• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.481-496
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• 1996

The last Sea is a typical bark-arc basin consisting of basins, plateaus, ridges, and seamounts. The Ulleng Basin, located in the southwestern corner of the last Sea, contains thick Neogene sedimentary sequence. Analysis of over 2,500 km of single-channel seismic reflection data suggests that hemipelagic sedimentation prevailed over much of the basin during the late Miocene and pelagic sedimentation became more dominant during the Pliocene. During the Pleistocene terrigeneous sediments transported by turbidity currents and other gravity flows, together with continuous hemipelagic settling, resulted in well-stratified sedimentary layers. Influx of terrigenous sediments during the Pleistocene formed depocenters in the western and southern parts of the basins. In the Ulleung Interplain Gap, where the Ulleung Basin joins the deeper Japan Basin, sediment waves suggesting bottom current activities are seen.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.423-431
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• 2015

KIOST-HYU joint acoustics experiment was performed on the western shallow water off the Taean peninsula in the Yellow Sea in May 2013. In this paper, mid-frequency (6~16 kHz) bottom loss data measured in a grazing angle range of $17{\sim}60^{\circ}$ are presented and compared to the predictions obtained using a Rayleigh reflection model. The sediment structure of the experimental site was characterized by multi-layered sediment and the components of the surficial sediment consisted of various types of particles with a mean grain size of $5.9{\phi}$. The model predictions obtained using the mean grain size were not in agreement with the measured bottom loss, and those obtained using the grain size of $4{\phi}$, which was estimated by an inversion process, showed a best fit to the measurements. It would be because the standard deviation of the gain-size distribution of surficial sediment is $4.3{\phi}$, which is much larger than those of other areas around the experimental site. Finally, the model predictions obtained using the geoacoustic parameters estimated from the inversion process for the surficial sediment layer and those corresponding to the mean grain size of $1.3{\phi}$ for lower layer are reasonably agreement with the measured bottom loss data.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.663-676
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• 1996

Physical properties and textural parameters of thirty-five piston tore samples recovered from the southeastern coast of Korea (Korea Strait), were investigated using the autopycnometer. The physical properties (porosity, water content, wet bulk density, dry bulk density, gram density, and void ratio) were measured at rather uniform intervals along each core. Sediment texture (grain size, sand, silt, and clay contents) was also measured at the same subbottom depth. The measured and calculated results are; mean grain size $0.57\~8.09\phi(average:3.67\phi)$, porosity $26\~81\%\;(average:\;55\%)$, water content $16.7\~61.4\%(average:\;31.6\%)$, wet bulk density $1.37\~2.18g/cm^3\;(average:\;1.85g/cm^3)$, dry bulk density $2.55\~3.11g/cm^3\;(average:\;2.35g/cm^3)$, grain density $2.40\~3.10g/cm^3\;(average:\;2.85g/cm^3)$, and void ratio $0.56\~2.54$ (average: 0.94). The sediment texture generally coincides well with the bathymetry indicating the influence of Pleistocene-Holocene sea level changes. Also the contours of physical properties are closely related to the sediment texture. Fluctuation of physical properties are similar to the textural variation. It seems that sediment texture is a significant factor in determining physical property in this study area.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.146-158
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• 2010

In order to evaluate the characteristics of sediments and pollution by organic matter and metallic elements in intertidal sediments along the southwestern coast of Korea, we measured various geochemical parameters, including the mean grain size (Mz), water content (WC), ignition loss (IL), chemical oxygen demand (COD), acid volatile sulfide (AVS), and metallic elements (Al, Fe, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Mn, Hg, As), in intertidal surface sediments. The Mz of the surface sediments ranged from 2.1 to 8.3$\phi$, indicating that the surface sediments consist of various sedimentary facies, such as sand, slightly gravelly mud, sandy mud, and silt. The IL and COD in surface sediment ranged from 0.8 to 5.5% (mean $2.9\pm1.2%$) and from 3.9 to $13.8\;mgO_2/g{\cdot}dry$ (mean $8.5\pm2.6\;mgO_2/g{\cdot}dry$), respectively, which were lower than the values for surface sediment in areas near fish and shellfish farms or industrial complexes. No AVS was detected at any sampling station, despite various sedimentary facies. Most of metallic elements in surface sediments showed relatively good positive correlations with Mz and IL, which imply that the concentrations of metallic elements are mainly controlled by grain size and the organic matter content. The concentrations of metallic elements, except As, at some stations were considerably lower than those in the Sediment Quality Guideline (Effect Range Low, ERL) proposed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States. Similarly, the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) class indicated that pollution by metallic elements in intertidal surface sediment, except As, was moderate or non-existent. Our results imply that the intertidal surface sediments along the southwestern coast of Korea are not polluted by organic matter and metallic elements and are healthy for benthic organisms.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.477-486
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• 2014

Integrated sand control including sediment discharge from hinterland rivers is necessary to maintain coastal sand resources over a long term. In this regard, the following subjects should be considered; efficient ways to transfer discharged sand from a river to the neighboring coast, measures to improve storage efficiency of the discharged sand at the river delta and/or river terrace, measures to prevent the sand resources from being discharged into the deep sea during flooding. From the 1997 to January 2004, the jetty of 156 m length was constructed the Heoya-river mouth to protect the blockade of river mouth. Several tests were carried out to investigate the characteristics of sediment transport and morphological change due to the construction of the jetty at the Heoya-river mouth. Firstly, The sand discharge from Heoya river is quantified by one-dimensional numerical analysis assuming the mixed sand of three different particle diameters. Also the numerical mode system, which predicts the sea bed changes obtained from the Bailard's energy model(1981), was combined with the wave, wave-induced currents and sediment transport models. Then, to understand the changes to the blockade of the river mouth, several aerial photographs were compared, which showed that the changes were significant.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.82-96
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• 2001

The purpose of this study is to investigate the wise use and the management of intertidal environment. For tills purpose, we selected the Kanghwa island mudflat which is one of the most important intertidal region in Korea peninsula. The main research method is surface sediment and several map analysis. The results are as follows. (1) The study area is worldwide coastal wetland in view of ecology and geomorphology. But most of the salt marsh has been reclaimed since Japanese colonial period, the study area is mainly composed of mudflat. (2) The mean tidal regime of study area is 7.3m. From this tidal regime, the study area is subdivided into four distinct areas: the high intertidal area the middle intertidal area the low intertidal area and the shallow sea area terrestrial area near mudflat. (3) The mean particle size of surface sediment is sand 41.5%, silt 47.3%, clay 11.2%. This particle size pattern indicates the ecological characteristics of surface sediment of the study area. The proportion of clay is increasing to the open sea. (5) The pursuit of the wise use and the management must be implemented by the consideration of not only ecologic and sedimentary characteristics but also of the eco-tour site plan. And the entire use and management subject is different in each area.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.424-431
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• 2009

This study investigates the difference of sound velocity (compressional wave velocity) between gas hydrate-bearing sediments and nongas hydrate-bearing sediments in the Ulleung Basin, East Sea. We use a dataset measured from one site in the central part of the Ulleung Basin. Sound velocity for gas hydrate-bearing sediment shows the range from 1600 m/s to 2200 m/s. However, the value for nongas hydrate-bearing sediment is mostly around 1500 m/s, being less than 1400 m/s below 140 m subbottom depth. This trend is probably due to the presence of free gas below BSR (Bottom Simulating Reflector). Gas hydrate-bearing sediments show high value (maximum 150 Ohm-m) of resistivity. The physical properties between gas hydrate-bearing sediment and nongas hydrate-bearing sediment are characterized by the different patterns due to the presence of gas hydrate in comparison with those of marine unconsolidated sediments. Therefore, in order to investigate acoustic and physical properties for gas hydrate-bearing sediments, the study for the occurrence type and the amount of gas hydrates should be conducted simultaneously.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.442-457
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• 1995

The relationships of environmental factors to the distribution patterns of the three species of ophiuroids, Ophiura kinbergi, O. sarsi and ). sarsi vadicola from Yellow Sea southeast seas and East Sea of Korea were studied to characterize their habitual niches. These three species chosen for study illustrated distinct niche and patterns according to their various preferences mainly for bottom water temperature, bottom water salinity and depth from seven environmental variables which were depth, bottom water temperature and salinity, density, bottom water oxygen content, grain size of the surface sediment, and sediment sorting coefficient. The results of habitat niche study mainly dealing with O. sarsi vadicola suggested that the optimum habitat rages were approximately 6$^{\circ}C$∼10$^{\circ}C$ in bottom temperature and 31%∼33.5% in bottom water salinity which also corresponded with the characteristic ranges of Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water and higher probabilities of occurrence (more than 70%) were found in depth ranging from 100 to 200 m. In addition, the habitats of O. kinbergi and O. sarsi were compared with that of O. sarsi vadicola. Their ranges of habitat niches were found to have different niches in physical space of bottom water temperature, bottom water salinity and depth. Based on the distribution pattern of O. sarsi vadicola in the Yellow Sea, the ecological barrier which confined the distribution of benthic macro-invertebrates in southern Yellow Sea was determined to be the Yellow Sea Warm Current (approximately 34% < and 18$^{\circ}C$ in December) which occurs between 33$^{\circ}$ and 34$^{\circ}$N of southern Yellow Sea in winter time.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.68-72
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• 2009

To gain a greater understanding of the potential for future harmful algal bloom (HAB) outbreaks and to trace the dispersal paths of dinoflagellates, sediment samples were collected from 13 stations in the southeastern Yellow Sea. 23 different types of dinoflagellate resting cysts were identified from the samples. Protoceratium reticulatum (1-391 cells/g dry weight), Gonyaulax scrippsae (0-254 cells/g dry weight), G. spinifera (0-301 cells/g dry weight) and Alexandrium spp. (ellipsoidal type) (0-76 cells/g dry weight) were the dominant species at all surveyed stations. The overall distribution pattern demonstrated that the resting cyst densities were highest in the offshore area and decreased gradually toward the Korean coast. On the other hand, the composition rate of resting cysts of the heterotrophic dinoflagellate species to the total dinoflagellates was higher in the Korean coast region than in the offshore area. We supposed that this distribution pattern of dinoflagellate resting cysts appeared to be influenced by the hydrographic features and environmental conditions of the Yellow Sea.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.602-613
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• 2013

This paper aims at an investigation of the features of bacterial communities in surface sediments of the South China Sea (SCS). In particular, biogeographical distribution patterns and the phylogenetic diversity of bacteria found in sediments collected from a coral reef platform, a continental slope, and a deep-sea basin were determined. Bacterial diversity was measured by an observation of 16S rRNA genes, and 18 phylogenetic groups were identified in the bacterial clone library. Planctomycetes, Deltaproteobacteria, candidate division OP11, and Alphaproteobacteria made up the majority of the bacteria in the samples, with their mean bacterial clones being 16%, 15%, 12%, and 9%, respectively. By comparison, the bacterial communities found in the SCS surface sediments were significantly different from other previously observed deep-sea bacterial communities. This research also emphasizes the fact that geographical factors have an impact on the biogeographical distribution patterns of bacterial communities. For instance, canonical correspondence analyses illustrated that the percentage of sand weight and water depth are important factors affecting the bacterial community composition. Therefore, this study highlights the importance of adequately determining the relationship between geographical factors and the distribution of bacteria in the world's seas and oceans.