• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.59-78
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• 2019

The physical and chemical characteristics of more than 5 m sandy deposits behind the beach in Sinji-do Island are investigated and its burial ages are estimated using Optically Stimulated Luminescence. By the estimated burial ages of the sandy deposits, this section is divided into four sub-units: Unit I (6.2 ka), Unit II (23.2 ka), Unit III (115.9 ka), and Unit IV (115.9 to 127.5 ka). It can be proposed that the Unit I of a coarse sand deposited during the Holocene Climatic Optimum. Unit II, supposed to be the aeolian sediments, formed during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). It can be supposed that the study area was not affected by the marine processes during the LGM, directly. Unit III is more consolidated deposits of coarse silt to fine sand and deposited during the Last Interglacial Period. Unit IV mainly consist of beach gravels with sandy matrix deposited during the Marine Isotope Stage 5e (MIS 5e), and thus indicates that the sea level of the southwest sea had risen 3 to 5 m above present sea level during the MIS 5e.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.137-145
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• 1998

In order to investigate the paleotidal structure and current pattern in the Yellow and East China seas (YECS) since the late Wisconsin, which is the last glacial maximum period, a two-dimensional version of the Princeton ocean model is used. We assume that subtracting the sea-level differences from the present one can produce paleobasins and that the paleotide did not differ greatly from the present one in the adjacent deep seas, the northwestern Pacific Ocean and the East Sea. We could successfully simulate the paleo-M$_2$ tides and tidal currents of 9000, 11000 and 13000 yr B.P. The result of the model shows considerable differences in the tidal pattern in each period. As the eustatic sea level rose, the amplitudes of the paleotides and the number of the amphidromic points generally increased, but the tidal currents in each paleobasin were strong and about the same order as the present day's. Based on these paleotide calculations, we suggest that there should have been active erosion in the paleobasin as in the present YECS, and the erosion should have played an important role on widening the paleobasin to the present shape, YECS.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.297-303
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• 2017

In central and southern Korea, the two small insectivorous, terrestrial herbs, Utricularia bifida and U. caerulea, often co-occur at wet locations (or in wetlands). The Korean Peninsula (with central China and northern Japan) constitutes the northern edge of their distribution, as their main range is subtropical and tropical Asia. The Korean populations of both species are very likely of post-glacial origin, given that warm-temperate vegetation was absent from the Korean Peninsula during the Last Glacial Maximum. Two hypotheses of the post-glacial colonization of the peninsula can be formulated; first, if current populations were founded by propagules coming from a single ancestral population (i.e., a single refugium), we would expect low levels of genetic diversity. Alternatively, if contemporary Korean populations originated from multiple sources (multiple refugia), we would expect high levels of genetic variation. To test which is more likely, we surveyed the degree of allozyme variation at 20 loci in ten populations for each of the two species from southern Korea. We found no allozyme variation within each species. However, their aquatic congener U. australis exhibited allozyme polymorphism across Japan (four polymorphic loci at three enzyme systems). We suggest that southern Korean populations of Utricularia bifida and U. caerulea were established by a single introduction event from a genetically depauperate ancestral population.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.242-258
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• 2012

The Yellow Sea has sensitively responded to high-amplitude sea-level fluctuations during the late Quaternary. The repeated inundation and exposure have produced distinct transgression-regression successions with extensive exposure surfaces in Kyeonggi Bay. The late Quaternary strata consist of four seismic stratigraphic units, considered as depositional sequences (DS-1, DS-2, DS-3, and DS-4). DS-1 was interpreted as ridge-forming sediments of tidal-flat and estuarine channel-fill facies, formed during the Holocene highstand. DS-2 consists of shallow-marine facies in offshore area, which was formed during the regression of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS)-3 period. DS-3 comprises the lower transgressive facies and the upper highstand tidal-flat facies in proximal ridges and forced regression facies in distal ridges and offshore area. The lowermost DS-4 rests on acoustic basement rocks, considered as the shallow-marine and shelf deposits formed before the MIS-6 lowstand. This study suggests six depositional stages. During the first stage-A, MIS-6 lowstand, the Yellow Sea shelf was subaerially exposed with intensive fluvial incision and weathering. The subsequent rapid and high amplitude rise of sea level in stage-B until the MIS-5e highstand produced transgressive deposits in the lowermost part of the MIS-5 sequence, and the successive regression during the MIS-5d to -5a and the MIS-4 lowstand formed the upperpart of the MIS-5 sequence in stage-C. During the stage-D, from the MIS-4 lowstand to MIS-3c highstand period, the transgressive MIS-3 sequence formed in a subtidal environment characterized by repetitive fluvial incision and channel-fill deposition in exposed area. The subsequent sea-level fall culminating the last glacial maximum (Stage-E) made shallow-marine regressive deposits of MIS-3 sequence in offshore distal area, whereas it formed fluvial channel-fills and floodplain deposits in the proximal area. After the last glacial maximum, the overall Yellow Sea shelf was inundated by the Holocene transgression and highstand (Stage-F), forming the Holocene transgressive shelf sands and tidal ridges.

• 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).

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.279-290
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• 2012

Plecoglossus altivelis (ayu) is an amphidromous fish widely distributed in Northeastern Asia from the East China Sea to the northern Japanese coastal waters, encompassing the Korean Peninsula within its range. The shore lines of northeastern region in Asia have severely fluctuated following glaciations in the Quaternary. In the present study, we investigate the population genetic structure and historical demographic change of P. altivelis at a population level in East Asia. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) based on 244 mitochondrial control region DNA sequences clearly showed that as the sampling scope extended to a larger geographic area, genetic differentiation began to become significant, particularly among Northeastern populations. A series of hierarchical AMOVA could detect the genetic relationship of three closely located islands between Korea and Japan that might have been tightly connected by the regional Tsushima current. Neutrality and mismatch distribution analyses revealed a strong signature of a recent population expansion of P. altivelis in East Asia, estimated at 126 to 391 thousand years ago during the late Pleistocene. Therefore it suggests that the present population of P. altivelis traces back to its approximate demographic change long before the last glacial maximum. This contrasts our a priori expectation that the most recent glacial event might have the most crucial effect on the present day demography of marine organisms through bottleneck and subsequent increase of effective population size in this region.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.243-250
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• 2005

Analysis of high-resolution seismic profiles acquired from the inner shelf off the southern coast of Korea reveals that the inner shelf sequence can be divided into three stratigraphic units formed after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Unit I is characterized by complex seismic facies including semi-transparent, stratified, and hummocky reflections on seismic records. It consists of sandy mud or muddy sand, deposited under estuarine environment during the post-glacial transgression. Unit II acoustically shows semi-transparent or hummocky reflections and consists of sand with gravels and shell debris, produced by shoreface erosion during the transgression. Unit III is characterized by transparent or semi-transparent seismic facies and consists of mud originated from the Nakdong and Seomjin rivers during recent highstand of sea level. Unit III is confined to the inner shelf with an extenal form of stratal wedge.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 2005

This study aims to study the distribution and formation age of Quaternary deposits in the downstream of Yeongsan Estuarine River, encompassing Muan, Illo and Donggang counties. For this purpose the authors examine several borehole data, and step trench survey for excellent profiles was studied in connection with grain size population and magnetic susceptibility. As a result, it is interpreted that the coastal plain of the Yeongsan River was formed by sea level rise after Last Glacial Maximum(LGM). The fore edge/escarpment of coastal terraces distributed 7-10 m asl is assumed to be formed during the last glacial period, while the coastal terraces distributed above 7-10m asl formed during MIS 5a. In addition, the fore edge/escarpment of coastal terraces distributed above 15 m asl is presumed to be have been formed during the stadial of last interglacial period, while the formation age of coastal terraces distributed above 15m(asl) is assumed to be MIS 5e. This formation age can be estimated by the coastal terrace ages of the southeastern coast of Korean Peninsula. The characteristics of Quaternary deposits linked to paleolithic culture will eventually lead to the reconstruction of ecosystem environment of paleolithic peoples.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.43-61
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• 2018

Heterogeneous sedimentary deposits with different soil colors and various degree of hardness are exposed in its foredune and tidal zone due to the effects of recently accelerated coastal erosion along the Ujeon Coast in Jeung-do, Shinan-gun. This study was conducted on the assumption that these sedimentary deposits were developed in different timing and environments. Thus, we can infer the geomorphic development processes of the area based on evidences like the physicochemical characteristics of each sedimentary layer. Several analysis of these sedimentary depositssuch as grain size analysis, X-ray Fluorescence Measurement (XRF), and Loss on ignition (LOI) were performed on central (Ujeon A) and southern (Ujeon B) parts of the Ujeon Coast. I found that the foredune sedimentary deposits have four stages of geomorphic development processes. In the initial stage of development, during the peak of the Last Interglacial Period (MIS 5e), basal deposits were accumulated in the low-energy environment of subtidal zones. In the second stage, during the Last Glacial Period (MIS 4~MIS 2), eolian sedimentary layers were developed by terrestrial aeolian processes by which fine materials were transported from the Yellow Sea which became a dry land exposed by lowered sea level. In the third stage, various mechanism existed for the formation of each sedimentary layer. In the region of Ujeon A, sedimentary layers were developed in the littoral zone environment dominated by marine processes during the maximum phase of transgression in the Holocene. Meanwhile, the region of Ujeon B began to form eolian sedimentary layers during MIS 2. In the last stage, thick coastal dune deposits, covered all over the Ujeon Coast. During the late Holocene (0.7~0.6 ka), terrestrial processes kept dominating the region, developing typical eolian sedimentary layers.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.55-58
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• 2005

A 120-cm core recovered from Lake Hovsgol, the northern Mongolia provides evidence for climate variability since the Marine Isotope Stage 3, representing a sharp lithological change. The lowermost part of the core consists of diatom-barren calcareous silty clay without coarse sands, framboidal pyrite, and biogenic components deposited during the MIS 3. Following the last glacial maximum, in-situ moss is included in the sediments, as lake-level was retreated by cold and dry environment with low precipitation. The AMS radiocarbon ages of the plant fragments match a marked lithologic boundary between 14,060 and 14,325 $^{14}C$ yr BP. The contents of coarse sands abruptly increase, indicating probably wind-derived sandy dust or coarse grains contributed from floating icebergs. And abundant framboidal pyrite grains were deposited in an anoxic environment, as reflected by high accumulation of organic matters at a low lake stand. During the deglaciation, quantities of coarse sands, ostracod, shell fragments, framboidal pyrite, and diatom markedly varies by regional and global scale climate regimes. Some allochthonous coarse sands were probably ice-rafted debris derived from floating icebergs. A rapid increase in diatom productivity probably marked the onset of Bolling-Allerod warming. Subsequent high concentration of framboidal pyrite probably represents a dry and cold condition, such as Younger Drays events. Consistent warm period with high precipitation at Holocene is documented by diatomaceous clayey ooze without framboidal pyrite, coarse sands, and ostracod.