• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.27-40
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• 1990

$^{14}C$ age dating by AMS (accelerator mass spectrometry) technique was performed on twenty five small sized fossil shells and one peat taken from the sixteen piston cores in the southern and southeastern Korean Sea. AMS technique is available to date only a few milligram of amorphous carbons compare than conventional dating technique. It is described in detail of sample pre-treatment and experimental, and applied to the reconstruction of the sea level changes since the late Pleistocene in the Korean Sea. Dated age ranges from 520$\pm$100 to older than 33,500 years. Sedimentary facies in the study area represents a different environmental set which is affected by sea level fluctuation since the late Pleistocene.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2001

April∼August precipitation (141 years : A.D. 1858∼1998) of Mt. Sorak region (East-central Korea) was reconstructed using a tree-ring chronology of Pinus densiflora sampled from Beakdam Shelter area. During the reconstructed Periods, dry periods were 1880∼1887, 1893∼1901 and 1922∼1938, and wet one 1906∼1918. In the long-term variation, the late 19th and early 20th century were drier than the late 20th century. Major wet/dry periodicities in April∼August precipitation series reconstructed were 3.16 and 4.14 years, indicating that short-term variation were more prominent than long-term one.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.55-68
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• 1989

This paper presents examples of the computer-aided zonation and correlation of pollen data from the Late-glacial to Holocene stratigraphic sequences at four sites in central Iowa, U.S.A. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient matrix and first four components of Principal components analysis plotted in a stratigraphic order are combined to provide an excellent zonation of the pollen data at each site. Correlation of the four pollen sequences are conducted by Principal components analysis of the data sets combined in one. The first and second principal components successfully provide correlation lines that match fairly closely the zone boundaries of each pollen sequence. The third and fourth components, in contrast, are greatly different from site to site, representing the unique pollen assemblages at each site.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.219-230
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• 2006

Since the key issue that 'the Yangsan fault is seismically an active fault" was raised in 1983, thegeological and geomorphological studies of active fault have been made by many researchers. These studies are mainly focused on the Yangsan fault system(YFS) and Ulsan fault system(UFS) due to many historical earthquakes occurred in this area. There are two different types of active faultings under the ENE-WSW horizontal stress field in the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula. The NNE-trending YFS is the most prominent right-lateral strike-slip fault and has a continuous trace about 200 km long. Some part of this system has been active during the late Quaternary with evidences clearly recognized on both the northern (Yugyeri and Tosung-ri areas) and southern parts (Eonyang to Tongdosa area) of the YFS. in the southern part, the estimated vertical slip rate is about 0.02 - 0.07 mm/yr, and the lateral slip rate may be several times larger than the vertical rate. The most recent event occurred prior to deposition of Holocene alluvium, in the northern part, the fault trend locally changes to almost N-S, dips to the east and has reverse movement. The average vertical slip rate is estimated to be less than 0.1 mm/yr. The most recent event probably occurred after 1314 years BP (AD 536). The NNW-SSE (or N-S) trending UFS is a predominantly reverse fault that built up U-ie eastern mountain and has been active during U-ie late Quaternary. The fault trace is not straight but irregularly undulates along the foot of the mountain on the east. From the disturbed terraces along U-ie fault, the average vertical slip rate on U-iis system is estimated to be about 0.08.13mm/yr. The latest event is not well studied, but seems to have occurred after the last glacial maximum in the Malbang fault and 14,000 years BP in the Kalgok fault of the UFS. However, important issues such as fault segmentation, recurrence interval, age of Quaternary deposits need further studies.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.159-178
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• 2012

Since the suggestions on the paleo-glacial landforms in and around the northern high mountains of Korean Peninsula by some western and Japanese scientists in the early 1900s, the likelihood of the glacier existence in the Baekdusan over the Quaternary glacial period has been had in common among most of the Korean geomorphologists. In the other meaning, some have cast doubt on the likelihood the paleo-glacier in the Baekdusan because there has been no unequivocal evidences for the glacier such as striation, moraines, except morphologic characteristic landforms possibly related to glacier. Here we show some evidences for the existence of the glacier in the Baekdusan and their cosmogenic $^{36}Cl$ exposure ages over the late Quaternary and would put forward a model on the Quaternary landscape evolution of the Baekdusan, with a focus on the relationship of 1000 AD explosive eruption and the glacial landforms. The exposure ages constrained by cosmogenic $^{36}Cl$ abundances of the col surface of the western slope located below the glacier yield 46~26 ka, which is inphase with the last glacial period. Given all the evidences above, we can draw a conclusion that the glacier existed on the Baekdusan over the late Quaternary and the style of glaciation changed from extensive ice cap through valley glacier to restricted cirque.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.369-379
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• 2003

Analysis of high-resolution seismic profiles and sediment data from the southeastern continental shelf of Korea reveals that the late Quaternary deposits consist of a set of lowstand (LST), transgressive (TST), and highstand systems tracts (HST) that corresponds to the sea-level change after the Last Glacial Maximum. LST (Unit I) above the sequence boundary consists of sandy mud or muddy sand deposited during the last glacial period and is confined to the shelf margin and trough region. TST (Unit II) between transgressive surface and maximum flooding surface consists of sandy sediments deposited during the postglacial transgression (15,000-6,000 yr BP). Although TST is widely distributed on the shelf, it is much thinner than LST and HST. On the basis of distribution pattern, TST can be divided into three sub-units: early TST (Unit IIa) on the shelf margin, middle TST (Unit IIb) on the mid-shelf, and late TST (Unit IIc) on the inner shelf, respectively. These are characterized by a backstepping depositional arrangement. HST(Unit III) above the maximum flooding surface is composed of the fine-grained sediments deposited during the last 6000 yrs when sea level was close to the present level and its distribution is restricted to the inner shelf along the coast.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.17-23
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• 2003

In Korea terrestrial fluvial sequences can be used as pedological and sedimentological markers indicating a millenium-scale environmental and climatic changes imprinted in fluvial sub-environments, which in turn are represented by the cyclicity of fluvial sands, backswamp organic muds, and flooding muds intercalations of frostcracked or dessicated brown paleosols. Post LGM and Holocene fluvial and alluvial sedimentary sequences of Korea are formed in such landscapes of coastal, floodplain, backswamp and hillslope areas. Among them, the most outstanding depositional sequences are fluvial gravels, sands and organic mud deposits in coastal, fluvial, or alluvial wetlands. The aim of this study is to explain the sedimentary sequences and palynofloral zones since the last 15,000years, on the basis of organic muds layers intercalated in fluvial sand deposits. Jangheung-ri site of Nam river, Soro-ri site of Miho river, Youngsan rivermouth site in Muan, Oksan-ri site of Hampyeong and Sanggap-ri site of Gochang are illustrated to interpret their sedimentary facies, radiocarbon datings, and palynofloral zonation. Up to the Middle to Late Last Glacial(up to 30-35Ka), old river-bed, flooding, and backswamp sequences contain such arboreal pollens as Pinus, Abies, and Picea, and rich in non-arboreal pollens like Cyperaceae, Gramineae, Ranunculaceae, and Compositae. During the LGM and post-LGM periods until Younger Dryas, vegetation has changes from the sub-alpine conifer forest(up to about 17-11Ka), through the conifer and broad-leaved deciduous forest, or mixed forest (formed during 16,680-13,010yrB.P), to the deciduous and broad-leaved forest (older than 9,500yrB.P). In the Earliest Holocene flooding deposits, fragments of plant roots are abundant and subjected to intensive pedogenic processes. During Holocene, three arboreal pollen zones are identified in the ascending order of strata； Pinus-Colyus zone(mixed conifer and deciduous broad-leaved forest, about up to 10Ka), Alnus-Quercus forest (the cool temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest, about 10Ka-2Ka), and Pinus forest (the conifer forest, about after 2Ka), as examplified in Soro-ri site of Cheonwon county. The palynological zonations of Soro-ri, Oksan-ri, Sanggap-ri, Youngsan estuary, and Gimhae fluvial plain have been recognized as a provisional correlation tool, and zonations based on fluvial backswamp and flooding deposits shows a similar result with those of previous researchers.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.18 no.2 s.23
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• pp.33-42
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• 2004

In South Korea a Pedo-sedimentary Sequence(PS) indicating the Last Glacial Maximun(LGM) is typified y a brown to dark brown, relatively stiff paleosol layers formed by repetitive freezing and thawing processes which in turn left characteristi glossic textures in soil-solum, polygolnal structures with a flagipans, vertical soil wedges or freezing cracks, and horizontal foliations, As a pre-LGM sedimentary sequences (older than 25Ka), the Old Fluvial Sequence(OFS) overlain by the Slope Sedimentary Sequence(SS) are distributed commonly at the base level higher than 14-15m above present river-bed along the major river basin. After the LGM (ca. 18Ka), the Young Fluvial Sequence(YFS) appears at an altitude ascending order of sedimentary profiles. In this fluvial organic muds of Jangheungri site(Jinju), Sorori site(Cheonwon), and Youngsan estruarine rivermouth(Mokpo) were exemplified in order to interpret their formation ages and environments. As result of $^{14}C$ datings, the formation ages of te organic muds are Boelling to Alleroed (MIS-1). These organic muds were fomed in fluvial backswamp or local pond/bog in response to shifting fluvial system. On the basis of palynological production dominant with Abies/Picea-Betula and Ranunculaceae, Compositae, Cyperaceae, and Graminae, it was interpreted that more boreal to subboreal condition was prevailed rather than temperate like today during the formation of organic muds and soil moisture condition was a repetition of wet and dry condition.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.351-363
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• 2012

Although the Korean peninsula has been considered as a largely aseismic region compared with the surrounding high seismic areas such as North China and Japan, there are more than thirty Quaternary faults reported so far, which are mostly centered in the southeastern peninsula. Structural studies of active faults exposed in Yangnam-myeon of Gyeongju, SE Korea are largely interpreted to post date the late Quaternary, suggesting that the NE-trending reverse faults may result from the active stress regime in the peninsula. The prevailing present-day E-W $S_{Hmax}$ orientations in the peninsula are consistent with the nature of plate forcing stemming from the convergence between the Indo-Australian and Eurasian plates. It is clear that the Quaternary faults have been reactivated, although resolving more elaborate time intervals responsible for a future rupture remains a significant challenge. This study contributes to better assess many of potential seismic hazards in the study area, in particular, in terms of seismic stability for foundation of nuclear power plant.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.127-136
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• 1999

Radiolarian assemblages from KODOS area were analyzed in order to understand the biostratigraphy and paleoceanography of deep-sea sediment from the Northeast Equatorial Pacific. The sediment core was divided into two or three units on the basis of the chemical and physical properties. In the upper sediment, mixtures of Quaternary and Tertiary radiolarians are found indicating active reworking processes. Dissolution of radiolarians seem to increase with depth. Radiolarians are seldom in Unit III presumably due to dissolution and corrosion. The middle part of unit I appears to correspond to Collosphaera invaginata Zone (0.21 Ma). Unit II belongs to Collosphaera tuberosa Zone. Based on the absence of Stylatractus universus, we estimate its age to be younger than 0.42 Ma. Based on our analyses of radiolarians in Unit I and II, we estimated the age of unit III as Tertiary, particularly from Oligocene to Miocene. There may to be hiatuses of more than 3 My from late Miocene to Pliocene, which probably resulted from erosion and dissolution by the Antarctic Bottom Water Sedimentation rates during Quaternary range from 0.15 to 0.50 mm/ky with significant variabilities among stations. Radiolarians in the study area were mostly warm-water species.