• Atmosphere
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.261-271
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• 2010

Carbon isotopic compositions of the YC-2 stalagmite in Yongcheon Cave were analyzed to delineate paleoclimatic variations near Korean peninsula for the past historical period. The YC-2 stalagmite is about 68 mm long and annual growth laminae are distinctively identified. Because the number of growth laminae is at least 242, the stalagmite can be estimated to be at least 241 years old. At about 15 mm from the bottom, one thick brown growth lamina is observed, and this lamina was likely to have been formed when the stalagmite ceased to grow, making the hiatus. High resolution, carbon isotope data indicate past fluctuations of East Asia monsoonal intensity (intimately related to the amount of precipitation). Based on the carbon isotope trend, the stalagmite can be divided into three stages (Stages I, II and III). The highest carbon isotopic compositions of Stage I (${\delta}^{13}C$=-3.3~0.4‰, PDB) indicate that the stalagmite grew during the Little Ice Age when cold and dry climate prevailed with less vegetation. Stage II is characterized by a transitional period from cold and dry to warm and wet climate with a increasing trend of carbon isotopic compositions (${\delta}^{13}C$=-9.6~-0.6‰) and this period indicates the weakening of the Little Ice Age climate. This decreasing trend also suggests that Little Ice Age was terminated near middle 1870's around Korean peninsula. Relatively low carbon isotopic compositions during Stage III (${\delta}^{13}C$=-11.0~-8.0‰) indicates that the climate was changed to warm and wet conditions which are similar to the present.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.327-332
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• 2015

Isotopic compositions of ice and meltwater play a very crucial role in paleoclimate studies based on ice cores and water resources research conducted in alpine hydrogeology. Better understanding of variations in the stable isotopic compositions of water is required since changes from ice to liquid water are gaining more attention due to recent climate change. In this work, a melting experiment was designed and conducted to investigate how the isotopic compositions of ice vary with time by heat sources, such as solar radiation. We conducted the melting experiment for 22 hours. The discharge rate rose to a maximum value after 258 minutes and gradually declined because we fixed the heat source. The isotopic compositions of meltwater increased linearly or to a second degree polynomial. The linear relationship between oxygen and hydrogen has a slope of 6.8, which is less than that of the Global Meteoric Water Line (8) and higher than a theoretical value (6.3). The deuterium excess decreased when ${\delta}D$ or ${\delta}^{18}O$ increases or vise versa since the slope of the relationship for ice-liquid exchange is less than 8. These findings and the apparatus of the melting experiments will make a helpful contribution to the studies of stable isotopes and the melting process in temperate and polar regions.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.305-323
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• 2012

The ocean's response to the Pinatubo and 1259 volcanic eruptions was investigated using an ocean general circulation model equipped with an energy balance model. Volcanic eruptions release gases into the atmosphere which increases the aerosol optical depth and acts to reduce the incoming short-wave radiation. For example, there was a huge volcanic eruption (Pinatubo) in 1991 which reduced the global mean radiative forcing by about 3 W $m^{-2}$. Two numerical experiments were simulated. The first experiment features the Pinatubo eruption and the second experiment simulates the much larger volcanic eruption that occurred in 1259 when the radiative forcing was reduced by 7 times compared to the Pinatubo event. With the reduced radiative forcing due to the Pinatubo eruption at about 3 W $m^{-2}$ and 1259 eruption at about 21 W $m^{-2}$, the global mean sea surface temperature (SST) decreased to its lowest in the second year after each event by about $0.4^{\circ}C$ and $1.6^{\circ}C$, respectively. Sea surface salinity (SSS) increased substantially in the northern North Pacific, northern North Atlantic, and the Southern Ocean. The reduced SST together with SSS increased ocean convection, which yielded an increase in North Atlantic Deep Water, Antarctic Bottom Water, and North Pacific Intermediate Water production and their outflows. The increase in overturning circulation eventually increased the pole-ward ocean heat fluxes. In conclusion, huge volcanic eruptions perturb the ocean substantially and their hallmarks last for more than a decade, confirming the importance of volcanic eruptions in illustrating the decadal-climate variability recorded in the paleoclimate proxy data for the past million years.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.339-345
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• 2016

Stable water vapor isotopes have been utilized as a tracer for studying atmospheric global circulations, climate change and paleoclimate with ice cores. Recently, since laser spectroscopy has been available, water vapor isotopes can be measured more precisely and continuously. Studies of water vapor isotopes have been conducted over the world, but it is the early stage in south Korea. For vapor isotopes study, a cryogenic sampling device for water vapor isotopes has been developed. The cryogenic sampling device consists of the dewar bottle, filled with extremely low temperature material and impinger connected with a vacuum pump. Impinger stays put in the dewar bottle to change the water vapor which passes through the inside of impinger into the solid phase as ice. The fact that water vapor has not sampled completely leads to isotopic fractionation in the impinger. To minimize the isotopic fractionation during sampling water vapor, we have tested the method using a serial connection with two sets of impinger device in the laboratory. We trapped 98.02% of water vapor in the first trap and the isotopic difference of the trapped water vapor between two impinger were about 20‰ and 6‰ for hydrogen and oxygen, respectively. Considering the amount of water vapor trapped in each impinger, the isotopic differences for hydrogen and oxygen were 0.33‰ and 0.06‰, respectively, which is significantly smaller than the precision of isotopic measurements. This work can conclude that there is no significant fractionation during water vapor trapping.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.34-40
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• 2015

Studies using stable water vapor isotopes have been recently conducted over the past two decades because of difficulties in analysis and sample collection in the past. Stable water vapor isotope data provide information of the moisture transport from ocean to continent, which are also used to validate an isotope enabled general circulation model for paleoclimate reconstructions. The isotopic compositions of groundwater and water vapor also provide a clue to how moisture moves from soil to atmosphere by evapotranspiration. International Atomic Energy Agency designates the stations over the world to observe the water vapor isotopes. To analyze the water vapor isotopes, a cryogenic sampling method has been used over the past two decades. Recently, two types of laser-based spectroscopy have been developed and remotely sensed data from satellites have the global coverage. In this review, measurements of isotopic compositions of water vapor will be introduced and some studies using the water vapor isotopes will also be introduced. Finally, we will suggest the future study in Korea.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.545-556
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• 2003

Detailed interdisciplinary investigations demonstrate that the Yeongsan River estuarine-filled sediments clearly record important paleoenvironmental changes during the Last Glacial and Holocene. The sediments from 18.9 m(20.5∼l.6m in depth) long core MW-1 are differentiated by changes in sedimentary textures and palynomorph assemblages. Chronology was provided by AMS$^{14}$C dating and regional pollen correlation. Three paleoenvironrnental phases are recognized: (1) The Last Glacial deposits consist mainly of fluvial sediments and paleosols, experienced deposition alternating with pedogenesis. The appearance of the paleosols suggests that the paleoclimate might be cold and humid. (2) The early and middle Holocene phase started abruptly in response to the rapid global climatic warming. and is characterized by abundant marine palynomorphs. (3) The late Holocene is marked by more cool conditions. The paleoenvironmental changes recorded in the sediments coincide not only with local but also with broad-scale, probably global climate changes.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.377-394
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• 1998

The magnetic record of loess deposits may be one of the most detailed and useful records of Quatermary climate change on the continents. Stratigraphic variations of magnetic parameters define alternating zones of high and low concentrations of magnetic minerals. All the concentration-sensitive magnetic parameters show an increase within the interstadial Gilman Canyon Formation and interglacial Brady soil and a systematic decrease within the Wisconsinan Peoria loess. The influence of climate change on magnetic records is confirmed by a high correlation between the magnetic parameters and biological proxies. Rock magnetic data appear to be better correlated with temperature-sensitive biological proxies than does a precipitation-sensitive index such as the aridity index derived from opal phytoliths. Simultaneous, higher resolution sampling of magnetic and biological proxies proved to be a better sampling tactic, and enhanced the feasibility of rock magnetic parameters as independent climate proxies.

• 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.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.147-163
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• 2013

Gonggeomji, located at the outlet of intermontane basin in the upper reaches of Dong River, is known as being constructed in the late Unified Silla Dynasty. Extensive wetlands were developed before the construction of embankment at Gonggeomji and very compact silty layers were deposited during dry seasons. Paniceae was cultivated on a dry field in the basin during the early Bronze and Iron Ages. Although it is supposed that agricultural activities on a paddy and dry field prevailed during the Three Kingdoms Age, the indicating layer was not found. As the construction of the embankment, Oryza sativa as well as Paniceae were cultivated in the basin at the same time. The climates during the early Bronze are cool and Iron Ages are estimated to be generally warm. From the late Unified Silla Dynasty and middle Goryeo Dynasty when the embankment was constructed, it was still warm, and then, shows alterations between cool and warm conditions. Since the late Goryeo Dynasty, it gradually became cool.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.159-168
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• 2019

Understanding the interaction between climate and the water cycle is critical especially in a drought sensitive region such as California. This study explored hydrologic changes in central and southern California in relation to the glacial-interglacial climate cycles over the last 30 thousand years. To do this, we reconstructed paleovegetation using plant wax carbon isotopic compositions (${\delta}^{13}C$) preserved in marine sediment cores retrieved from the central California continental shelf (ODP Site 1018) and Santa Barbara Basin (ODP Site 893A). The results were then compared to the existing sea surface temperature (SST) and pollen records from the same cores to understand terrestrial hydrology in relation to oceanographic processes. The Last Glacial was generally dry both in central and southern California, indicated by grassland expansion, confirming the previously suggested notion that the westerly storm track that supplies the majority of the precipitation in California may not have moved southward during the glacial period. Southern California was drier than central California during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). This drying trend may have been associated with the weakening of the California Current and northerly winds leading to the early increase in SST in southern California and decline in both offshore and coastal upwelling. The climate was wetter during the Holocene in both regions compared to the glacial period and forest coverage increased accordingly. We attribute this wetter condition to the precipitation contribution increase from the tropics. Overall, we found a clear synchronicity between the terrestrial and marine environment which showed that the terrestrial vegetation composition in California is greatly affected by not only the global climate states but also regional oceanographic and atmospheric conditions that regulate the timing and amount of precipitation over California.