• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.333-341
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• 2010

Fluvial sediments are widely distributed in present and old river-beds of the mid-Keum River, the tributaries of which are the Yugu and Jeongan Rivers. The basement of the mid-Keum River area consists of Mesozoic granites which are easily eroded compared to Precambrian gneisses, which are exposed in the upper-Keum River area. The provenance of the fluvial sediments includes both the Precambrian gneisses and Mesozoic granites, which occur in the catchment of the mid-Keum River. The coarse-grained sediments were probably transported from the river-beds and the overbank floodings of the main Keum River and its tributaries when the climate was warm and wet. The oldest mud deposits were dated at ca. 9,400 yr BP by the radiocarbon method. It has been estimated that the sand deposits below the dated muds were formed in a period from the Late Pleistocene to the Early Holocene. However we have revealed that the major part of the present river-bed sediments was formed at ca. 3,000-6,000 yr BP, i.e., in the mid- to late Holocene, when summer monsoon was very strong due to climatic changes. We have calculated fluvial sedimentation rates of 0.12-0.16 cm/yr and 0.02-0.09 cm/yr for borehole KJ-29 river-bed sediments and borehole KJ-28 floodplain deposits, respectively. We conclude that the sedimentation rate is higher near the present stream channel than near the floodplain.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.49-64
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• 1998

Bing-gye valley(Kyongbuk Province, South Korea) is well known as a tourist attraction because of its meteorologic characteristics that show subzero temperature during midsummer. Also, there are some interesting geomorphic features in the valley area. Therefore, the valley is worth researching in geomorphology field. The aim of this paper is to achieve two purposes. These are to clarify geomorphic features on talus within Bing-gye valley area, and to infer the origin of Bing-gye valley. The main results are summarized as follows. 1) The formation of Bing-gye valley It would be possible to infer the following two ideas regarding the formation of Bing-gye valley. One is that the valley was formed by differential erosion of stream along fault line, and the other is that the rate of upheaval comparatively exceeded the rate of stream erosion. Especially, the latter may be associated with the fact that the width of the valley is much narrow. Judging that the fact the width of the valley is much narrow, compared with one of its upper or lower valley, it is inferred that Bing-gye valley is transverse valley. 2) The geomorphic features of talus (1) Pattern It seems to be true that the removal of matrix(finer materials) by the running water beneath the surface can result in partly collapse hollows. Taluses are tongue-shaped or cone-shaped in appearance. They are $120{\sim}200m$ in length, $30{\sim}40m$ in maximum width. and $32{\sim}33^{\circ}$ in mean slope gradient. The component blocks are mostly homogeneous in size and shape(angular), which reflect highly jointed free face produced by frost action under periglacial environment. (2) Origin On the basis of previous studies, the type of the talus is classified into rock fall talus. When considered in conjunction with the degrees of both weathering of blocks and hardness of blocks, it can be explained that the talus was formed under periglacial environment in pleistocene time. (3) The inner structure of block accumulation I recognize a three-layered structure in the talus as follows: (a) superficial layer; debris with openwork texture at the surface, 1.3m thick. (b) intermediate layer: small debris(about 5cm in diameter) with fine matrix(including humic soil), 70cm thick. (c) basal layer: over 2m beneath surface, almost pure soil horizon without debris (4) The stage of landform development Most of the blocks are now covered with lichen, and/or a mantle of weathering. It is believed that downslope movement by talus creep well explains the formation of concave slope of the talus. There is no evidence of present motion in the deposit. Judging from above-mentioned facts, the talus of this study area appears to be inactive and fossil landform.

• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.3 no.1 s.4
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• pp.1-15
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• 1995

Seismic reflection profiles and exploratory drilling well samples from the southern marginal-continental shelf basin of Korea delineate that the Tertiary sedimentary sequences can be grouped into five sequences (Sequence A, Sequence B, Sequence C, Sequence D and Sequence E, in descending order). Paleontologic data, K-Ar age datings, correlation with tuff layers and sequence stratigraphic analysis reveal that the sequences A, B, C, D and E can be considered as the deposits of Holocene $\~$ Pleistocene, Pliocene, Late Miocene, Early $\~$ Middle Miocene and Oligocene, respectively. The sequence stratigraphic and structural analyses suggest that the southern part of the Cheju Basin had experienced severe folding and faulting. NE-SW trending strike-slip movement is responsible for the deformation. The sinistral movement of strike-slip fault ceased before the deposition of Sequence B. Age dating and rare-earth elements analysis of volvanic rocks reveal+ that the Sequence D was deposited during the Early $\~$ Middle Miocene and the Sequence I was deposited earlier than the deposition of the Green Tuff Formation. Sedimentary petrological studies indicate that sediments of the Sequence I came from the continental block provenance. After the deposition of the Sequence E, uplift of the source area resulted in increase of sediment supply, subsidence and volcanic activities. The Sequence D show these factors and the sediments of the Sequence D are considered to be transported from the recycled orogenic belt.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.163-172
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• 2019

A long core (RS15-LC48) was collected at a site in the continental rise between the Southern Ocean and the Ross Sea (Antarctica) during the 2015 Ross Sea Expedition. The mineralogical characteristics and the origin of clay minerals in marine sediments deposited during the Quaternary in the Ross Sea were determined by analyzing sedimentary facies, variations in grain size, sand fraction, mineralogy, clay mineral composition, illite crystallinity, and illite chemical index. Core sediments consisted mostly of sandy clay, silty clay, or ice rafted debris (IRD) and were divided into four sedimentary facies (units 1-4). The variations in grain size distribution and sand content with depth were very similar to the variations in magnetic susceptibility. Various minerals such as smectite, chlorite, illite, kaolinite, quartz, and plagioclase were detected throughout the core. The average clay mineral composition was dominated by illite (52.7 %) and smectite (27.7 %), with less abundant clay minerals of chlorite (11.0 %) and kaolinite (8.6 %). The IC and illite chemical index showed strong correlation trends with depth. The increase in illite and chlorite content during the glacial period, together with the IC and chemical index values, suggest that sediments were transported from the bedrocks of the Transantarctic Mountains. During the interglacial period, smectite may have been supplied by the surface current from Victoria Land, in the western Ross Sea. High values for IC and the illite chemical index also indicate relatively warm climate conditions during that period.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.39-54
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• 2021

Damyang Wetland, a riverine wetland, has been designated as the first wetland protection area in South Korea and is a candidate area for the Mudeungsan Area UNESCO Global Geopark. The Damyang Wetland area is the upstream part of the Yeongsan River and is now a relatively wide plain. To reconstruct the sedimentary environment around the Damyang Wetland, core samples were obtained, and sedimentary facies analysis, AMS and OSL age dataings, grain size, and geochemical analyses were carried out. In addition, comprehensive sedimentary environment changes were reconstructed using previous core data obtained from this wetland area. In the Yeongsan River upstream area, where the Damyang Wetland is located, fluvial terrace deposits formed during the late Pleistocene are distributed in an area relatively far from the river. As a gravel layer is widely distributed throughout the plains, Holocene sediments were likely deposited in a braided river environment when the sea level stabilized after the middle Holocene. Then, as the sedimentary environment changed from a braided river to a meandering river, the influx of sand-dominated sediments increased, and a floodplain environment was formed around the river. In addition, based on the pollen data, it is inferred that the climate was warm and humid around 6,000 years ago, with wetland deposits forming afterward. The the trench survey results of the river area around the Damyang Wetland show that a well-rounded gravel layer occurs in the lower part, covered by the sand layer. The Damyang Wetland was likely formed after the construction of Damyang Lake in the 1970s, as muddy sediments were deposited on the sand layer.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.128-139
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• 2022

This study aimed to investigate the tectonic setting of the volcanic edifice at Mt. Baekdu by analyzing petrochemical characteristics of Holocene felsic volcanic rocks distributed in the Baekdusan stratovolcano edifice and summit of the Cheonji caldera rim, as well as Pleistocene mafic rocks of the Gaema lava plateau and Changbaishan shield volcano edifice. During the early eruption phases, mafic eruption materials, with composition ranging from alkali basalt to trachybasalt, or from subalkaline (tholeiitic) basalt to basaltic andesite formed the Gaema lava plateau and Changbaishan shield volcanic edifice, whereas the Baekdusan stratovolcano edifice and Holocene tephra deposits near the summit of the Cheonji caldera comprises trachytic and rhyolitic compositions. Analysis results revealed bimodal compositions with a lack of 54-62 SiO₂, between the felsic and mafic volcanic rocks. This suggested that magmatic processes occurred at the locations of extensional tectonic settings in the crust. Mafic volcanic rocks were plotted in the field of within-plate volcanic zones or between within-plate alkaline and tholeiite zones on the tectonic discrimination diagram, and it was in good agreement with the results of the TAS diagram. Felsic volcanic rocks were plotted in the field of within-plate granite tectonic settings on discrimination diagrams of granitic rocks. None of the results were plotted in the field of arc islands or continental margin arcs. The primitive mantle-normalized spider diagram did not show negative (-) anomalies of Nb and Ti, which are distinctive characteristics of subduction-related volcanic rocks, but exhibited similar patterns of ocean island basalt. Trace element compositions showed no evidence of, magmatic processes related to subduction zones, indicating that the magmatic processes forming the Baekdusan volcanic field occurred in an intraplate environment. The distribution of shallow earthquakes in this region supports the results. The volcanic rocks of the Baekdusan volcanic field are interpreted as the result of intraplate volcanism originating from the upwelling of mantle material during the Cenozoic era.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.243-251
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• 2024

In this study, a surface geological survey was first conducted to investigate aggregate resources in the Yeongam area of Jeollanam-do, and a drilling survey was conducted in the lower part of the surface, which was difficult to identify through a surface geological survey, to determine the spatial distribution of aggregates. Drilling sites were selected considering the topographical development and Quaternary alluvium characteristics of the study area, and river aggregate drilling surveys were conducted at a total of 5 points and land aggregate drilling surveys were conducted at a total of 28 points. Borehole core sediments were classified into seven sedimentary units to determine whether they could be used as aggregates, and optically stimulated luminescence dating was performed on representative boreholes to measure the depositional period for each sedimentary unit. As a result of the study, most of the Yeongam area had a very wide river basin, so it was estimated that there would be a large amount of aggregate, but the amount of aggregate was evaluated to be very small compared to other cities and counties. Most of the unconsolidated sedimentary layers in the Yeongam area are composed of blue-grey marine clay with a vertical thickness of more than 10 m. The sand-gravel layer corresponding to the aggregate section is distributed in the lower part of the marine clay, thinly covering the bedrock weathering zone. This is because the amount of aggregates themselves is small and most of the aggregates are distributed at a depth of 10 m below the surface, which is currently difficult to develop, so the possibility of developing aggregates is evaluated to be very low. As a result of dating, it can be seen that the blue-grey marine clay layer is an intertidal sedimentary layer formed as the sea level rose rapidly about 10,000 years ago. The deposition process continued from 10,000 years ago to the present, and as a result, a very thick clay layer was deposited. This clay layer was formed very dominantly for about 6,000 to 8,000 years, and the sand-gravel layer in the section where aggregates deposited in the Pleistocene period can exist was measured to have been deposited at about 13.0 to 19.0 ka, and about 50 ka, showing that it was deposited as paleo-fluvial deposits before the marine transgression process.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.447-468
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• 1996

The peat layer was deposited on the abandoned channel of incised meander of River Banbyuncheon with 7 meter thickness on Youngyang basin. The late Quaternary environmental change on the study area was discussed based on pollen anaalysis and radiocarbon-dating from this peat. The swamp which was caused to sediment the peat, was produced by which the fan debris from the adjacent slope damed the waterflow on the abandoned channel. The peat layer contains continuous vegetational history from 60,000y.B.P. to Recent. The peat deposit was divided into two layers by the organic thin sand horizon, which was sedimented at one time and made unconformity between the lower decomposed compact peat layers and the upper fresh fiberous peat layer. As the result of the pollen analysis, both peat layers from the two boring sites, Profile YY1 and Profile YY2 were divided into five Pollenzones(Pollenzone I, II, III, IV and V) and 12 Subzones which were mainly corresponded by the AP (Arboreal Pollen)-Dominance. The two profiles have some differences on the sedimentary facies and on the pollen composition as well. Therefore these were in common with the Pollenone III, however the Pollenzone I and II existed only on the Profile YY1 and the Pollenzone IV and V existed only on the Profile YY2. The lower layer containing the Pollenzone I, II and III revealed vegetational records of Pleistocene, which was characterized as tundra-like landscape and thin forested landscapes. It represented the NAP (Non-Arboreal Pollen)-period with a plenty of Artemisia sp., Sanguisorba sp., Umbelliferae, Gramineae and Cyperaceae. However a relatively high proportion of the boreal trees with Picea sp., Pinus sp. and Betula sp. as AP was observed in the lower layer. The upper layer contained the Pollenzone IVb and V and vegetational history in Holocene which was characterized by thick forested landscape with rich tree pollen. It represented AP-period with plenty of Pinus sp. and Quercus sp. as temperate trees. The temperature fluctuation supposed from the vegetational records is as follows; the Pollenzone I(Betula-Dominance, about 57,000y.B.P.) represents relatively cold period. The Pollenzone II(EMW-Domi-nance, 57,000-43,000y.B.P.)represents relatively warm period. This period is supposed to be Interstadial, the transi-tional stage from Alt- to Mittel Wurm. The Pollenzone III(Butula-, Pinus- and Picea-Dominace in turns, 43,000-15,000y.B.P.) reproesents cold period which had been built from Mittel-to Jung Wurm. Especially the Subzone IIId represents the coldest period throughout the Pollenzone III. It is corresponds to Wurm Glacial Maximu. It is supposed that the mean temperature in July of this period was coller about 10${^\circ}$C than present. The Pollenzone IV and V represent the vegetational history of Holocene. Tilia, Quercus and Pinus were dominant in turns during this period. Subzone IVb and Pollenzone I and II at east coastal plain of Korean penninsula reported by JO(1979).