• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.73-83
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• 2016

Forest degradation reduces ecosystem services provided by forest and could lead to change in composition of species. In North Korea, there has been significant forest degradation due to conversion of forest into terrace fields for food production and cut-down of forest for fuel woods. This study analyzed the phenological changes in North Korea, in terms of vegetation and moisture in soil and vegetation, from March to Octorber 2013, using MODIS (MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) images and indexes including NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), NDSI (Normalized Difference Soil Index), and NDWI (Normalized Difference Water Index). In addition, marginal farmland was derived using elevation data. Lastly, degraded terrace fields of 16 degree was analyzed using NDVI, NDSI, and NDWI indexes, and marginal farmland characteristics with slope variable. The accuracy value of land cover classification, which shows the difference between the observation and analyzed value, was 84.9% and Kappa value was 0.82. The highest accuracy value was from agricultural (paddy, field) and forest area. Terrace fields were easily identified using slope data form agricultural field. Use of NDVI, NDSI, and NDWI is more effective in distinguishing deforested terrace field from agricultural area. NDVI only shows vegetation difference whereas NDSI classifies soil moisture values and NDWI classifies abandoned agricultural fields based on moisture values. The method used in this study allowed more effective identification of deforested terrace fields, which visually illustrates forest degradation problem in North Korea.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.151-155
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• 2018

Degree of membrane degradation in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) is mainly evaluated by the hydrogen crossover current density. The hydrogen crossover current density is measured by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), which differs from the DOE protocol and the NEDO protocol. In this study, two protocols were compared during PEMFC operation and accelerated stress test. In the LSV method by the DOE method, the scan rate change affects the hydrogen crossover current density, but the NEDO method does not affect the hydrogen crossover current density. In the course of 15,000 cycles of polymer membrane wet/dry cycle, the DOE method was sensitive to membrane degradation, but the NEDO method was less sensitive to membrane degradation than the DOE method.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.18-27
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• 2003

Interfacial properties and microfailure degradation mechanisms of the oxygen-plasma treated biodegradable poly(p-dioxanone) (PPDO) fiber/poly(L-lactide) (PLLA)composites were investigated for the orthopedic applications as implant materials using micromechanical technique and surface wettability measurement. PPDO fiber reinforced PLLA composite can provide good mechanical performance for long hydrolysis time. The degree of degradation for PPDO fiber and PLLA matrix was measured by thermal analysis and optical observation. IFSS and work of adhesion, $W_a$ between PPDO fiber and PLLA matrix showed the maximum at the plasma treatment time, at 60 seconds. Work of adhesion was lineally proportional to the IFSS. PPDO fiber showed ductile microfailure modes at We initial state, whereas brittle microfailure modes appeared with elapsing hydrolysis time. Interfacial properties and microfailure degradation mechanisms can be important factors to control bioabsorbable composites performance because IFSS changes with hydrolytic degradation.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.775-780
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• 2011

5-cell DMFC stack was fabricated and operated with the load of 4 A for 4000 hrs. After 4000 hrs operation peak power density of the stack reduced by 27.3%. Two of the five cells did now show performance degradation, the performance of other two was reduced by 40% and the performance of the other decreased by 60%. The amount of performance degradation of each cell by long-term operation did not correlate with the position in the stack. Platinum particle size in the anode catalyst layer of the MEA with the strongest degradation increased and the increase was severer on the position of methanol inlet than on the position of methanol outlet. However, platinum particle size in the cathode catalyst layers did not changed for all the MEA'. Ruthenium crossover from the anode catalyst layer to the cathode catalyst layer through the membrane was observed after 4,000 hrs operation by SEM-EDX and it occurred for all MEA' regardless of the degree of performance degradation. Atomic ratio of ruthenium to platinum in the cathode catalyst layer was the highest in the MEA with the strongest performance degradation.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2012

Bonding strength of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder joint due to degradation characteristic of OSP surface finish was investigated, compared with SnPb finish. The thickness variation and degradation mechanism of organic solderability preservative(OSP) coating were also analyzed with the number of reflow process. To analyze the degradation degree of solder joint strength, FR-4 PCB coated with OSP and SnPb were experienced preheat treatment as a function of reflow number from 1st to 6th pass, respectively. After 2012 chip resistors were soldered with Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu on the pre-heated PCB, the shear strength of solder joints was measured. The thickness of OSP increased with increase of the number of reflow pass by thermal degradation during the reflow process. It was also observed that the preservation effect of OSP decreased due to OSP degradation which led Cu pad oxidation. The mean shear strength of solder joints formed on the Cu pads finished with OSP and SnPb were 58.1 N and 62.2 N, respectively, through the pre-heating of 6 times. Although OSP was degraded with reflow process, the feasibility of its application was proven.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.85-99
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• 2015

It is urgent to redevelop the superannuated reservoir levee through the levee raising for countermeasure to climate change and improvement of storage capacity of reservoir. However, low compaction degree of the raised reservoir levee owing to poor construction condition leads to degradation of the stability of the reservoir levee on seepage and earthquake. In this study, seepage and seismic behavior of raised reservoir levee with low compaction degree was evaluated through numerical simulation. From the simulated results, water level raising possibly induces crack and/or sinkhole on the surface of the poorly-compacted raised reservoir levee owing to the increase of the subsidences at the crown and the front side of that. In addition, relatively larger displacement and acceleration response at the front side of raised reservoir levee in seismic condition may degrade overall stability of reservoir levee. Therefore, reasonable construction management for the compaction of the raised reservoir levee is required for ensuring long-term stability on seepage and earthquake.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2002.07c
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• pp.2043-2046
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• 2002

This paper studies on Sun interference effects or Sun outage effects on C-band satellite reception signal for THAICOM2. The THAICOM2 satellite is at 78.5 degree East 〔co-located with THAICOM3〕. The down link station was located in Khon-kaen, longitude 102.83 degree East and latitude 16.43 degree North. The antenna diameter is 4.6 meters for C-band downlink station. Total 9 times of sun interference events were occurred during summer and fall of 2001 and these about 53 minutes altogether. The Maximum CM degradation of the THAICOM2 system was around 11 dB. The Sun interference events of 53 minutes of one year are 0.0122 percents of the C-band contact time when 21 hours of contact time is used f3r broadcasting a day.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1995.07c
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• pp.1058-1060
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• 1995

In this paper, we studied the tracking characteristics of silicone rubbers that differed in the degree of crosslinking. As the tracking method, we adopted ASTM D 2303 and Merry-Go-Round(MGR) test method. It was found that the higher the degree of crosslinking, the better tracking characteristics. In these two test methods, specimens showed similar tendency of performance variation according to the degree of crosslinking. However the degradation phenomena were very different. As for MGR method, only the color of specimens' surface changed without any erosion or tracking path on them. On the contrary, the specimens subjected to ASTM D 2303 test method showed severe erosion.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.407-418
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• 2008

Seawater samples were collected at discrete depths from five stations across the polar front in the Drake Passage (Antarctic Ocean) by the $20^{th}$ Korea Antarctic Research Program in December, 2006. Nitrate concentrations of seawater increase with depth within the photic zone above the depth of Upper Circumpolar Deep Water (UCDW). In contrast, ${\delta}^{15}N$ values of seawater nitrate decrease with depth, showing a mirror image to the nitrate variation. Such a distinct vertical variation is mainly attributed to the degree of nitrate assimilation by phytoplankton as well as organic matter degradation of sinking particles within the surface layer. The preferential $^{14}{NO_3}^-$ assimilation by the phytoplankton causes $^{15}{NO_3}^-$ concentration to become high in a closedsystem surface-water environment during the primary production, whereas more $^{14}{NO_3}^-$ is added to the seawater during the degradation of sinking organic particles. The water-mass mixing seems to play an important role in the alteration of ${\delta}^{15}N$ values in the deep layer below the UCDW. Across the polar front, nitrate concentrations of surface seawater decrease and corresponding ${\delta}^{15}N$ values increase northward, which is likely due to the degree of nitrate utilization during the primary production. Based on the Rayleigh model, the calculated ${\varepsilon}$ (isotope effect of nitrate uptake) values between 4.0%o and 5.8%o were validated by the previously reported data, although the preformed ${\delta}^{15}{{NO_3}^-}_{initial}$ value of UCDW is important in the calculation of ${\varepsilon}$ values.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.15-22
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• 1997

The effectiveness of presteaming for improving CCA treatability on refractory Japanese larch heartwood was investigated in this study. Presteaming was effective on improving treatability, and the extent of improvement was dependent on moisture contents of wood specimen and steaming conditions. Green wood showed higher average value in both preservative retention and penetration than dry wood, and steaming under pressure conditions also had higher treatability than steaming at atmospheric conditions. The degree of improvement for treatability was increased with the extension of steaming period. Treatability of dry wood pres teamed under pressure conditions more than 6 hours and green wood for 3 hours was similar to that enhanced by conventional incising. Presteaming green wood under pressure conditions more than 6 hours was more effective than conventional incising in improvement of CCA treatability, and resultant treatability satisfied a minimum value required for CCA-treated wood for being used at the regions of hazard class H3 and H4. In addition, an improvement of treatability by presteaming was due to an increase in permeability resulted from the degradation of hemicelluloses within aspirated pit membrane and cell wall, not the removal of extractives from pit membrane. The reduction in strength, measured as longitudinal compressive strength, due to pres teaming was related with the degradation of hemicelluloses, and was increased as steaming conditions were severe. The degree of strength reduction associated with presteaming treatment to obtain required treatability could be quantified from the relatively good relation between the increase in treatability and the decrease in strength.