• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.165-165
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• 2003

A borehole core ECSDP-102 (about 68.5 m long) has been investigated to get information on paleoenvironmental changes in response to the sea-level fluctuations during the period of late Quaternary. Several AMS $\^$14/C ages show that the core ECSDP-102 recorded the depositional environments of the northern East China Sea for approximately 60 ka. The Yangtze River discharged huge amounts of sediment into the northern East China Sea during the marine isotope stage (MIS) 3. In particular, $\delta$$\^$13/Corg values reveal that the sedimentary environments of the northern East China Sea, which is similar to the Holocene conditions, have taken place three times during the MIS 3. It is supported by the relatively enriched $\delta$$\^$13/Corg values of -23 to -21$\textperthousand$ during the marine settings of MIS 3 that are characterized by the predominance of marine organic matter akin to the Holocene. Furthermore, we investigated the three Holocene sediment cores, ECSDP-101, ECSDP-101 and YMGR-102, taken from the northern East China Sea off the mouth of the Yangtze River and from the southern Yellow Sea, respectively. Our study was focused primarily on the onset of the post-glacial marine transgression and the reconstructing of paleoenvironmental changes in the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea during the Holocene. AMS $\^$14/C ages indicate that the northern East China Sea and the southern Yellow Sea began to have been flooded at about 13.2 ka BP which is in agreement with the initial marine transgression of the central Yellow Sea (core CC-02). $\delta$$\^$18/O and $\delta$$\^$13/C records of benthic foraminifera Ammonia ketienziensis and $\delta$$\^$13/Corg values provide information on paleoenvironmental changes from brackish (estuarine) to modem marine conditions caused by globally rapid sea-level rise since the last deglaciation. Termination 1 (T1) ended at about 9.0-8.7 ka BP in the southern and central Yellow Sea, whereas T1 lasted until about 6.8 ka BP in the northern East China Sea. This time lag between the two seas indicates that the timing of the post-glacial marine transgression seems to have been primarily influenced by the bathymetry. The present marine regimes in the northern East China Sea and the whole Yellow Sea have been contemporaneously established at about 6.0 ka BP. This is strongly supported by remarkably changes in occurrence of benthic foraminiferal assemblages, $\delta$$\^$18/O and $\delta$$\^$13/C compositions of A. ketienziensis, TOC content and $\delta$$\^$13/Corg values. The $\delta$$\^$18/O values of A. ketienziensis show a distinct shift to heavier values of about 1$\textperthousand$ from the northern East China Sea through the southern to central Yellow Sea. The northward shift of $\^$18/O enrichment may reflect gradually decrease of the bottom water temperature in the northern East China Sea and the Yellow Sea.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.463-471
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• 2018

In this paper, we review previous studies on the relative sea-level changes in the Yellow Sea during the Holocene to comprehensive understand the various research results. Currently, it is reported two theories : 1) the Holocene sea-level has never been higher than the present-day level; and 2) sea-level have reached highstand during mid-Holocene, followed by slow lowering to that of the present. The first theory yields a curve that is similar to a climate-change-related eustatic sea-level curve. However, in reality, most of the relative sea-level fluctuation resulted from land uplift or subsidence. The second theory yields a curve that is fairly coincident with a relative sea-level curve indicative of continental margins being located away from the ice sheets(i.e., far-field), and is considered as an effect of GIA(Glacio Isostatic Adjustment) and gravitational attraction. Based on detailed review of previous researches, we realized that they sourced the same papers, but obtained different results because they selectively chose and added the data. The data used to derive the second theory pertain to the northern Gunsan region, which is located within the western area of the Chugaryeong fault. Thus, we believe that the sea-level curve for the second theory is only representative of the area north of Gunsan, which is subject to GIA and tectonic deformation. Although the relative sea-level curve for the west coastal area is comparable to that for the far-field continental margin region, it is necessary to evaluate local tectonic activities as suggested by active seismicity in the west coastal area and the more than 400 faults currently existing in on the Korean Peninsula.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.46-66
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• 2002

High-resolution multichannel seismic data were collected in the coastal area near the Gori nuclear power plant to investigate Quaternary fault pattern and timing. A 12 channel streamer, a sparker, and a portable recorder were used for data acquisition. Because the group interval of the streamer was 6.25 m and the sparker can generate acoustic waves with the frequency content of up to 500 Hz, the data show a significant improvement both in horizontal and vertical resolution. The area surveyed is covered with 30-40 m thick Holocene sediments that constitute the mud belt along the southeastern coast of Korea. The survey area is characterized by the well discriminated Pleistocene and Holocene boundary and shallow gas-charged zones. A number of Quaternary faults were found in the sediment column, that are nearly vertical and extend north-south. The Quaternary faults, arranged at a spacing of a few hundred meters, suggest that they were formed in response to compression, although some of them reveal extensional characteristics. Locally, faults disrupt Incised-channel fills that are interpreted to have formed in the early stage of transgression after the beginning of the Holocene. Seismic sections suggest that shallow gas in the mud belt sediments made its way upward through the fractured fault planes. The tectonism responsible for the opening of the East Sea has not persisted since the late Miocene, but vigorous Quaternary faulting activity in the vicinity of the southeastern Korean Peninsula indicates that tectonic stability has yet to be achieved in this region underlain by the hotter than normal mantle.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2006

Analyses of sedimentological and geochemical parameters from two radiocarbon-dated sediment cores (JM98-845-PC and JM98-818-PC) retrieved from the central part of Isfjorden, Svalbard, in the Arctic Sea, reveal detailed paleoclimatic and paleoceanographic histories over the last 15,000 radiocarbon years. The overconsolidated diamicton at the base of core JM98-845-PC is supposed to be a basal till deposited beneath pounding glacier that had advanced during the LGM (Last Glacial Maximum). Deglaciation of the fjord commenced after the glacial maximum, marked by the deposition of interlaminated sand and mud in the ice-proximal zone by subglacial meltwater discharge, and prevailed between 13,700 and 10,800 yr B.P. with enriched-terrigenous organic materials. A return to colder conditions occurred at around 10,800 yr B.P. with a drop in TOC content, which is probably coincident with the Younger Dryas event in the North Atlantic region. At this time, an abrupt decrease of TOC content as well as an increase in C/N ratio suggests enhanced terrigenous input due to the glacial readvance. A climatic optimum is recognized between 8,395 and 2,442 yr B.P., coinciding with 'a mid-Holocene climatic optimum' in Northern Hemisphere sites (e.g., the Laurentide Ice sheet). During this time, as the sea ice receded from the fjord, enhanced primary productivity occurred in open marine conditions, resulting in the deposition of organic-enriched pebbly mud with evidence of TOC maxima and C/N ratio minima in sediments. Fast ice also disappeared from the coast, providing the maximum of IRD (ice-rafted debris) input. Around 2,442 yr B.p. (the onset of Neoglacial), pebbly mud, characterized by a decrease in TOC content, reflects the formation of more extensive sea ice and fast ice, which might cause decreased primary productivity in the surface water, as evidenced by a decrease in TOC content. Our results provide evidence of climatic change on the Svalbard fjords that helps to refine the existence and timing of late Pleistocene and Holocene millennial-scale climatic events in the Northern Hemisphere.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.33-42
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• 1995

우리나라의 서해(West Sea)는 일명 황해(Yellow Sea)라고 일컬어지는 약 40여 m의 평균 수심을 갖는 대륙붕 해저지형 분지에 의하여 지배되는 전형적 육연해이다, 그런데 이 바다는 중심부(황해의 중심부)를 기준으로 하여 중국 대륙의 산동반도에서 양가강 하구에 이르는 서부 해안을 가지며 북부에는 발해만의 해안이 있고 동부에는 서해(황해) 특유의 넓 은 조수환경(tidal environment)과 조수해안이 발달한다. 그러나 남쪽으로는 북서태평양과 연결된다. 한국 서해안이 평균 4m 이상의 조차(tidal range)를 나타내는 조간대 조수환경이 며 조간대 해저지형(intertidal morphology)이 전형적인 퇴적층(체)에 의하여 지배되는 여러 가지 특징을 나타낸다. 서해안 조수환경은 네델란드, 독일 또는 지배되는 여러 가지 특징을 나타낸다. 서해안 조수환경은 네델란드 독일 또는 미국의 경우와 같이 연구가 잘되어 세계 적으로 널리 알려진 소위 barrier island system and tidal depositional environments와는 크 게 다른 퇴적과정과 환경이다. 경기도 남양만의 조수 환경의 경우, 조간대 해저지형 요소인 조류로(tidal channel)와 조간대 정규해저(intertidal zone proper)에 관한 동력적 퇴적과정 연 구결과 조간대 특유의 lateral sedimentation 과 vertical sedimentation 2가지 퇴적과정중 후 자의 퇴적과정이 우세한 것으로 밝혀졌고 이러한 퇴적과정의 진행이 매우 안정한 지속성을 가지는 것이 특징이다, 이러한 퇴적과정의 조간대 퇴적물의 쇄설 입자는 약 20% 미만의 모 래(sand) 입자 50~70%의 실트(silt) 와 점토(clay) 입자가 20~30%에 달하는 입자조직 (grain texture)의 퇴적상을 나타낸다. 결과적으로 조간대의 동력적인 조수수괴의 수위(level of tidal water)는 평균 만조선과 평균 저조선으로 한정되며 이것은 퇴적과정과 퇴적작용의 조정(control) 요인으로 조간대 퇴적상의 발달과 분포에 큰 영향을 미친다, 예를들면 남양만 등의 대부분의 서해안 조간대 표층 퇴적상(녁\ulcorner미 sedimentary faci-es)은 만조선에서 간조 선에 가까울수록 조립화현상(coarsening trend)을 나타낸다. 이러한 퇴적상 변화는 저조선에 서 만조선으로의 조간대 지형과 주조수로의 지형.수력학적 특성이 다음과 같기 때문이다. a) a general decrease in width b) a general decrease in depth c) a general decrease in maximum and average current velocities d) a general increase in contents of suspended mud e) a general decrease in grain size of the bottom sand and an increasing abundance of muddy deposits. 우리나라 서해안 조간대 퇴적층(체)의 수직 층서(vertical stratigraphy)는 지난 3여년동안의 수십개의 vibracoring(주상시추)에 의하여 매우 흥미롭고 중요하게 밝혀지고 있는바 이것은 현세(Holocene)와 선현세(preHolocene: 11000 years BP)의 오랜시간 경과에 따른 조수환경 변화의 수직퇴적 과정과 기후 해수면 변화의 현상에 원인이 있다고 해석된다.(박용안 외, 1992-1995)결과적으로 서해안 조수퇴적체(층)의 분지주변(basim margin)진화과정이 밝혀지 고 있다.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.39-56
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• 2002

The results of geoarchaeological studies of the prehistoric cultural complexes on the Russian Far East (Primorye, or Maritime Province; the Amur River basin; and Sakhalin Island) are presented. Upper Palaeolithic sites are dated to ca. 40,000-10,500 B.P. They existed during the mild climate of the Chernoruchie interstadial (ca. 40,000-21,000 B.P.); during harsh climate at the Last Glacial Maximum, ca. 20,000-18,000 B.P., in several places on the Russian Far East (Primorye, Amur River basin, and Sakhalin); and during climatic amelioration in the Late Glacial time, ca. 16,000-10,500 B.P. The earliest Neolithic sites, represented by Osipovka and Gromatukha cultures, existed at ca. 13,000-10,000 B.P. in the environment of coniferous forests with admixture of broadleaved taxa. Since ca. 8000 B.P., Neolithic cultures appeared in all of the Russian Far East. They existed until ca. 3000 B.P., first during the Holocene Climatic Optimum, ca. 8000-5000 B.P., in the environment of coniferous-broadleaved forests, and later, at ca. 5000-3000 B.P., in the environment of birch-oak and coniferous forests.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.18 no.2 s.23
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• pp.3-3
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• 2004

One short core with length of 146cm(HB-107, at coordinates of $N51^{\circ}$11'37.5";$E100^{\circ}$24'45.6", from 229m water depth was subject of the present study. The sub-samples of the core were analyzed for the water contents (WC%), biogenic silica, identification of the main phases, grain size distribution, geochemistry and some physical properties of sediment(Wet density and Magnetic susceptibility) with aims of recording palaeo-environmental changes in Northem Mongolia. The evaluation of the geochemical and mineralogical proxies on palaeo-climated and palaeo-environmental changes are based on comparison to the behvior of biogenic silica through core, as later one had been showed itself, as good indicator of the climate and environmental fluctuation. Age model of the investigating core based on previously C 14 dated core HB105 taken from the central part of the Hobsgol Lake and the result had been published elsewhere. The core consists of two litological varieties : upper diatomaceous silt, lower clay. According to the age model the upper diatomaceous silt formed during the Holocene, lower caly-during the late Pleistocene glacial period. The geochemistry and phase identification analysis on the core samples are resulted in determining main minerals that form the bottom sediments and their geochemistry. The main include quartz, felspar, muscovite, clinochlore, amphibole and carbonate phase(dolomite and calcite). Through the core not only occur the relative quantitative changes of the main phases, but also happen that the carbonate phase completely disappear in diatomaceous silt. This is believed to be related to the lake water salinity changes, which occurred during the trassition period from Pleistocene glacial-to the Holocene interglacial. These abrupt changes of the mineralogy have been clearly traced in geochemistry of sediments, specially in calcium concentration, which is high in lower clay and low in upper diatomaceous silt. That means, geochemistry and mineralogy of the bottom sediments can be used as proxy data on palaeo-climate and palaeo-environmental changes.

• 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.18 no.2 s.23
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• pp.17-17
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• 2004

The Pleistocene lake level and climate development is described by proxies from sediment, pollen and diatom records in Mongolia and Northwest-China. It could be proved that higher lake levels seem to have existed during the old and mid Pleistocene period interpreted on the base of geomorphological and sedimentological reords. They are dated in a relativ time scale. The lake basins are filled up to 300 m by limnic deposits, which foused on a constant water balance of more than 700.000 years. Late Glacial and Holocene lake level fluctuations and climate changes can be proved by biostratigraphic records pointing to dry and wet phases. Only for the youngest history desiccation of some lakes are related to human impact.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.439-449
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• 2016

Understanding the variability of the monsoon system requires information about the changes in the past. We revealed the Mid- and Late-Holocene paleo-climate changes and Asian monsoon variations in Korea by the speleothem records from Pyeongchang. To this, we used thicknesses of growth laminae, stable-isotope analysis (carbon, oxygen), and radio-carbon age dating. The speleothem grew between ~4580 yr BP to ~660 yr BP and we identified several weak AM(Asian monsoon) events, such as Middle Bronze Age Cold Epoch, Iron Age Cold Epoch, and Dark Age Cold Period. These events might have occurred relatively early compared to those of other studies.