the development of vegetation in the Antarctic tundra and its spatial distribution according to the period for growth of lichens and mosses in the summer time by differences of snow melting in the small area. In the future, if research for the community development process in a large scale will be done, it will be helpful to figure out temporal and spatial dynamic of vegetation in the Antarctic tundra where snow and glaciers melt rapidly due to climatic warming.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.545-552
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• 2018

Grounding line is used as evidence of the mass balance showing the vulnerability of Antarctic glaciers and ice shelves. In this research, we utilized a high resolution digital elevation model of glacier surface derived by recently launched satellites to estimate the position of grounding line of Campbell Glacier in East Antarctica. TanDEM-X and TerraSAR-X data in single-pass interferometry mode were acquired on June 21, 2013 and September 10, 2016 and CryoSat-2 radar altimeter data were acquired within 15 days from the acquisition date of TanDEM-X. The datasets were combined to generate a high resolution digital elevation model which was used to estimate the grounding line position. During the 3 years of observation, there weren't any significant changes in grounding line position. Since the average density of ice used in estimating grounding line is not accurately known, the variations of the grounding line was analyzed with respect to the density of ice. There was a spatial difference from the grounding line estimated by DDInSAR whereas the estimated grounding line using the characteristics of the surface of the optical satellite images agreed well when the ice column density was about $880kg/m^3$. Although the reliability of the results depends on the vertical accuracy of the bathymetry in this study, the hydrostatic ice thickness has greater influence on the grounding line estimation.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.213-226
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• 2003

Kongsfjorden near Korean Arctic Station, Dasan, is a glacial fjord in the Svalbard archipelago, Arctic that is influenced by both Atlantic and Arctic water masses. During the Arctic field season August 2002, surface temperature, salinity, density, and phytoplankton biomass (chi a) was measured in Kongsfjorden. A total of 15 surface samples were collected for the phytoplankton related measurements. Chl a values ranged from 0.08 to 1.4mg chi a $m^{-3}$ (mean of 0.53mg chl a $m^{-3}$) in the overall surface stations. The highest values of the chi a concentrations (> 1.0mg chi a $m^{-3}$) were found near glacier in the northeastern part of Kongsfjorden. Nanoplanktonic (< $20{\mu}m$) phytoflagellates were important contributors for the increase of the chi a. The nano-sized phytoflagellates accounted for more than 90% of the total chi a biomass in the study area. Surface temperatures and salinities ranged from 2.5 to $7.18^{\circ}C$ (mean of $4.65^{\circ}C$) and from 22.55 to 32.97 psu (mean of 30.16 psu), respectively. The physical factors were not highly correlated with phytoplankton distribution. The character of surface water due to down-fjord wind was highly similar to phytoplankton distribution. Drifting ice, freshwater, and semdiment inputs from large tidal glaciers located in the inner part of Konsfjorden create steep physico- and biogeochemical environmental gradients along the length of this ford. The glacial inputs cause reduced biodiversity biomass and productivity in the pelagic community in the inner fjord. Primary production of benthic and pelagic microalgae is reduced due to the limited light levels in the turbid and mixed inner waters. The magnitude of glacial effects diminishes towards the outer fjord. Kongsfjorden is an important feeding ground fer marine mammals and seabirds. Especially, seabirds play the largest energy intake and also export nutrients for primary production of the marine microalgae. Kongsfjorden has received a lot of research attention as a site for exploring the impacts of climate changes. Dasan Station in Kongsfjorden will be an important Arctic site for monitoring and detecting future environmental changes.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.41 no.5 s.116
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• pp.513-526
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• 2006

The timing and extent of glaciations during the Late Quaternary in the South Shetland Islands, West Antarctica were defined using field mapping, geomorphic analysis and radiocarbon dating. Landforms of glacial erosion and deposition, in particular subglacial meltwater channel erosion, suggest that at least three glaciations occurred during the late Quaternary within the study region. During the global LGM, glacial troughs (such as Maxwell Bay and Admiralty Bay) were overdeepened by an ice stream moving south from $an\sim1000m-thick$ ice cap centered on the present-day continental shelf to the north. This ice was responsible for the subglacial meltwater channel erosion, and glacial polished and striated bedrock on the Fildes Peninsula. The recent local glaciations occurred about 2,000 years ago and during Little Ice Age (LIA). During these glaciations, glaciers were less extensive than the previous one and less erosive as a cold-based ice

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.265-274
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• 2019

To trace the provenance of fine-grained sediments in response to the growth and retreat of glaciers (i.e., Ross Ice Sheet) that affects the depositional process, various kinds of analyses including magnetic susceptibility, granulometry, and clay mineral composition with AMS ¹⁴C age dating were carried out using a gravity core KI-13-GC2 obtained from the Central Basin of the Ross Sea continental margin. The sediments mostly consist of silty mud to sand with ice-rafted debris, the sediment colors alternate repeatedly between light brown and gray, and the sedimentary structures are almost bioturbated with some faint laminations. Among the fine-grained clay mineral compositions, illite is highest (59.1-76.2%), followed by chlorite (12.4-21.4%), kaolinite (4.1-11.6%), and smectite (1.2-22.6%). Illite and chlorite originated from the Transantarctic mountains (metamorphic rocks and granitic rocks) situated to the south of the Ross Sea. Kaolinite might be supplied from the sedimentary rocks of Antarctic continent underneath the ice sheet. The provenance of smectite was considered as McMurdo volcanic group around the Victoria Land in the western part of the Ross Sea. Chlorite content was higher and smectite content was lower during the glacial periods, although illite and kaolinite contents are almost consistent between the glacial and interglacial periods. The glacial increase of chlorite content may be due to more supply of the reworked continental shelf sediments deposited during the interglacial periods to the Central Basin. On the contrary, the glacial decrease of smectite content may be attributed to less transport from the McMurdo volcanic group to the Central Basin due to the advanced ice sheet. Although the source areas of the clay minerals in the Central Basin have not changed significantly between the interglacial and glacial periods, the transport pathways and delivery mechanism of the clay minerals were different between the glacial and interglacial periods in response to the growth and retreat of Ross Ice Sheet in the Ross Sea.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.464-473
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• 2016

The air temperatures of the coast and inland are rising due to an increase in carbon dioxide emissions and abnormal climate phenomena caused by global warming, El Nino, La Nina and so on. The sea levels of the Earth are rising by approximately 2.0 mm per year (global average value) due to the thermal expansion of sea water, melting of glaciers and other causes by global warming. On the other hand, when it comes to designing a hydraulic structure or coastal hydraulic structure, the standard of the design water level is decided by analyzing four largeness tide values and a harmonic constant with the observed tidal water level or simulating numerical model. Therefore, the design tidal water level needs to consider an increasing speed of the seawater level, which corresponds to the design frequency. In the present study, the observed tidal water levels targeting 46 tidal stations operated by the Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Administration (KHOA) from the beginning of observations to 2015 per hour were collected. The variation of the monthly and yearly and increasing ratio were performed and divided into 7 seas, such as east and west part of the Southern Sea, south part and middle of the East Sea, south part and middle of the Western Sea, and Jeju Sea. The current study could be used to determine the cause of local seawater rises and reflect the design tidal water level as basic data.