• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.898-913
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• 2007

We examined soil properties and provenance of loess-paleosol sequences at the Daebo Granite area of Buan, Jeonbuk Province, South Korea. The section consists of the surface layer, Layer 1(paleosol), Layer 2(loess), Layer 3(paleosol), Layer 4(loess), and Layer 5(paleosol), from top to bottom and thickness of the exposed section is approximately 280cm. The magnetic susceptibility values show the distinct variations between the loess- and the paleosol layer. Even though pH, ORP, water content, and soil hardness do not display the obvious differences in the section, the organic content indicates the variation similar to those of the magnetic susceptibility. In the respect of the soil colors measured under 3 conditions, although the variations of the wet soil color exceedingly reflect the difference of the layers, these variations are obscure in some points in the section due to the characteristics of the Munsell color system. Based on the geomorphological properties, sedimentary structure, the difference of the major element composition and the condrite-normalized rare earth element(REE) patterns showing the clear difference from the adjacent bedrocks and stream sediments and the similarity to those of the Chinese Loess Plateau, it is suggested that the section was formed by the material originated from the Chinese Loess Plateau and peripheral areas. However, because the material experienced the alteration after sedimentation under the environment of the sediment area, it has the properties different from the material in the provenance areas. This phenomenon may result in the climatic condition of Korea, especially in precipitation.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.477-493
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• 2014

This study examines the behaviour of single micropiles subjected to axial tension or compression load in collapsible loess under in-situ moisture content and saturated condition. Five tension loading tests and five compression loading tests on single micropiles were carried out at a typical loess site of the Loess Plateau in Northwest China. A series of laboratory tests, including grain size distribution, specific gravity, moisture content, Atterberg limits, density, granular components, shear strength, and collapse index, were carried out during the micropile loading tests to determine the values of soil parameters. The loess at the test site poses a severe collapse risk upon wetting. The tension or compression load-displacement curves of the micropiles in loess, under in-situ moisture content or saturated condition, can generally be simplified into three distinct regions: an initial linear, a curvilinear transition, and a final linear region, and the bearing capacity or failure load can be interpreted by the L1-L2 method as done in other studies. Micropiles in loess should be considered as frictional pile foundations though the tip resistances are about 10%-15% of the applied loads. Both the tension and compression capacities increase linearly with the ratio of the pile length to the shaft diameter, L/d. For micropiles in loess under in-situ moisture content, the interpreted failure loads or capacities under tension are 66%-87% of those under compression. However, the prewetting of the loess can lead to the reductions of 50% in the tensile bearing capacity and 70% in the compressive bearing capacity.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.161-177
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• 1993

The Yellow Sand Events observed over the Korean peninsula during 22-24 April, 1993 were examined using the synoptic data and GMS visible image to identify the transport path of the Yellow Sand and the main factor governing the duration of the Yellow Sand phenomenon. The 850 hPa convergence chart and the 700 hPa trajectory analyses of the air mass laden with Yellow Sand particles suggested that the Yellow Sand particles observed over Korea were probably transported from the Gobi Desert and the Loess Plateau. The duration of the Yellow Sand Events was about 35-40 hours rather shorter than normal as the high pressure system centered near the Mongolia region moved rapidly toward the Yellow Sea, which drove away the Yellow Sand particles over the Korean peninsula toward the Japan Islands, furthermore the low-level stratification of the air mass over the Korean penishula showed the unstable atmospheric condition leading to atmospheric diffusion of the particles. The trajectory analyses and the GMS visible image indicated that the long-range transport of the air mass laden with the Yellow Sand particles of this case was more dependent on the 700 hPa air flow than on the 850 hPa air flow.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.301-307
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• 2009

To understand the adaptability of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) to chilling stress, we analyzed the antioxidative mechanism during seed germination. The germination rates of six alfalfa cultivars were studied comparatively at $10^{\circ}C$. Xinmu No. 1 and Northstar were selected as chilling stress-tolerant and stress-sensitive cultivars for further characterization. After chilling treatment, Xinmu No. 1 showed higher seedling growth than Northstar. Xinmu No. 1 exhibited low levels of hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation compared with Northstar. In addition, shoots in Xinmu No. 1 treated with chilling showed higher activities of the superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase than those of Northstar, whereas Xinmu No. 1 showed higher APX activity in roots that Northstar. These results indicated that high antioxidation activity in Xinmu No. 1 under chilling stress is well associated with tolerance to chilling condition during germination.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.67-78
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• 2018

The stability of cutting slope influences the safety of railway operation, and how to identify the stability of the slope quickly and determine the rational monitoring plan is a pressing problem at present. In this study, the attribute recognition model of risk assessment for high cutting slope stability in the heavy haul railway is established based on attribute mathematics theory, followed by the consequent monitoring scheme design. Firstly, based on comprehensive analysis on the risk factors of heavy haul railway loess slope, collapsibility, tectonic feature, slope shape, rainfall, vegetation conditions, train speed are selected as the indexes of the risk assessment, and the grading criteria of each index is established. Meanwhile, the weights of the assessment indexes are determined by AHP judgment matrix. Secondly, The attribute measurement functions are given to compute attribute measurement of single index and synthetic attribute, and the attribute recognition model was used to assess the risk of a typical heavy haul railway loess slope, Finally, according to the risk assessment results, the monitoring content and method of this loess slope were determined to avoid geological disasters and ensure the security of the railway infrastructure. This attribute identification- risk assessment- monitoring design mode could provide an effective way for the risk assessment and control of heavy haul railway in the loess plateau.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.157-168
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• 2012

The Eonyang section is located at the confluent area of Samdong River to Taehwa River in Sinhwa-ri, Samnam-myeon, Ulju-gun, Ulsan-si, Korea. Physical analyses such as the OSL age dating, magnetic susceptibility and grain size analysis were performed. Coarse grains in the upper section were deposited by the aeolian processes from the local sources and the grains in the lower section by the fluvial processes. The Eonyang section shows the large differences such as the irregularity in the variations of magnetic susceptibility, large deviations in the Y values and very poor sorting values from the loess sediments in Bongdong, Geochang and Daecheon in Korea. These characteristics in the Eonyang section suggest the multi-source areas such as the Chinese Loess Plateau and nearby floodplain or the influences by the other processes. The loess sediments of Eonyang section were formed during the period from the late MIS 3 to MIS 2.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.141-160
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• 2016

This study elucidates the uplift behaviors of the straight-sided and belled shafts. The field uplift load tests were carried out on 18 straight-sided and 15 belled shafts at the three collapsible loess sites under an arid environment on the Loess Plateau in Northwest China. Both the site conditions and the load tests were documented comprehensively. In general, the uplift load-displacement curves of the straight-sided and belled shafts approximately exhibited an initial linear, a curvilinear transition, and a final linear region, but did not provide a well defined peak or asymptotic value of the load, and therefore their uplift resistances should be interpreted from the load test results using an appropriate criterion. Nine representative uplift resistance interpretation criteria were used to define the "interpreted failure load" for each of the load tests, and all of these interpreted uplift resistances were normalized by the failure threshold, $T_{L2}$, obtained using the $L_1-L_2$ method. These load test data were compared statistically and graphically. For the straight-sided and belled shafts, the normalized uplift load-displacement curves were respectively established by the plots that related the mean interpreted uplift resistance ratio against the mean displacement at the corresponding interpreted criteria, and the comparisons of the normalized load-displacement curves were made. Specific recommendations for the designs of uplift belled and straight-sided shafts in the loess were given, in terms of both capacity and displacement.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.167-183
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• 2013

This paper aimed to investigate the Asian dust source region and climatic condition of source region by the case of Asian dust in south Korea. In order to analyze the weather condition of source region, observed the Asian dust days data and weather data in China were used. The Asian dust days originating from inner-Mongolia were the most frequent. The Asian dust days originating from all the source regions except Loess plateau were increased recently and occurred over the country. In case of Loess plateau, the frequency of the Asian dust days in 1960s was the highest and only the southern region of the south Korea was mostly affected. The relationship between the Asian dust days of Korea and climatic factors of spring and April of source region was significant. The relationship between the Asian dust days originating from the inner Mongolia and sea level pressure of April and relative humidity of spring was negative. The Asian dust days from Gobi had positive relationship with wind gust days and negative relationship with sea level pressure in April. The Asian dust days from Manchuria had negative relationship with precipitation and sea level pressure in April. The Asian dust days from Loess plateau had positive relationship with maximum wind speed and negative relationship with sea level pressure in April.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.182-193
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• 2017

In order to examine the variation characteristics of chemical compositions in relation to the inflow pathways of Asian dust, $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ aerosols were collected at Gosan site of Jeju Island during the Asian dust days between 2010 and 2015, and their chemical compositions were analyzed. The mean mass concentrations of $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ during Asian dust days were $130.0{\pm}90.2$ and $38.2{\pm}24.7{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. The composition ratios of major secondary pollutants ($nss-SO_4{^{2-}}$, $NH_4{^+}$, $NO_3{^-}$) were high as 53.7 % for $PM_{10-2.5}$ and 90.6 % for $PM_{2.5}$. When the Asian dusts had been transported to the Korean Peninsula via Loess Plateau of central China, the concentrations of $nss-Ca^{2+}$, $NH_4{^+}$, $nss-SO_4{^{2-}}$, and $NO_3{^-}$ increased more noticeably. Whereas in case when the inflow pathways of Asian dust had been through the Bohai bay, the concentrations of the crustal species such as Al, Fe, and Ca were relatively high in coarse particles. The atmospheric aerosols were acidified largely by sulfuric and nitric acids. They were neutralized mainly by calcium carbonate in coarse particle mode passed through Manchuria area, but by ammonia in fine particle mode passed through Loess plateau and Bohai bay. Ammonium salts are assumed to exist as ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate in coarse particles, but mostly as ammonium sulfate in fine particles.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.287-293
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• 2018

Amorphous silica ($SiO_2$) silt grains were found in some soils of Korean Peninsula. Scanning electron microscopy of polished section of soils revealed ellipsoidal amorphous $SiO_2$ grains with numerous submicron pores concentrated in the interior. Their amorphous structure was confirmed by lattice imaging and electron diffraction under transmission electron microscope. Amorphous $SiO_2$ grains were not found in the eolian sediment of the Chinese loess plateau. Although the origin of the amorphous $SiO_2$ grain is uncertain, they are likely either phytolith or weathering product of volcanic ash. The amorphous $SiO_2$ silt grains are not useful as a tracer of long-range transport mineral dust in soils.