• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.42 no.2 s.119
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• pp.165-176
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• 2007

Absolute age of the deposition of 1.3 km-thick Bunthang sequence within the Skardu intermontane basin of the Central Karakoram was determined using radioactive decay of cosmogonic $^{10}Be$ and $^{26}Al$ burial dating. The Bunthang sequence deposited around 2.65 Ma, which is the oldest glaciation in the region. The timing of deposition of the Bunthang sequence is consistent with the previous suggestion that the basin filling took place between Brunhess and Matuyama chrons. Four major sedimentary facies interfinger within the Bunthang sequence: glacial diamict, lacustrine, fluvial and lacustrine facies upward. This sedimentary distinctiveness and the lack of evidence on the faults for alternative pull-apart basin model around the Bunthang sequence, suggest that the depressional basin was formed by deep subglacial erosion during the exrtensive Bunthang Glacial Stage and subsequently the sediments underlain by basal diamict, was quickly deposited by preglacial and paraglacial processes. Temporary ponding of the Indus River due to tectonic uplift in the downstream or blockage by mass movements might make the basin filing more possible. The hypothesis that the single ice sheet developed on the Tibetan Plateau during the global last glacial cycle should be refuted by the existence of the older extensive Bunthang glacier Furthermore, the extensive glaciation during the early Quaternary (and thus progressive decrease in extent with time) suggests that there may have been significant uplift of the Pamir to the west and Himalaya to the south, which would have reduced the penetration of westerlies and Indian summer monsoon and hence moisture supply to the region.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.195-207
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• 2016

Because the high latitude region in the North Pacific is characterized by high primary production in the surface water enriched with nutrients, it is important to understand the variation of surface water productivity and associated nutrient variability in terms of global carbon cycle. Surface water productivity change or its related nutrient utilization rate during the Northern Hemisphere Glaciation (NHG; ca. 2.73 Ma) has been reported, but little is known about such circumstances under gradual climate cooling since the NHG. Bulk nitrogen isotope (${\delta}^{15}N_{bulk}$) of sedimentary organic matter has been used for the reconstruction of nutrient utilization rate in the surface water. However, sedimentary organic matter experiences diagenesis incessantly during sinking through the water column and after burial within the sediments. Thus, in this study we examine the degree of nitrate utilization rate during the early Pleistocene (2.4-1.25 Ma) since the NHG, using the diatom-bound nitrogen isotope (${\delta}^{15}N_{db}$), which is known to be little influenced by diagenesis, from Site U1343 in the Bering slope area. ${\delta}^{15}N_{db}$ values range from ~0.5 to 5.5‰, which is lower than ${\delta}^{15}N_{bulk}$ values, but they vary with larger amplitude. Variation patterns between ${\delta}^{15}N_{db}$ values and biogenic opal concentration are generally consistent, which indicates that the nitrate utilization rate is closely related to opal productivity change in the surface water. A positive correlation between opal productivity and nitrate utilization rate was observed, which is different from the other high latitude regions in the North Pacific. The main reason for this contrasting relationship is that the primary production in the surface water at Site U1343 is influenced mostly by the degree of sea ice formation. Still, although concerns about diagenetic alteration have been avoided by using ${\delta}^{15}N_{db}$, the effects of the preservation state of biogenic opal and the species-dependent isotopic fractionation on ${\delta}^{15}N_{db}$ should be assessed in the future studies.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 2002

We measured the alkenone concentration of bulk sediments from a piston core collected from the Ulleung Basin in the East Sea in order to reconstruct past sea surface temperatures (SST). Sediment ages are well constrained by AMS $^{14}C$ dates of the planktonic foraminifera Globigerina bulloides. Coretop alkenone SST calibration with modern surface temperatures and sediment trap dat (Hong et al., 1996) indicate that the SST estimated from alkenones most likely represent the temperatures of late fall. Downcore variations in the alkenone saturation index indicate that between 19 and 15 kyr BP the surface waters were about $3^{\circ}C$ warmer than today. Between 15 and 11 kyr BP, the temperatures were about $3^{\circ}C$ lower than today. A rapid SST increase of about $3^{\circ}C$ occurred at approximately 10 kyr BP. After considering the factors which might influence the SST reconstruction from the $U^{k'}_{37}$ values, we conclude that the alkenone temperature estimates are reliable. The reason for glacial warming in the East Sea is not clear, although there is a possibility that it could be caused by shift in the season of maximum alkenone production from summer during the last glaciation to late fall during the Holocene. Cooling between 15 and 11 kyr BP may be due to inflow of cold water into the East Sea such as via the Oyashio Current or ice-melt water. Warming at the early Holocene could be due to inflow of the Tsushima Current into the East Sea through the Korea Strait.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.15-26
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• 1990

Narrow (10-20 km wide) and steep (0.3-$2.4^{\circ}$) continental shelf off the eastern coast of Korea is covered with terrigenous clastic sediments reflecting the Holocene fluctuation of sea level. Surface sediments on the inner shelf consist of muddy sand and sandy mud with some gravels near the coast. However, sand or muddy sand, shell fragments and well rounded gravels occur near the edge of continental shelf at the depth of about 130-l50m. The coarse sediments near the shelf edge seem to be the relict or palimpsest sediments deposited under the nearshore environment during the low-stand or sea level due to so-called the Wisconsinan glaciation. Distribution of recent sediments near the coast and the inner shelf may reflect the affect of waves and currents precluding the deposition of fine sediment near the coast and on the shallow portion of shelf. Eastern Korean Warm Current also nay have played an important role to the transport and distribution of fine sediments from the south.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.159-178
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• 2012

Since the suggestions on the paleo-glacial landforms in and around the northern high mountains of Korean Peninsula by some western and Japanese scientists in the early 1900s, the likelihood of the glacier existence in the Baekdusan over the Quaternary glacial period has been had in common among most of the Korean geomorphologists. In the other meaning, some have cast doubt on the likelihood the paleo-glacier in the Baekdusan because there has been no unequivocal evidences for the glacier such as striation, moraines, except morphologic characteristic landforms possibly related to glacier. Here we show some evidences for the existence of the glacier in the Baekdusan and their cosmogenic $^{36}Cl$ exposure ages over the late Quaternary and would put forward a model on the Quaternary landscape evolution of the Baekdusan, with a focus on the relationship of 1000 AD explosive eruption and the glacial landforms. The exposure ages constrained by cosmogenic $^{36}Cl$ abundances of the col surface of the western slope located below the glacier yield 46~26 ka, which is inphase with the last glacial period. Given all the evidences above, we can draw a conclusion that the glacier existed on the Baekdusan over the late Quaternary and the style of glaciation changed from extensive ice cap through valley glacier to restricted cirque.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.151-164
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• 2022

According to the records of historical and instrumental earthquakes, the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula is considered the highest seismic activity area. Owing to recent reports of numerous Quaternary faults along the Yangsan and Ulsan fault zones, paleoseismological studies are being actively conducted in these areas. The study area is located in the central part of the Ulsan fault zone, where the largest number of active faults have been reported. Based on lineament and geomorphic analysis using LiDAR images and aerial photographs, fault-related landforms showing topographic relief were observed and a trench survey was conducted. The trench length 20 m, width 5 m, depth 5 m is located approximately 300 m away to the northeast from the previously reported Malbang fault. From the trench section, we interpreted the geometric and kinematic characteristics of the fault based on the deformed features of the Quaternary sedimentary layers. The attitude of the reverse fault, N26°W/33°NE, is similar to those of the reported faults distributed along the Ulsan fault zone. Although a single apparent displacement of approximately 40 cm has been observed, the true displacement could not be calculated due to the absence of the slickenline on the fault plane. Based on the geochronological results of the cryogenic structure proposed in a previous study, the most recent faulting event has been estimated as being earlier than the late Wurm glaciation. We interpreted the thrust fault system of the study area as an imbrication structure based on the previous studies and the fault geometry obtained in this additional trench. Although several previous investigations including many trench surveys have been conducted, they found limited success in obtaining the information on fault parameters, which could be due to complex characteristics of the reverse fault system. Additional paleoseismic studies will contribute to solving the mentioned problems and the comprehensive fault evolution.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.134-144
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• 2009

Paleoproductivity changes in the central part of the Bering Sea since the last glacial period were reconstructed by analyzing opal and total organic carbon (TOC) content and their mass accumulation rate (MAR) in sediment core PC23A. Ages of the sediment were determined by both AMS $^{14}C$ dates using planktonic foraminifera and Last Appearance Datum of radiolaria (L. nipponica sakaii). The core-bottom age was calculated to reach back to 61,000 yr BP. and some of core-top was missing. Opal and TOC contents during the last glacial period varied in a range of 1-10% and 0.2-1.0%, and their average values are 5% and 0.7%, respectively. In contrast, during the last deglaciation, opal and TOC contents varied from 5 to 22% and from 0.8 to 1.2%, respectively, with increasing average values of 8% and 1.0%. Opal and TOC MAR were low ($1gcm^{-2}kyr^{-1}$, $0.2gcm^{-2}kyr^{-1}$) during the last glacial period, but they increased (>5 and >$1gcm^{-2}kyr^{-1}$) during the last deglaciation. High diatom productivity during the last deglaciation was most likely attributed to the elevated nutrient supply to the sea surface resulting from increased melt water input from the nearby land and enhanced Alaskan Stream injection from the south under the restricted sea-ice and warm condition during the rising sea level. On the contrary, low productivity during the last glacial period was mainly due to decreased Alaskan Stream injection during the low sea-level condition as well as to extensive development of sea ice under low-temperature seawater and cold environment.