• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
• /
• v.25 no.5
• /
• pp.335-347
• /
• 2013

In February 2008, high storm waves due to a developed atmospheric low pressure system propagating from the west off Hokkaido, Japan, to the south and southwest throughout the East Sea (ES) caused extensive damages along the central coast of Japan and along the east coast of Korea. This study consists of two parts. In the first part, we estimate extreme storm wave characteristics in the Toyama Bay where heavy coastal damages occurred, using a non-hydrostatic meteorological model and a spectral wave model by considering the extreme conditions for two factors for wind wave growth, such as wind intensity and duration. The estimated extreme significant wave height and corresponding wave period were 6.78 m and 18.28 sec, respectively, at the Fushiki Toyama. In the second part, we perform numerical experiments on wave-structure interaction in the Fushiki Port, Toyama Bay, where the long North-Breakwater was heavily damaged by the storm waves in February 2008. The experiments are conducted using a non-linear shallow-water equation model with adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) and wet-dry scheme. The estimated extreme storm waves of 6.78 m and 18.28 sec are used for incident wave profile. The results show that the Fushiki Port would be overtopped and flooded by extreme storm waves if the North-Breakwater does not function properly after being damaged. Also the storm waves would overtop seawalls and sidewalls of the Manyou Pier behind the North-Breakwater. The results also depict that refined meshes by AMR method with wet-dry scheme applied capture the coastline and coastal structure well while keeping the computational load efficiently.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.267-281
• /
• 2019

Energetic mesoscale eddies in the East Sea (ES) associated with strong mesoscale variability impacting circulation and environments were statistically characterized by analyzing satellite altimeter data collected during 1993-2017 and in-situ data obtained from four cruises conducted between 2015 and 2017. A total of 1,008 mesoscale eddies were detected, tracked, and identified and then classified into 27 groups characterized by mean lifetime (L, day), amplitude (H, m), radius (R, km), intensity per unit area (EI, $cm^2/s^2/km^2$), ellipticity (e), eddy kinetic energy (EKE, TJ), available potential energy (APE, TJ), and direction of movement. The center, boundary, and amplitude of mesoscale eddies identified from satellite altimeter data were compared to those from the in-situ observational data for the four cases, yielding uncertainties in the center position of 2-10 km, boundary position of 10-20 km, and amplitude of 0.6-5.9 cm. The mean L, H, R, EI, e, EKE, and APE of the ES mesoscale eddies during the total period are $95{\pm}104$ days, $3.5{\pm}1.5cm$, $39{\pm}6km$, $0.023{\pm}0.017cm^2/s^2/km^2$, $0.72{\pm}0.07$, $23{\pm}21TJ$, and $588{\pm}250TJ$, respectively. The ES mesoscale eddies tend to move following the mean surface current rather than propagating westward. The southern groups (south of the subpolar front) have a longer L, larger H, R, and higher EKE, APE; and stronger EI than those of the northern groups and tend to move a longer distance following surface currents. There are exceptions to the average characteristics, such as the quasi-stationary groups (the Wonsan Warm, Wonsan Cold, Western Japan Basin Warm, and Northern Subpolar Frontal Cold Eddy groups) and short-lived groups with a relatively larger H, higher EKE, and APE and stronger EI (the Yamato Coastal Warm, Central Yamato Warm, and Eastern Japan Basin Coastal Warm eddy groups). Small eddies in the northern ES hardly resolved using the satellite altimetry data only, were not identified here and discussed with potential over-estimations of the mean L, H, R, EI, EKE, and APE. This study suggests that the ES mesoscale eddies 1) include newly identified groups such as the Hokkaido and the Yamato Rise Warm Eddies in addition to relatively well-known groups (e.g., the Ulleung Warm and the Dok Cold Eddies); 2) have a shorter L; smaller H, R, and lower EKE; and stronger EI and higher APE than those of the global ocean, and move following surface currents rather than propagating westward; and 3) show large spatial inhomogeneity among groups.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.87-98
• /
• 2016

During the period between July 3 and 27 of 2009, water samples were collected from the Russian coast at a depth of 30m from 26 stations (including Ulleung and Japan basins) onboard the Russian survey vessel R/V Lavrentyev following 4 lines (D, R, E, and A). The samples were analyzed for nutrients and chlorophyll a contents. All parameters exhibited higher values in warm waters than in cold waters ($NH_4:1.8-fold$, $PO_4:1.8-fold$, $SiO_2:1.2-fold$, and chlorophyll-${\alpha}$:1.9-fold), except nitrates, which was 1.4-fold higher in cold waters than in warm waters. The horizontal distribution of ammonia, phosphate, and chlorophyll-${\alpha}$ was very similar to each other and showed the highest values in the waters near Russia, where a upwelling influence of cold current and bottom water prevails, while relatively low distribution was observed at the Ulleung Basin. On the other hand, nitrates showed the highest concentration at the Ulleung Basin, which is under the direct influence of the Tsushima warm water, and showed a gradual decrease northward. The N/P ratio showed the highest value in the Tsushima middle water, rather than in the North Korean Cold Water, the Tsushima Warm Water was the primary source of nitrate flow into the East Sea. However, the average concentration of phosphate in the warm waters was < $0.2{\mu}M$, thereby limiting phytoplankton growth, while a high concentration of phosphate in cold waters showed a direct correlation with chlorophyll-${\alpha}$. The results of principal component analysis for the identification of primary factors that influence the marine environment showed that principal component I was water temperature and principal component II was influenced chlorophyll-${\alpha}$ and nutrients. Therefore, Study area has greatest influenced by water temperature, and clearly distinct cold and warm water regions were observed in the East Sea.

• Journal of the Speleological Society of Korea
• /
• no.68
• /
• pp.99-120
• /
• 2005

It is a wrong decision to use only topographic and geological maps for the study of pediment morphology in Korea. For the study of pediment morphology it is necessary to survey the earth structure by field techniques. In Korea, pediments are mostly found in granite areas with hardrock cover. But, pediments also developed in gneiss areas and what is worse in limestone areas. So, all areas in Korea developed pediment morphology. Only in South Korea pediments show a direction from south to north or from west to east. They developed only in right angles to each other, either parallel or in right angles to the strike, depending on the bedrock structure. Pediments are found in two levels. The upper level pediments are correlated with the lower level erosion surface. Besides this pediments are found in Hoenggye-ri of the Taegwolryong area in a third level 800m above sea level. The pediments developed in basins, at the lower margins of steep slopes dividing three levels of erosion surfaces and around the residual mountains on the erosion surfaces. The first belong to the early stage of pedimentation, the second to the middle stage and the third to the last stage. Also, in Korea monadnock and residual mountain have developed the pediments are correlated the slope of the hinter mountains. Akagki states that the only pedimentation times have been times of arid climate and that they are dissected by gulley erosion with climatic change, but writer's study proves that pedimentation takes place with eustatic movement, reckless defore-station and convectional rain. These facts indicate that the landforms, geological character and process of erosional cycle of the pediments in Korea resemble much those in the Chugoku Mountains of south wertern Japan, but they are larger in scale than those in the Chugoku Mountains. In conclusion, while Akagki emphasizes the geological character and climatic change in pedimentation, the writer studies prove that eustatic movements, especially the sea level rise after the Wurm age are important factors for pedimentation. Besides this the author's studies allow a classification of gentle slopes.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.134-143
• /
• 1996

Sediment cores were collected from one site each in Amursky and Ussuriysky Bays in the Peter the great Bay for $^{210}Pb$, org C, N, biogenic Si, ${\delta}^{13}$C and ${\delta}^{15}$N analysis to elucidate the processes of biogenic particulate matter accumulation and early diagenetic change in the upper sediment column. Biogeochemistry at the core sites of both bays shows differences in sedimentation rate, sediment mixing, and diagenetic processes of particulate biogenic matter. Sedimentary organic matter at the core sites in both bays appeared to be largely derived from marine origin. Sedimentation rates are 173 and 118 mg $cm^{-2}$ $yr^{-1}$(0.13 and 0.11 cm $yr^{-1}$) in Amursky and Ussuriysky Bays, respectively. The surface mixed layer in the core top was present in Amursky Bay but not in Ussuriysky Bay. At the core site in Amursky Bay, incorporation of biogenic particulate matter into the sediment from the overlying waters is 236, 19, 142 mmol $cm^{-2}$ $yr^{-1}$ for organic C, N, and biogenic Si, respectively. Of which about 70${\%}$ of organic C and biogenic Si are degraded within the upper 25 cm sediment and the rest are buried at 25 cm sediment horizon. At the core site in Ussuriysky Bay, incorporation of biogenic particulate matter into the sediment from overlying waters is 164, 18, 76 mmol $cm^{-2}$ $yr^{-1}$ for organic C, N, and biogenic Si, respectively. Of which less than 50${\%}$ of organic C and biogenic Si are degraded within the upper 25 cm sediment and the remainder are buried at 25 cm sediment horizon. This large difference of degradation of biogenic matter in the upper 25 cm sediment column appears to be resulted from the difference in sediment mixing rates between the two cores.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.51-63
• /
• 1980

The seismicity of the Korean Peninsula and its vicinity is investigated temporally (2 A. D. to 1978) and spatially to evaluate the seismic risk and to understand the neotectonics around the peninsula. The study has been conducted using macrocosmic data obtained from historical literature, and instrumental records recorded by the Worldwide Network of Standardized Seismographs(WWNSS). The seismicity of the peninsula was active from the 13th through the 17th centuries. A seismic quiescence began at the onset of the 18th century, and has continued for the last 200 years. Presently, the seismicity region is found to be active again. The return periods are determined by a statistical method based upon the cumulative magnitude recurrence. They indicate that the seismic risk is greater in the south or west than in the north or east of the peninsula. Focal mechanism solutions demonstrate that the neotectonic stress distribution in the Japan Sea is greatly influenced by the subduction of the Pacific Plate under the Eurasian Plate or the Philippine Sea Plate, even though the predominate local paleotectonics is controlled by the spreading of the earth's crut.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.239-243
• /
• 2007

Presence of bottom water nitrite in the Ulleung Basin was remarkable because it is totally unexpected phenomenon at such an oxygen-rich environment. Yet no scientific explanation was set forward. Of several plausible explanations, following the Ockham's suggestion, a leaching of nitrite as an intermediate product of denitrification in the top sediment at the slope is most agreeable to given environmental settings. There seems no complementary process to make up the loss of N in the Ulleung Basin, which seems contribute to the characteristically low N:P ratio in the deep waters. If warming proceeds that weakens the thermohaline circulation, a current biological pump may stall and the phytoplankton assemblage might replaced drastically. If so this will pause an utmost challenge to the ecosystem of the East/Japan Sea. Still there remains a contradictory sedimentary signature that requests further explanation regarding the N (or organic C)-cycle such as extraordinarily high organic carbon content despite abundant oxidants in the overlying waters.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.198-202
• /
• 2010

In and around the Korean Peninsula, 18 intraplate earthquake focal mechanisms since 1936 were analyzed to understand the characteristic of focal mechanism and regional stress orientation and tectonics. These earthquakes are largest ones from the last century and may represent the characteristics of earthquake in this region. Focal mechanism of these earthquakes show predominant strike-slip faulting with small amount of thrust components. The average P-axis is almost horizontal ENE-WSW direction. This mechanism pattern and the direction of maximum stress axis is very similar with northeastern part of China and southwestern part of Japan. However they are quite different with the eastern part of East Sea. This indicate that not only the subducting Pacific Plate from east but also the indenting Indian Plate controls focal mechanism in the far east of the Eurasian Plate.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.39 no.1 s.176
• /
• pp.83-93
• /
• 2006

The Kita-Yamato Trough is characterized by a SW-NE trending narrow graben between the Yamato Bank and the Kita-Yamato Bank in the central East Sea/Japan Sea (ES/JS). Core 20EEZ-1 was obtained in the flat summit of a small ridge from the southwest Kita-Yamato Trough. The sedimentation was mainly controlled by the supply of hemipelgic sediments and substantial tephras from explosive volcanic eruptions of the Quaternary volcanoes. The aim of this study is to reconstruct the tephrostratigraphy from the marine sediments collected from the Kita-Yamato Trough and to provide the atmosphere and ocean conditions during the explosive volcanic eruptions. According to the detailed tephrostratigraphy and lithofacies records, the core sediments were deposited during the last marine isotope stage (MIS) 7. The core consists of four lithofacies, idetified as, oxidized mud (OM), crudely laminated mud (CLM) and bioturbated mud (BM), interbedded with coarse-grained tephra (TP). The major element geochemistry and stratigraphic positions of seven tephra layers suggest that they originated from the Aira caldera in Kyushu area among the Japanese islands (AT tephra; 29.24 ka), unknown submarine volcano in the south Korea Plateau (SKP-I; MIS 3, SKP-II; MIS 4, SKP-IV; boundary between MIS 6 and MIS 5e, SKP-V; MIS 6, respectively), and the Baegdusan volcano in the Korean Peninsula (B-KY1; ca. 130 ka, B-KY2; ca. 196 ka). The absence of tephras originated trom Ulleung Island in core 20EEZ-l suggest that the tephras had not been transported into the Kita-Yamato Trough by atmosphere conditions during the eruptions. On the other hand, the B-KYI and the B-KY2 tephras derived from the Baegdusan volcano were founded in the Kita-Yamato Trough by a presence of prevailing westerly winds during the eruptions. Furthermore, the SKP tephras were characterized by the transport across the air-water interface, causing quickly thrust of raising eruption plumes from subaqueous explosive eruptions. Surface currents may play an important role in controlling the distribution patterns of the SKP tephras to distal areas. The tephrostratigraphic study in the Kita-Yamato Trough provides the important chronostratigraphic marker horizons and the detailed atmosphere and ocean conditions during the explosive eruptions.

• 한국해양학회지
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.170-183
• /
• 1995

Eddies and surface current field in the southwestern part of the East Sea were investigated using satellite-tracked drifters, CTD, and ADCP from November 1992 to September 1993. Trajectories of surface drifters provided information for the first time on the meandering motion of the East Korean Warm Current in the Ullung Basin (referred as UB) and clearly indicated the existence of cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies of various scales. Anticyclonic eddies persisting for a relatively long period were observed in UB and the southwestern corner of the Northern (Japan) Basin (SNB), while a cyclonic eddy was found in the coastal area between Sokcho and Donghae during the summer. Analysis shows that the eddy in UB behaved as a stationary eddy at least during the observation period and the cyclonic eddy was closely related to the existence of a cold water mass. The anticyclonic eddy in SNB was larger than that in UB, but much elongated in shape. The eddy in UB is characteristic of major and minor axes of about 120 and 70 km, revolution period of 13.6 days, mean swirl velocity of about 24 cm/s, and mean eddy kinetic energy of 392 cm$\^$2//s$\^$2/. The eddy in SNB is described as follows; major and minor axes of 168 and 86 km, period of 14.9 days, mean swirl velocity of 29 cm/s and mean eddy kinetic energy of 629 cm$\^$2//s$\^$2/. The mean translational speed is about 3 cm/s for both eddies. The agreement of the surface current pattern in UB observed by ADCP with the geostrophic flow pattern may suggest that the eddy in UB was nearly in geostrophic balance. The eddy was found to be strongly bottom-controlled.