• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.215-228
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• 1991

In the East Sea of Korea the vertical structure functions of the temperature field were evaluated and the characteristic thermal zone was classified by the use of the empirical orthogonal function(EOF) method. The East Sea of Korea within the hydrographic lines of 10-107 of the Fisheries Research and Development Agency of Korea(FRDA) can be divided into three thermal regions by the characteristics of the vertical temperature variability. They are the North Korean Cold Current(NKCC) region near the coast which extends parallel to the north-south direction, the Warm-Core(WC) region which dominates almost all the hydrographic stations of the Line 104 of the FRDA and occupies a few stations of the Line-103 and -105 with its axis at the Line 104, and the East Korea Warm Current(EKWC) region which is bisected into the northern and the southern part by the WC region, respectively. Considering the two most important modes, $85.20-98.20\%$ of the total variance of temperature variation are explained in the NKCC region, $85.20-92.90\%$ in the EKWC region, and$85.50-91.70\%$ in the WC region. The first mode has its peak value at the surface with the annual cycle of variation. The spatial pattern of the first mode portrays a coherent vertical variation in the EKWC region and a clear anti-correlation both in the NKCC region and in the WC region where the zero-crossing depths are loom and 200m, respectively. The second mode of the NKCC region is particularly noticeable, haying its peak at loom with coherent vertical variation. To study the time dependency of the vertical structure functions, the extended EOF(EEOF) method was used. The persistence of the first mode is less than 4 months in the study area. The annual variation of the first mode in the NKCC region is different from those in the WC region and in the EKWC region.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.881-897
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• 2019

We reconstructed and digitized the National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS) Serial Oceanographic observations (NSO) and Coastal Oceanographic observations (NCO) data attained prior to 1961 through historical oceanographic observation data rescue projects. Increasing trends of long-term sea surface temperature (SST) were shown from the NSO data of 21 available stations for the past 80 to 92 years. In general agreement with previous research results used in the data of the past 50 years, we calculated the rate of temperature rise. As a result of analyzing the spatial distribution of SST change rate in the Korean of shore region using selected oceanographic data, the West Sea and South Sea showed a higher tendency of temperature rise in the offshore area than in the coastal area. However, unlike the results of previous studies, the East Sea (Gangwon Line and Ulsan Line) showed a lower water temperature rise than the coastal stations. Annual fluctuations of NCO's SST data from 1989 to 1998 for three stations representing the East Sea, South Sea, and West Sea, (Jumunjin, Geomundo and Budo, respectively) revealed that the East Sea showed the highest SST increase for the 10 years. The increases were 1.63 ℃ at Jumunjin, 1.16 ℃ at Geomundo, and 0.79 ℃ at Budo. As a result of the investigation, it can be concluded that SST is repeatedly rising and falling with a period of 3 ~ 6 years. Especially, since the 1980s, most of the stations show positive anomalies of SST. Lastly, to understand ocean_atmosphere interactions, we analyzed the correlations between SST of the NCO stations and air temperature around them and the results were 0.76 for the South Sea (Geomundo), 0.34 for the West Sea (Budo), and 0.32 for the East Sea (Jumunjin) with the highest correlation in the South Sea.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.91-108
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• 2018

An ecological study on subtidal macrobenthic fauna was conducted from 25 stations in the estuarine area of Wando-Doam Bay, southern coast of Korea during August 2013. A total of 186 species was collected with a mean density of $1,229ind./m^2$ and a mean biomass of $265.7g/m^2$. Polychaetes showed the richest benthic fauna comprising 43% of total fauna, whereas mollusks appeared as density- and biomass-dominant fauna accounted for 45% and 48% of the mean density and biomass, respectively. The number of species and mean faunal density were relatively higher at the stations surrounded by Sinjido, Joyakdo and Gogeumdo showing a gradual decrease toward inner bay stations. Species number and density were negatively correlated with bottom water temperature, but they were positively correlated with both the bottom salinity and DO. The most dominant species in terms of density was a semelid bivalve, Theora fragilis which showed a positive correlation with TOC content of surface sediment and its high density occurred around Gogeum-Sinji-Joyakdo area where dense aquaculture facilities exist. In the bay mouth area, an amphipod species, Eriopisella sechellensis showed its higher density at the stations with low organic content but fine grains. The combination of water temperature, salinity, pH of bottom water, water and sulfur content of the surface sediment could explain 71% of the spatial distribution of macrobenthic fauna from the Bio-Env analysis. From the cluster analysis, the study area consisted of 6 distinct station groups lineated from offshore area toward inner area. Ampharete arctica, Goniada maculata, Eriopisella sechellensis, Theora fragilis, Caprella sp. were identified as the main contributing faunas in classification by the SIMPER analysis. From the value of BPI, the benthic communities at the inner and central Wando-Doam Bay were assessed to be in a normal condition whereas those at the outer Wando harbor and Gogeum-Sinji-Joyakdo area were assessed in a poor or very poor condition due to the high concentration of particulate organic matter might be originated from the nearby dense aquaculture facilities. This study indicated that pristine inner bay has been influenced by the organic material supplied from the outer bay. Thus it is necessary to establish an ecological management plan to reduce organic enrichment of sediment from dense aquaculture facilities in the outer bay.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.37 no.6_1
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• pp.1773-1784
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• 2021

In order to minimize damage to oil spill accidents in the ocean, it is essential to collect a spilled area as soon as possible. Thus satellite-based remote sensing is a powerful source to detect oil spills in the ocean. With the recent rapid increase in the number of available satellites, it has become possible to generate a status report of marine oil spills soon after the accident. In this study, the oil spill area was calculated using various satellite images for the Symphony oil spill accident that occurred off the coast of Qingdao Port, China, on April 27, 2021. In particular, improving the accuracy of oil spill area determination was applied using high-resolution commercial satellite images with a spatial resolution of 2m. Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, LANDSAT-8, GEO-KOMPSAT-2B (GOCI-II) and Skysat satellite images were collected from April 27 to May 13, but five images were available considering the weather conditions. The spilled oil had spread northeastward, bound for coastal region of China. This trend was confirmed in the Skysat image and also similar to the movement prediction of oil particles from the accident location. From this result, the look-alike patch observed in the north area from the Sentinel-1A (2021.05.01) image was discriminated as a false alarm. Through the survey period, the spilled oil area tends to increase linearly after the accident. This study showed that high-resolution optical satellites can be used to calculate more accurately the distribution area of spilled oil and contribute to establishing efficient response strategies for oil spill accidents.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.457-467
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• 2019

To investigate the long-term variation characteristics of nutrients in the east coast of Korea, water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and nutrients were measured at three stations of Sokcho, Jukbyeon and Gampo coasts for five years from 2013 to 2017. For five years, the water temperature of the East Sea coast was in the range of $1.2{\sim}28.8^{\circ}C$, the salinity was in the range of 30.63~34.79 and the dissolved oxygen (DO) was in the range of 3.53~7.64 mL/L. Distribution and variation of the water environment factors in the study area were determined by the vertical stratification of water column and distribution of water temperature. The high DO concentration in Sokcho coast From 2015 to August 2016 is presumed to be the result of the southward inflow of North Korean Cold Water (NKCW). Concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN, $NH_4-N+NO_2-N+NO_3-N$) ranged $0.11{\sim}24.19{\mu}M$, phosphate concentration ranged $0.01{\sim}1.75{\mu}M$, and silicate ranged $0.17{\sim}32.80{\mu}M$. The N:P ratio was in the range of 0.7~54.3 (mean 15.2) and the N:P slope was in the range of 11.67~13.75. The N:P ratios in this study were lower than the Redfield ratio (16), indicating that nitrate did act as a limiting factor in phytoplankton growth. The correlation ($R^2$) of total N:P ratio was as high as 0.95, indicating that the effect of the surrounding land or non-point sources was not significant. In conclusion, the spatial and temporal variation of nutrients in the east coast of Korea was determined by the vertical mixing of water mass with thermocline and mainly affected by physical factors such as influx of external water masses and coastal upwelling, and the influences from inflows from the land were minimal.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.50-64
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• 2019

Recently, quantitative analyses of food web structure based on carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes are widely applied to environmental assessments as well as ecological researches of various ecosystems, particularly rivers and streams. In the present study, we analyzed carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios of POM (both planktonic and attached forms), zooplankton, benthic macroinvertebrates and fish collected from 6 sites located at Nakdong River. Samples were collected from upstream areas of 5 weirs (Sangju, Gangjeong-Goryeong, Dalseong, Hapcheon-Changnyeong, and Changnyeong-Haman Weirs) and one downstream area of Hapcheon-Changnyeong Weir in dry season (June) and after rainy season (September). We suggested ranges of their carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios and calculated their trophic levels in the food web to compare their temporal and spatial variations. Trophic levels of organisms were relatively higher in Sangju Weir located at upper part of Nakdong River, and decreased thereafter. However, the trophic levels were recovered at the Changnyeong-Haman Weir, the lowest weir in the river. The trophic level calculated by nitrogen stable isotope ratios showed more reliable ranges when they were calculated based on zooplankton than POM used as baseline. The suggested quantitative ecological information of the majority of biological communities in Nakdong River would be helpful to understand the response of river food web to environmental disturbances and can be applied to various further researches regarding the quantitative approaches for the understanding food web structure and function of river ecosystems as well as restoration.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.297-306
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• 2023

Saemangeum Lake is the largest artificial lake in Korea. The continuous deterioration of lake water quality necessitates the introduction of novel water quality management strategies. Therefore, this study aims to identify the spatiotemporal water quality characteristics of Saemangeum Lake using data from the National Water Quality Measurement Network and provide basic information for water quality management. In the water quality parameters of Saemangeum Lake, water temperature and total phosphorous content were correlated, and salt, total nitrogen content, pH, and chemical oxygen demand were significantly correlated. Other parameters showed a low correlation. The spatial principal component analysis of Saemangeum Lake showed the characteristics of its four zones. The mid-to-downstream section of the river affected by freshwater inflow showed a high nutrient salt concentration, and the deep-water section of the drainage gate and the lake affected by seawater showed a high salt concentration. Two types of water qualities were observed in the intermediate water area where river water and outer sea water were mixed: waters with relatively low salt and high chemical oxygen demand, and waters with relatively low salt and high pH concentration. In the principal component analysis by time, the water quality was divided into four groups based on the observation month. Group I occurred during May and June in late spring and early summer, Group II was in early spring (March-April) and late autumn (November-December), Group III was in winter (January-February), and Group IV was in summer (July-October) during high temperatures. The water quality characteristics of Saemangeum Lake were found to be affected by the inflow of the upper Mangyeong and Dongjin rivers, and the seawater through the Garuk and Shinshi gates installed in the Saemangeum Embankment. In order to achieve the target water quality of Saemangeum Lake, it is necessary to establish water quality management measures for Saemangeum Lake along with pollution source management measures in the upper basin.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2006

A field survey on the spatio-temporal distribution characteristics and origins of organic matter in surface sediments was carried out monthly at six stations in Gamak Bay, South Korea from April 2000 to March 2002. The range of ignition loss(IL) was $4.6{\sim}11.6%(7.1{\pm}1.6%)$, while chemical oxygen demand(CODs) ranged from $12.25{\sim}99.26mgO_2/g-dry(30.98{\pm}19.09mgO_2/g-dry)$, acid volatile sulfide(AVS) went from no detection(ND)${\sim}10.29mgS/g-dry(1.02{\pm}0.58mgS/g-dry)$, and phaeopigment was $6.84{\sim}116.18{\mu}g/g-dry(23.72{\pm}21.16{\mu}g/g-dry)$. The ranges of particulate organic carbon(POC) and particulate organic nitrogen(PON) were $5.45{\sim}23.24 mgC/g-dty(10.34{\pm}4.40C\;mgC/g-dry)$ and $0.71{\sim}2.99mgN/g-dry(1.37{\pm}0.58mgN/g-dry)$, respectively. Water content was in the range of $43.1{\sim}77.6%(55.8{\pm}5.6%)$, and mud content(silt+clay) was higher than 95% at all stations. The spatial distribution of organic matter in surface sediments was greatly divided between the northwestern, central and eastern areas, southern entrance area from the distribution characteristic of their organic matters. The concentrations of almost all items were greater at the northwestern and southern entrance area than at the other areas in Gamak Bay. In particular, sedimentary pollution was very serious at the northwestern area, because the area had an excessive supply of organic matter due to aquaculture activity and the inflow of sewage from the land. These materials stayed longer because of the topographical characteristics of such as basin and the anoxic conditions in the bottom seawater environment caused by thermocline in the summer. The tendency of temporal change was most prominently in the period of high-water temperatures than low-water ones at the northwestern and southern entrance areas. On the other hand, the central and eastern areas did not show a regular trend for changing the concentrations of each item but mainly showed a higher tendency during the low-water temperatures. This was observed for all but AVS concentrations which were higher during the period of high-water temperature at all stations. Especially, the central and eastern areas showed a large temporal increase of AVS concentration during those periods of high-water temperature where the concentration of CODs was in excess of $20mgO_2/g-dry$. The results show that the organic matters in surface sediments in Gamak Bay actually originated from autochthonous organic matters with eight or less in average C/N ratio including the organic matters generated by the use of ocean, rather than terrigenous organic matters. However, the formation of autochthonous organic matter was mainly derived from detritus than living phytoplankton, indicated the results of the POC/phaeopigment ratio. In addition, the CODs/IL ratio results demonstrate that the detritus was the product of artificial activities such as dregs feeding and fecal pellets of farm organisms caused by aquaculture activities rather than the dynamic of natural ocean activities.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.57-69
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• 2001

The chemical, elemental and biochemical components of the suspended particulate matter (SPM) were investigated in order to quantify particulate organic matter (POM) and assess diet quality for suspension feeders in the southern coastal bay systems of Korea where the marine farming of the suspension feeders are most active, The intense field observation program was carried out seasonally in the three coastal bay systems of Chinhae, Gosung and Kangjin bays, The SPM was characterized as collective properties of organic carbon (POC), nitrogen (PON), phosphorus (PP) and more refined collective properties of protein (PPr), carbohydrate (PCHO) and chlorophyll a (Chl a) compound. Although the three coastal bays are regarded as phytoplankton based ecosystem, the SPM is not composed entirely with phytoplankton cells. Due to the shallow water depth, resuspension of bottom sediment contributes significantly to some of the regions. Therefore, concentration of SPM in the surface water did not co-vary with Chl a or PPr, PCHO. In general, temporal variation of POC, PON and Chl a contents in seawater were closely associated with phytoplankton biomass in the three coastal bays, However, PPr and PCHO contents in seawater were higher in Chinhae bay than in Gosung and Kangjin bays and Chl a PPr-N ratio was higher in Chinhae bay than in Kosung and Kangjin bays, since Chinhae bay is more eutrophicated than other bays. Average C : N ratios from regressions of POC and PON of SPM were 6.6, 6.6 and 5.0 in Chinhae, Gosung and Kangjin bays, respectively. SPM in Chinhae and Gosung bays appears to be made of largely phytoplankton cells and SPM in Kangjin bay appears to be contributed from the bacterial biomass due to the shallow water depth. N : P ratios from regressions of PON and PP of SPM were 10.8 and 14.7 in spring, and 18.2 and 24.6 in Chinhae and Gosung bays, respectively. With respect to the hypothetical Redfield molecule, phytoplankton appears to be limited by the lack of N and f in spring and summer, respectively, in the two bays, In Kangjin bay, N : P ratios from regressions of PON and PP of SPM were varied from 6.3 to 12.8 throughout the year. The low N : P ratio with resepct to the hypothetical Redfield molecule, phytoplankton growth appears to be limited by the lack of N-nutrients.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.287-301
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• 2000

In order to investigate the factors and processes affecting the vertical distributions of ozone, we analyzed the ozone profile data measured using ozonesonde from 1995 to 1997 at Pohang city, Korea. In the course of our study, we analyzed temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of ozone at four different heights: surface (100m), troposphere (10km), lower stratosphere (20km), and middle stratosphere (30km). Despite its proximity to a local, but major, industrial complex known as Pohang Iron and Steel Co. (POSCO), the concentrations of surface ozone in the study area were comparable to those typically observed from rural and/or unpolluted area. In addition, the findings of relative enhancement of ozone at this height, especially between spring and summer may be accounted for by the prevalence of photochemical reactions during that period of year. The temporal distribution patterns for both 10 and 20km heights were quite compatible despite large differences in their altitudes with such consistency as spring maxima and summer minima. Explanations for these phenomena may be sought by the mixed effects of various processes including: ozone transport across two heights, photochemical reaction, the formation of inversion layer, and so on. However, the temporal distribution pattern for the middle stratosphere (30km) was rather comparable to that of the surface. We also evaluated total ozone concentration of the study area using Brewer spectrophotometer. The total ozone concentration data were compared with those derived by combining the data representing stratospheric layers via Umkehr method. The results of correlation analysis showed that total ozone is negatively correlated with cloud cover but not with such parameter as UV-B. Based on our study, we conclude that areal characteristics of Pohang which represents a typical coastal area may be quite important in explaining the distribution patterns of ozone not only from surface but also from upper atmosphere.