• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.367-377
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to elucidate the source of U anomaly formed in stream water of the drainage system around the Shinbo talc mine area based on the O, H, S and Sr isotopic characteristics of water masses and wall rocks. The ${\delta}$D and ${\delta}^{18}O$ of surface and ground waters show highly restricted range and plotted on the same meteoric water line, indicating that they are all originated from the meteoric water. The ${\delta}^{34}S$value of the ground water containing high U shows slightly negative (-0.2${\textperthousand}$) and quite distinct from those of the other surface and ground waters that are similar to those of wall rocks (>5.8${\textperthousand}$), indicating that they have a different S isotopic fractionation or less probably, source. The $^{87}Sr/^{86}{Sr}$ratios of water masses around the Shinbo talc mine area show a variable range from 0.724325 to 0.744928, but tend to increase with increasing U concentration of water mass. Although it is not possible to determine precisely the source rock of U anomaly formed in the hydrologic system around the Shinbo talc mine, the evidence obtained from the Sr isotopic compositions strongly suggests that coal schist and/or pegmatite vein could be the most likely candidate for the source rock.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.601-610
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• 2024

This paper gives an extensive analysis on the characterization of xenon isotopic ratios for various nuclear reactors and nuclear explosions through neutronic depletion codes. The results of the characterization can be used for discriminating the sources of the xenon isotopes' release among the nuclear explosions and nuclear reactors. The considered sources of the xenon radionuclides do not only include PWR, CANDU, and nuclear explosions using uranium and plutonium bombs, but also IRT-200 and 5MWe Yongbyon (MAGNOX reactor) research reactors operated in North Korea. A new data base (DB) on xenon isotopic activity ratios was produced using the results of the characterization, which can be used in discrimination of the sources of xenon isotopes. The results of the study show that 5MWe Yongbyon reactor has quite different characteristics in ¹³⁵Xe/¹³³Xe ratio from the PWRs and the nuclear reactors have different characteristics in ¹³⁵Xe/¹³³Xe ratios from the nuclear explosions.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2005.05b
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• pp.29-38
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• 2005

It is important to understand groundwater conditions such as recharge, flow and hydrochemical process occurred within an aquifer for groundwater protection and groundwater resource management. Groundwater from the Triassic Sherwood Sandstone aquifer of North Yorkshire has been used for industrial purposes and domestic water supply. Tn order to understand the processes affecting groundwater chemistry and identify the sources of high chloride, sulphate and nitrate concentrations hydrochemical and isotopic measurements were carried out. Hydrochemical and isotopic measurements indicated that five groundwater types exist within the Sherwood Sandstone aquifer of study area. The results of hydrochemical and isotopic measurements showed that older groundwaters have different hydrochemical and isotopic characteristics from recent recharge water. It was also found that water-rock interactions are the dominant mechanism controlling the ${\delta}^{13}C$ composition of dissolved inorganic carbon, the ${\delta}^{34}S\;and\;{\delta}^{18}O$ composition of dissolved sulphate and the strontium isotope ratios ($^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr$) in recent recharge water and old groundwater. Several abstraction boreholes within the Selby wellfield have been contaminated by saline water. The isotopic data of saline groundwater samples taken from these abstraction boreholes indicate that saline waters are derived from the dissolution of the Triassic evaporites within the Mercia Mudstone.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.45 no.7
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• pp.921-928
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• 2013

A future nuclear energy system is being developed at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), the system involves a Sodium Fast Reactor (SFR) linked with the pyro-process. The pyro-process produces a source material to fabricate a SFR fuel rod. Therefore, an isotopic fissile content assay is very important for fuel rod safety and SFR economics. A new technology for an analysis of isotopic fissile content has been proposed using a lead slowing down spectrometer (LSDS). The new technology has several features for a fissile analysis from spent fuel: direct isotopic fissile assay, no background interference, and no requirement from burnup history information. Several calculations were done on the designed spectrometer geometry: detection sensitivity, neutron energy spectrum analysis, neutron fission characteristics, self shielding analysis, and neutron production mechanism. The spectrum was well organized even at low neutron energy and the threshold fission chamber was a proper choice to get prompt fast fission neutrons. The characteristic fission signature was obtained in slowing down neutron energy from each fissile isotope. Another application of LSDS is for an optimum design of the spent fuel storage, maximization of the burnup credit and provision of the burnup code correction factor. Additionally, an isotopic fissile content assay will contribute to an increase in transparency and credibility for the utilization of spent fuel nuclear material, as internationally demanded.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.93-106
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• 2001

The processes and rates of groundwater recharge were studied by long-term monitoring of groundwater level and isotopic compositions of precipitation, surface water and groundwater in the Yeosu area. The isotopic compositions of surface water and groundwater were directly related to the precipitation event. It is also shown that the minimum amount of precipitation for infiltration to groundwater is about 20mm. The isotopic variations of groundwater shows that the Isotopic composition of groundwater changed by each precipitation event between June and Sep. 2000 is gradually changed without input of precipitation again. It indicates that the groundwater recharged from the upper part is mixed with the groundwater in reservoir. The infiltration rate of first precipitation event after a dry season is estimated to be 16.5% using isotopic mixing equations. It is expected that the groundwater recharge rate could be estimated more quantitavely, if the isotopic method is combined with the conservative methods.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2004.09a
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• pp.453-454
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• 2004

Hydrogeochemical and isotopic characteristics were investigated for groundwater of Tertiary basin in southeastern part of Korea where deep drilling is in progress for geothermal investigation. According to geology, aquifer was distinguished as alluvial, tertiary sedimentary bedrock (bedrock groundwater), and fractured volcanic rock (deep groundwater). Groundwater of each aquifer is distinctively separated in Eh-pH conditions and concentrations of Cl, F, B and HCO$_3$. Deep groundwater has very low level 3H and 14C whereas alluvial groundwater has those of recent precipitation level. However one of deep groundwater show mixed characteristics in terms of hydrochemistry which indicates effect of pumping. Deep groundwater have temperature of 38 to 43$^{\circ}C$ whereas bedrock and alluvial groundwater have temperature less than 2$0^{\circ}C$. Fractured basement rock aquifer has different hydrogeologicalsetting from bedrock and alluvial aquifer considering hydrogeochemical and isotopic characteristics, and temperature.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 1995

Based upon the lead isotopic compositions of the galenas collected from Pb-Zn ore deposits distributed in the eastern and southern parts of the Gyeongsang basin, we investigated what kinds of source materials were involved in the formation of these ore deposits and compared the lead isotopic characteristics of these ore deposits with those of the ore deposits in the Taebaegsan area. The isotopic compositions of the common leads from Pb-Zn ore deposits in the Gyeongsang basin show the variation with the relatively limited range ($^{206}Pb/^{204}Pb=18.156{\sim}18.377$, $^{207}Pb/^{204}Pb=15.482{\sim}15.638$, and $^{208}Pb/^{204}Pb=37.953{\sim}38.605$). They are plotted on or below ore lead growth curve(Cumming & Richards, 1975) and average crustal lead evolution curve (Stacey & Kramer, 1975). In the plumbotectonic model IV(Zartman & Haines, 1988), they are plotted between the evolution curves of mantle and orogene. But the lead isotopic compositions of the common leads in the Taebaegsan area are plotted on and above upper crust curve. Considering the above-mentioned lead isotopic characteristics, the linear trend shown in the isotopic compositions of the common leads in the Gyeongsang basin can be considered as the mixing isochron between high radiogenic crustal materials such as the Ryongnam massif and low radiogenic materials derived from depleted mantle or materials with relatively low U/Pb and Th/U ratios.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.89-107
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• 1996

Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic characteristics of alkaline lavas and tholeiites in Cheju Island show that the isotopic compositions of the former slightly overlap, but have relatively more depleted than the latter. However, in viewpoint of the two eruptional stratigraphies of tholeiites, the isotopic compositon of the older one is similar to those of alkaline rocks in Lava Plateau Stage after Lee (1982). These suggest that the parental magmas of alkaline lavas and tholeiites might have originated from the homogenous mantle sourve and that the characteristics of the mantle source to be partially melted might be different between the eruption stages. The isotopic signatures of the bolcanic rocks in Cheju Island overlap with those in Samoa Islands and South China Basin, indicating the DMM-EM IImixing trend. This is distingushed from the DMM-EM I trend of the Cenozoic volcanic rocks in Korea except for cheju Island and Northeastern China. The modelled binary mixing calculation between MM and EM IImaterials indicates that the mantle source of the volcanic rocks in Cheju Island has been mixed about less than 10% of enriched mantle material (EM II) with depleted mantle material (DMM). Concerned with the indentation model between North China Block (NCB) and South China Block (SCB) after Yin an Nie (1993), we suggest that the distinct isotopic features of DMM-EM I and DMM-EM IIof the Cenozoic volcanic rock in Korea as well as China can be explained by the difference of the nature of subcontinental lithospheric mantle as enriched mantle materials, i.e. EM I of NCB, while EM II of SCB.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.28-40
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• 2013

This study examined the geochemical characteristics, equilibrium temperature and pressure conditions, and oxygen isotopic ratios of mantle xenoliths from the various geological sites of the Korean peninsula. The results are as follows: (1) The ultramafic xenoliths from the Korean peninsula mainly consist of typical high magnesium olivine (MgO : 49.12-50.95 wt.%, Mg value: 90.1-92.2), corresponding to worldwide Cenozoic ultramafic xenoliths in chemical compositions. (2) The pressure-temperature conditions of ultramafic xenoliths in the Korean peninsula are from 854 to $1016^{\circ}C$ and 4.6 to 24.4 kbar. (3) The oxygen isotopic ratios (${\delta}^{18}O$) for olivines in ultramafic xenoliths range from 5.06‰ to 5.51‰, which are relatively uniform oxygen isotopic values and overlapped by the values of N-MORB and upper mantle peridotite (${\delta}^{18}O$: $5.2{\pm}0.2$‰). However, olivines of the ultramafic xenoliths from the Baegdusan and Chejudo have a relatively wide ${\delta}^{18}O$ values ranging from 5.07 to 5.51‰ and 5.07 to 5.45‰, respectively. Based on the results, this study suggests that the high ${\delta}^{18}O$ signature of the Baegdusan xenoliths give a hint that ~5% of the oxygen in typical EM2 sources originally derived from recycled sediments.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.567-577
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• 2018

One of problems related with water curtain cultivation (WCC) in Korea includes severe declination of groundwater levels during the peak season, and it is likely that the problem can be resolved efficiently when the connection characteristics between groundwater and stream are well understood. This study examined temperature, and oxygen/hydrogen stable isotopic compositions of the flowing groundwater to understand the connection between stream and ground water, and the influence of stream water on the nearby aquifer. This study was performed in Wangjeon-ri (Kwangseok-myon, Nonsan City), the well-known strawberry town using WCC technique. The sampling was done during February 2010 through June 2011 for both groundwaters and nearby streams. Temperature distribution pattern indicates that stream widely affected groundwater in the right part of WCC ara. In the left part, the influence of stream seems to occur narrowly near the stream. The similar phenomenon is reflected in the oxygen and hydrogen isotopic data.