• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.425-434
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• 2000

The 3.5 KHz seismic survey was carried out for studying the distribution pattern of the unconsolidated sediments of the Yeosu Sound on the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula. Field data originally recorded in analog are converted and processed digitally to recover the high-resolution acoustic profiles. Across the north-south trending channel with the depth of 20~30 m, different seismic facies types are observed in the top section of sediments. The western part is characterized by the continuous high-amplitude subparallel reflectors within which the acoustic turbidity as a token of the presence of gas is commonly observed, whereas the counterpart largely shows poor reflectors and has shallow acoustic basement toward the north. The dissimilarity of the seismic expression across the channel can be interpreted as the result of the change of depositional environment caused by relative sea-level fluctuations of the late-Quaternary. During the last glacial period, the Yeosu Sound was exposed and eroded by the paleo-Seomjin River. By the following rapid rise of sea level, it was covered by the transgressive sand sheet. When the sea level reached near the present position, the muddy sediment has accumulated only in the western part of the Yeosu Sound as its depositional front has moved toward the north. It is partly caused by the asymmetrical tidal current in the Yeosu Sound where the flood near the bottom has stronger current flow and contains more suspended sediments.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.515-521
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• 2018

Seawater intrusion areas were calculated in Yeosu region considering sea level rise and the effects of countermeasures for seawater intrusion were analyzed using SEAWAT program. The estimated seawater intrusion area was $14.90km^2$ in 2015. When we applied climate change scenarios the area was changed to $19.19km^2$ for RCP 4.5 and $20.43km^2$ for RCP 8.5 respectively. The mitigation effects by artificial recharge with total $50m^3/d$, $100m^3/d$, and $300m^3/d$ are from 3.75% to 10.68% for RCP 4.5, and from 5.82% to 10.77% for RCP 8.5 respectively. If we install barrier wall with the thickness 0.8 m, 1.3 m, and 1.8 m, the mitigation effects are from 6.67% to 12.04% for RCP 4.5, and from 6.17% to 14.98% for RCP 8.5 respectively. The results of this study can be used to be a logical means of quantitative grounds for policy decisions to prevent groundwater contamination by seawater intrusion and subsequent secondary damage in coastal areas.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.142-151
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• 2007

The rock excavation work on the sea is planned as underwater process if the elevation of the rock is lower than the M.S.L.(Mean Sea Level). However, in case of West and South sea which are largely different between the rise and fall of the tide, the earth work can be performed on the ground while the work surface is exposed above the sea according to the tide cycle. Thus, it may a good substitute to make up for shortcomings of underwater construction works such as safety problems of workers, loss of efficiency and increasement of construction costs. But the difference between the height of the rock excavation surface and the water surface changed by the tide makes the exposure time of work surface, that is the possible working hours be changed. Also, it may cause the changes of construction cost. Thus, this study analyzes the economical efficiency of the construction method using the difference between the rise and fall of the tide in comparison with the construction method which is performed under the sea, and it also suggests the way to analyze the economical working hours by estimating the possible working hours on the ground. We also try to find out the application possibility of the way like the rock excavation work on the sea using the difference between rise and fall of the tide.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.409-426
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• 2009

In the four sedimentary cores from Yeoja Bay, the analyses of grain size, benthic foraminiferal species compositions, assemblages and statistics were carried out to investigate the effects of late Holocene sea-level change on benthic foraminifera. The core sediments were mainly composed of fine-grained silt and clay. The benthic foraminifera were classified into 27 species of 16 genera, 30 species of 21 genera, 50 species of 29 genera and 52 species of 29 genera in Core YC-1 to 4, respectively. In the result of cluster analysis, it seemed that Group 1 (Core YC-1 and 2) of representative A. beccarii assemblages was deposited in upper bay environment and Group 2 (Core YC-3 and 4) of representative E. clavatum-A. beccarii assemblages was deposited in inner bay environment affected by offshore water. In the result of species composition analysis, the production frequency of A. beccarii was gradually decreased from low layer to upper layer, whereas production frequency of E. clavatum and P.F./T.F. was gradually increased to upward. These change patterns appeared in benthic and planktonic foraminifera seemed to reflect the late Holocene sea-level rise in Yeoja Bay.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.7-16
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• 2003

A 31m-long sediment core (SSDP-102) was taken from the inner shelf (about 40m water-depth) off the northwestern coast of the Korea Strait. Detailed lithofacies and organic-geochemical analyses were performed to establish a high-resolution stratigraphy in the Korea Strait shelf and to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental changes associated with the Holocene marine transgression. The stratigraphic framework of the core was primarily established using 6 AMS $^{14}C$ ages. The sedimentary record of the core SSDP-102 allows for the reconstruction of the paleoenvironmental changes during the last 12.1 ka BP. According to the high-resolution seismic reflection profiles, lithofacies and organic-geochemical data, the core SSDP-102 can be divided into three units (III to I in ascending order) above the acoustic basement. The three units reflect distinct changes of depositional environments resulted from the post-glacial marine transgression. Therefore, it is suggested that three phases of sea-level change have occurred within the inner shelf of the Korea Strait following the Holocene marine transgression. (1) estuarine environments from ca. 12.1 to 6.2 ka BP; (2) near-shore environments with a period of decreased rising of sea level between 6.2 and 5.1 ka BP; (3) near-shore to modem marine environments after 5.1 ka BP. In particular, the present marine conditions influenced by the warm Tsushima Current have been gradually established after ca. 5.1 ka BP.

• 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.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.393-400
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• 2011

The mass transport is very complicated at the area which has the macro tide and complex geometry such as Gyeonggi bay. Especially, the long period current has a strong influence on the estuarine ecosystem and the long-term distribution of substances. The long period current is caused by several external forcing, whose unique characteristic varies spatially and temporally. The variation characteristics of long period current is analysed and its generation mechanism is studied. The tidal nonlinear constituents such as overtide and compound tide are generated due to nonlinear interaction and it causes mean sea level setup. The tidal wave propagating up into estuary is transformed rapidly by decrease of cross-sectional area and depth. Therefore the mean sea level is getting rise toward upriver. The high and low tide level is similar between down-river(Incheon) and up-river(Ganghwa) during neap tide when the tidal deformation is decreased. The tidal phase difference between two tidal stations causes a periodic fluctuation of sea level difference. The low water level of Ganghwa station during spring tide does not descend under EL(-)2.5 m, but the low water level of Incheon fall down under EL(-)4.0 m. The variation of tidal range and its sea level are increased during spring tide. It is found that the long period current $M_{sf}$ is quite similar to that of sea level difference between the two tidal stations. It means that the sea surface inclination caused by the spatial difference of tidal deformation is important forcing for the generation of long period current.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.90-101
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• 2009

Analysis of multi-channel seismic reflection data from the Southern Ulleung Basin reveals that Plio-Quaternary section in the area consists of nine stacked sedimentary units separated by erosional unconformities. On the southern slope, these sedimentary units are acoustically characterized by chaotic seismic facies without distinct internal reflections, interpreted as debris-flow bodies. Toward the basin floor, the sedimentary units are defined by well-stratified facies with good continuity and strong amplitude, interpreted as turbidite/hemipelagic sediments. The seismic facies distribution suggests that deposition of Plio-Quaternary section in the area was controlled mainly by tectonic movement and sea-level fluctuations. During the Pliocene, sedimentation was mainly controlled by tectonic movements related to the back-arc closure of the East Sea. The back-arc closure that began in the Miocene caused compressional deformation along the southern margin of the Ulleung Basin, resulting in regional uplift which continued until the Pliocene. Large amounts of sediments, eroded from the uplifted crustal blocks, were supplied to the basin, depositing Unit 1 which consists of debris-flow deposits. During the Quaternary, sea-level fluctuations resulted in stacked sedimentary units (2-9) consisting of debris-flow deposits, formed during sea-level fall and lowstands, and thin hemipelagic/turbidite sediments, deposited during sea-level rise and highstands.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.98-105
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• 2023

This paper studies the effects of global climate change on Gyeonggi Bay and appropriate adaptation strategies. Located along the west coast of Korea, Gyeonggi Bay is renowned as one of the five most important global tidal flats (wetlands). Due to climate change in Gyeonggi Bay, the water temperature is predicted to increase by 1.44 ℃ by the year 2100, the salinity to decrease by 1.1 PSU, the sea level to rise by 35.2 cm, and approximately 150.5 km² of the coast to be submerged due to the rising sea levels. Adaptation strategies to combat negative impacts of climate change on the ecological environment of Gyeonggi Bay include 1) supporting the self-adaptation capability of Gyeonggi Bay's natural environment to be sustainable, and 2) protecting lowlands adjacent to tidal flats and low-lying areas of the coast against human involvement to reserve more space for upslope shifts of biota with rising sea levels.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.242-258
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• 2012

The Yellow Sea has sensitively responded to high-amplitude sea-level fluctuations during the late Quaternary. The repeated inundation and exposure have produced distinct transgression-regression successions with extensive exposure surfaces in Kyeonggi Bay. The late Quaternary strata consist of four seismic stratigraphic units, considered as depositional sequences (DS-1, DS-2, DS-3, and DS-4). DS-1 was interpreted as ridge-forming sediments of tidal-flat and estuarine channel-fill facies, formed during the Holocene highstand. DS-2 consists of shallow-marine facies in offshore area, which was formed during the regression of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS)-3 period. DS-3 comprises the lower transgressive facies and the upper highstand tidal-flat facies in proximal ridges and forced regression facies in distal ridges and offshore area. The lowermost DS-4 rests on acoustic basement rocks, considered as the shallow-marine and shelf deposits formed before the MIS-6 lowstand. This study suggests six depositional stages. During the first stage-A, MIS-6 lowstand, the Yellow Sea shelf was subaerially exposed with intensive fluvial incision and weathering. The subsequent rapid and high amplitude rise of sea level in stage-B until the MIS-5e highstand produced transgressive deposits in the lowermost part of the MIS-5 sequence, and the successive regression during the MIS-5d to -5a and the MIS-4 lowstand formed the upperpart of the MIS-5 sequence in stage-C. During the stage-D, from the MIS-4 lowstand to MIS-3c highstand period, the transgressive MIS-3 sequence formed in a subtidal environment characterized by repetitive fluvial incision and channel-fill deposition in exposed area. The subsequent sea-level fall culminating the last glacial maximum (Stage-E) made shallow-marine regressive deposits of MIS-3 sequence in offshore distal area, whereas it formed fluvial channel-fills and floodplain deposits in the proximal area. After the last glacial maximum, the overall Yellow Sea shelf was inundated by the Holocene transgression and highstand (Stage-F), forming the Holocene transgressive shelf sands and tidal ridges.