• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.153-163
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• 2020

Mineral and geochemical analysis were conducted on two sections (~3.5 m) of red-brown claysilt sediments covering the gneiss and granite weathering zones in Suwon-si for establishing Quaternary paleoenvironmental changes in Korea. The sections were divided into four sedimentary layers (Unit 1-4) by vertical changes in mineral composition and chemical composition. The lowermost unit 1 was a sandy sediment with a high K-feldspar content with a significant contribution of weathered bedrock. Unit 2 was a transition layer showing intermediate characteristics. Unit 3 was a reddish brown clay-silt sediment, with a total clay content of 58% on average, and the main clay minerals were illite-smectite mixed layer minerals and hydroxy-interlayered vermiculite/smectite. Unit 3 contained almost no plagioclase, while the content of kaolin minerals derived by the plagioclase weathering was higher than in the other layers. Unit 4 had similar mineral composition and chemical properties to Unit 3, but had a higher content of plagioclase and chlorite and lower content of kaolin minerals. The chemical compositions of the sections were compared with those in other regions of Korea, suggesting the eolian origin of Units 3 and 4. The paleoenvironmental change in the sedimentary section of this region was interpreted as follows. Weathered products of gneiss and granite, which are bedrocks of this region, were eroded and deposited as sandy sediments in the periphery to form the lower layers (Unit 1, 2), followed by the deposition of the claysilty rich eolian sediments (Unit 3) during the glacial. Unit 3 was chemically weathered during the warm humid climate during the last interglacial, developing a reddish brown color. After that, a eolian sediment layer (Unit 4) was deposited during the last glacial.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.18 no.2 s.23
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• pp.1-2
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• 2004

The Ilkwang Fault is NNE-striking, elongated 40 Km between Ulsan and Haendae-ku, Busan in southeastem part of the Korean Peninsula(Kim, D.H. et al., 1989; Kim, J.S. et al., 2003). This paper is mainly concemed about the ages of the fault activities especially in the Quatemary, infered from classification of geomorphic surface and trench excavation for the construction of Singori nuclear power plant. The geomorphi surfaces are classified into the Beach and the Alluvial plain, the 10 m a.s.l. Marine terrace, the 20 m a.s.l. Marine terrace, the Reworked surface of 45 m a.s.l. Marine terrace and the Low relief erosional surface, from lower to higher altitude. The Beach and the Alluvial plain are elongated to the Holocene terrace(ist terrace, choi, 2003). The 10 m a.s.l. Marine terrace is correlated to 2nd terrace (MIS 5em 125 Ka. y. B.P., Choi, 1998). The 45 m a.s.l. Marine terace is correlated to the Lower marine terrace (MIS 7,220 Ka. y. B.P., Choi, 2003 or MIS 9,320 y. B.P.) to the Gwanganri terrace(Penultimate interglacial age, 200-200 Ka. Y. B.P., Oh, 1981). The Low relief erosional surface is distributed coastal side, the Reworked surface of 45 m a.s.l. Marine terrace inland side by the Ilkwang Fault Line as the boundary line. But the former is above 10 m higher in relative height than the latter. The 20 m a.s.l. Marine terrace on the elongation line of the Ilkwang Fault reveals no dislocation. A site was trenched on the straight contract line with $N30^{\circ}$ E-striking between the 10 m a.s.l. Marine terrace and the 20 m a.s.l. Marine terrace. Fault line or dislocation was not observable in the trench excavation. Accordingly, the straight contact line is inferred as the ancient shoreline of the 10 m a.s.l. Marine terrace. The Ages of the Fault activities are inferred after the formation of the Ichonri Formation - before the formation of the 45 m a.s.l. Marine terrace (220 Ka. y. B.P. or 320 Ka. y. B.P.). The Low relief erosional surface was an island above the sea-level during the formation of the 45 m a.s.l. Marine terrace in the paleogeography.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.6 s.175
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• pp.707-716
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• 2005

Organic geochemical analyses including Rock-Eval pyrolysis, elemental analysis and stable carbon isotope analysis were performed to evaluate the characteristics of organic matter in the ODP Leg 127 Site 794A sediments and to understand paleoceanographic changes. Based on the TOC contents, C/N ratio, HI vs. OI, $\delta^{13}C_{org}$ and C/S ratio, results imply that dark layers containing a large amount of terrigenous organic matter were deposited under the suboxic/anoxic conditions, whereas the light layers containing largely marine organic matter were deposited under the oxic conditions. These results indicate that increasing surface-productivity by the input of a large amount of terrigenous organic matter from adjacent continent led to the deposition of dark layers during the interglacial highstands, whereas marine primary production and dilution caused by Kosa from the China desert area led to the deposition of light layers with the decreased to terrigenous organic matter during the glacial lowstands.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 2014

This study estimates geomorphological processes of fluvial terraces by uplifts and bedrock features, by the analyses of topography, distribution, formation age and incision rate of fluvial terraces using Gwang-cheon River in Uljin, Namdae-cheon River in Pyeonghae and Osip-cheon River in Yeongdeok located in the southern Taebaek Mountain Range. The tectonic and climatic terraces I in the upper reaches of Gwang-cheon River with an altitude from riverbed of 9~12m indicate the formation age of MIS 2 with a incision rate of 0.40m/ka. However, the tectonic and climatic terraces I in the upper reaches of Osip-cheon River with an altitude from riverbed of 7~10m show the formation age of MIS 3 with an incision rate of 0.10m/ka. These results suggest that the uplift rate in the Gwang-cheon River basin is likely to be higher than that in the Osip-cheon River basin. Unlike the lower reaches of Osip-cheon River, the thalassostatic terraces are not found in the lower reaches of Gwang-cheon River, because the basin has low maintainable ability of landforms in river valley due to high uplift rate and bedrock properties resistant to weathering and erosion. On the other hand, the lowest tectonic and climatic terraces in the study areas indicate different formative ages and the terraces during the cooling stage in interglacial as well as during interstadial are also found. Therefore, this study suggests that chronological method for fluvial terrace by the previous developmental model of climatic terrace should be reconsidered.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.3 s.49
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• pp.163-169
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• 2006

Mineralogy and geochemistry of the sediment core from the seamount (2710 m below the sea level) just south of the Antarctic Polar Front were examined to draw paleoceanographic information in glacial-interglacial cycles. Smectite was most abundant clay mineral associated with illite and chlorite. Its content was slightly higher below 170 cm, suggesting a boundary between isotope stage 4 and 5. Si, Zr, Cs, Th, REE, $K_{2}O$, and $Al_{2}O_{3}$ show complete antithetical distribution with respect to $CaCO_{3}$ through the core. $SiO_{2}$ maxima and $CaCO_{3}$ minima at depths of 24, 136, and 176 cm are probably correlated with massive influx of ice-rafted debris during the advance of Antarctic ice shelves. Ni, Cu, and Ba show rather little correlation with $SiO_{2}$, suggesting their relation to biogenic debris, precipitation from seawater, or hydrothermal input. Particularly, Ba maxima tend to lag $10{\sim}20cm$ after $SiO_{2}$ maxima, probably due to rapid increase of productivity following deglaciation.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.447-462
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• 2009

Kohyun River basin is located at southern parts of Taebaek Mountains and most of river basins consists of sedimentary rock. The aims of this study are to investigate the distribution characteristics and processes of fluvial terraces at Kohyun River, using scientific methods such as classification of fluvial landforms, analysis of geomorphological deposits, XRD and OSL age dating. In Kohyun River basin are three levels terraces from T1 to T3. Fluvial terraces are assumed to be erosional terraces according to deposited situation of alurium and existences of bedrock riverbed. From the result of OSL age dating, formation age of fluvial terrace 1(T1) is calculated about 37,000 yr.B.P.(MIS 3), and fluvial terrace 2(T2) is calculated about 113,000 yr.B.P.(MIS 5). Therefore, fluvial terraces at Kohyun River are assumed to be formed at warmer period in the glacial stages or cooler period in the interglacial stages. The incision rate of fluvial terrace 1 at Kohyun River is calculated to be 0.054m/ka, and the incision rate of fluvial terrace 2 is calculated to be 0.115m/ka. This results suggest to lower incision rate than other rivers in Korea because of low uplift rates and little discharge.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 1991

The distribution of cryophilous arctic-alpine and alpine plants in Korea is reviewed in connection with palaeoenvironment, along with a discussion to their origins, patterns of migration, and their refugia. At present, the estimated number of Korean arctic-alpine and alpine species is 419, and this includes 75 arctic-alpine species, 239 alpine species and 105 Korean endemic alpine species. The disjunctive distribution of cryophilous arctic-alpine and alpine plants is likely to be due to first, the downslope and southward expansion of those species towards the Korean peninsula as a primary refugia from the arctic region as the Pleistocene glacial phases approached, and then their subsequent isolation upslope in mountain areas toward a secondary refugia as the interglacial and post-glacial climatic ameliorations followed; secondly, the expansion of forest tree communities on lowland and montane areas subsequent to the end of the Pleistocene has had the effect of dividing formerly high mountains as a result of the increased competition; and thirdly, the general disapperance or restriction of available habitats for arctic-alpine and alpine species because of post-glacial climatic amelioration. The existence of 139 alpine species exclusively in the north of Korea may be due to the following reasons; first, frequent exchanges of alpine floras with other neighbouring East Asian regions would have been facilitated; secondly, there are numerous high mountains available for the alpine plants to survive and prosper during the post-glacial period; thirdly, the existence of easy accesses between mountains within the north, which has enabled alpine floras to migrate when necessary; and finally, the availability of diverse environments and habitats for the alpine flora of the north. However, the continued survival of those species in Korea at the world's or East Asia's southernmost limits of their distribution for many species is in danger if global warming associated with the greenhouse effect takes place.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.27-40
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• 2005

Researches onmarine terrace in Korea have been drastically progressed during the last two decades.main themes of researches include vertical and horizontal distribution of paleo-shoreline, sedimentary facies ofmarine terrace deposits, OSL dating of terrace deposits and estimation of uplift rate. At present, it is noted thatmarine terraces distributed at the same altitude do not always show the same sedimentary facies, nor have the same ages.marine terraces are generally divided into five terrace systems, of which ages increase in ascending order. There are some arguments about discrimination between 2nd and 3rd terrace systems and their age. The core discrepancy lies on the question of whether the level of the last interglacial terrace is on the level of about 20m or on the 30~35m(~40m) in altitude. The uplift rate based on the paleoshoreline distribution ranges between 0.10 and 0.20m/ka.

• 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).

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.42-57
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• 1998

Cheju island had that a fresh water Pisces composed of 9 Orders, 12Families, 24 Species, Amphibians composed of 2 Orders, 6 Families, 9 Species, Reptiles composed of 2 Suborders, 5 Families, 10 Species, Aves composed of 18 Orders, 49 Families, 236 Species and Mammalian composed of 6 Oredrs, 9 Families, 16 Species. So, total vertebrate's fauna were 35 Oredrs, 2 Suborders, 80 Families, 4 Subfamilies and 295 Species. Endemic species of the Cheju island were Mustela sibirica quelpartis, Apodemus agrarius vhejuensis, Micromys minutus hertigi and Crocidura russula quelpartis, Ageithalos caudatus trivirgatus, Sitta europaea bedfordi, Eophona personata personata and Dendrocopos oeucotos quelpartis, Troglodytes troglodytes fumigatus, Parus major minor, Cettia diphone cantans and Hynobius leechii quelpartis. Especially, Sibynoghis collaris and Anguilla mauritiana were only habitated in the Cheju island. And the Cheju island was formed in extending from Plieocene to Pleistocene. Differentiation of species was continued by geological isolation 0.3 million years that repeating glacial epoch and interglacial epoch.