• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.264-274
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• 2023

The Korea Strait comprises a continental shelf in a shallow sea that experienced glacio-eustastic sea-level changes during the Quaternary period. A long core of 76.6 m in length was acquired at the South Sea Drilling Project site (SSDP-101; 34°19.666'E and 128°16.335'N) with a 60 m water deep. The uppermost massive sand beds were interpreted as sandy sediments of the nearshore marine sand ridge in the shallow sea during the transgression of sea level, whereas the lower parts of alternating sandy and muddy beds were interpreted as deposits in marsh, estuary, and tidal flat environments. A three-layered geoacoustic model was reconstructed for the sedimentary succession in the high-resolution seismic profile based on a 140-grain size and sediment type of core SSDP-101. For the actual underwater simulation and experiments, the in-situ P-wave speeds were calculated using the sound speed ratio of the Hamilton method.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.443-458
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• 2005

Late Quaternary deposits of the core in the western area of the Nakdong River delta consist of four sedimentary units: Unit I, II, III and IV, in ascending order, controlled by the sea-level change since the last interglacial period. Unit I unconformable overlying Cretaceous basement rocks is composed of sandy gravel and sand deposited in a fluvial channel before the first marine transgression. Unit II composed of stiff massive mud is interpreted as a shallow marine deposits formed during the last interglacial period (probably MIS 5). The development of the fissures coated with oxidized materials in the upper part of Unit II is a feature of subaerial exposure, which indicates erosional contact with the upper Unit III. Unit III is made up of soft massive mud and soft shelly massive mud deposited in a tidal flat and a inner shelf, respectively, since the Holocene transgression (about 9,000 yr BP). Unit Ⅳ consisted of soft shell bedded mud and yellowish sandy mud was deposited in the delta environments during the regression (after about 5,000 yr BP). The lower shell bedded mud was deposited in a tidal flat and the upper sandy mud was deposited in the floodplain corresponding to present site of the Nakdong River delta.

• The Korean Journal of Petroleum Geology
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• v.11 no.1 s.12
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• pp.18-26
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• 2005

An occurrence of inclined heterolithic stratification (IHS) is described from a tidal point bar in a 40-m-deep distributary of the macrotidai, Han River delta, Korea. The channel bank demonstrates a convex-upward profile with intermittent presence or wave-formed scarps and terraces near the low-water level. The vertical succession of IHS is approximately 25 m thick and dips into the channel with angles reaching up to $14^{\circ}C$. The IHS overlies 15 m of trough cross-bedded sand deposited in the channel bottom. Even though the channel as a whole is ebb dominated, the preserved cross bedding is predominantly flood directed because the mutually evasive nature of the ebb and flood currents causes the point bar surface to be flood dominated. The IHS itself consists of inter-stratified fine sand, sandy silt, and silt with an fining-upward textural trend. Seasonal discharge variations of the Han River are not obvious in the deposits, because tile large size, distal location, and energetic tidal environment of the studied channel reduces the impart of river-stage fluctuations.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.51-61
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• 2021

Following the previous study, we report a complementary dating data on the silty layers deposited in paleo-tidal conditions of the study area, Dangjeong-ri, Seocheon-gun and suggest coastal terrain development processes over the past 200,000 years. Based on the dating results, the silty layers distributed up to 25 m above mean sea level were deposited between 171 and 183 ka, and the gravel layer deposited in a fluvial environment of a paleo-Dangjeong stream was found to have formed between 78 and 83 ka. Considering relative altitudes of distribution, an uplift rate of the study area in the western coast is judged to be relatively 0.5~0.7 low to that of Pohang area in the eastern coast. Compared to Busan and Sacheon areas in the southern coast, it is assumed that an uplift rate of the study area shows a similar level with those during the late Quaternary.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.38 no.6 s.175
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• pp.633-642
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• 2005

We present the sedimentary sequence and distribution pattern of the late Holocene muddy deposits in the northern East China Sea shelf using the high-resolution 'Chirp' profiles. The seismic sedimentary sequence overlying acoustic basement (basal reflector-B) can be divided into two depositional units (Unit 1 and 2) bounded by erosional bounding surface (mid reflector-M). The lower Unit 1 above basal reflector-H is characterized by the acoustically parallel to subparallel reflections and channel-fill facies. The upper Unit 2, up to 7 m in thickness, shows seismically semi-transparent seismic facies and lenticular body form. On the base of sequence stratigraphic concept, these two sediment units have developed during transgression and highstand period, respectively, since the last sea-level lowstand. The transgressive systems tract (Unit 1) lie directly on the sequence boundary (reflector B) that have farmed during the last glacial maximum. The transgressive systems tract in this study consists mostly of complex of delta, fluvial, and tidal deposits within the incised valley estuary system. The maximum flooding surface (reflector M) corresponding to the top surface of transgressive systems tract is obviously characterized by erosional depression. The highstand systems tract (Unit 2) above maximum flooding surface is made up of the mud patch filled with the erosional depression. The high-stand mud deposits showing a circle shape just like a typhoon symbol locates about 140 km off the south of Cheju Island with water depth of $60\~90m$. Coverage area and total sediment volume of the mud deposits are about $3,200km^2$ and $10.7\times10^9\;m^3$, respectively. The origin of the mud patch is interpreted as a result of accumulating suspended sediments derived from the paleo-Yellow and/or Yangtze Rivers. The circular distribution pattern of the mud patch appears to be largely controlled by the presence of cyclonic eddy in the northern East China Sea.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.64-74
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• 2007

The marine seismic prospecting using a research vessel in the shallow sea near the coastal area has certain limits according to the water depth and survey environment. Also, for the electrical resistivity survey at seashore area, one may need a specially designed high-voltage source to penetrate the very conductive surface layer. Therefore, we have conducted a feasibility study on the application of magnetotelluric method (MT), a passive geophysical method, on investigating of shallow marine environment geology. Our study involves both theoretical modeling and field survey at the tidal flat area which represent the very shallow marine environment. We have applied the audio-frequency magnetotelluric (AMT) method to the intertidal deposits of Gunhung Bay, west coast of Korea, and analysed the field data both qualitatively and quantitatively to investigate the morphology and sedimentary stratigraphy of the tidal flat. The inversion of AMT data well reveals the upper sedimentary layer of Holocene intertidal sediments having a range of 13-20 m thickness and the erosional patterns at the unconformable contact boundary. However, the AMT inversion results tend to overestimate the depth of basement (30-50 m) when compared with the seismic section (27-33 m). Since MT responses are not significantly sensitive to the resistivity of middle layer or the depth of basement, the AMT inversion result for basement may have to be adjusted using the comparison with other geophysical information like seismic section or logging data if possible. But, the AMT method can be an effective alternative choice for investigating the seashore area to get important basic informations such as the depositional environment of the tidal flat, sea-water intrusion and the basement structure near the sea shore.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.184-196
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• 1995

The line-SW is located in the mouth of Gomso Bay (20 Km long and 5-8 Km wide),west coast of Korea. This area is composed of sand flat, mud flat, sand shoal and chenier, The difference of physical, geological and geomorphic conditions in subenvironments of the bay may control and produce distingtive foraminiferal populations and assemblages. This study investigates whether five a priori subenvironments (five local zonations) in Gomso-Bay tidal flat can be distinguished from each other on the basis of total (living plus dead) foraminiferal assemblages. Seventy-four species (67 benthic; 7 planktonic) were recorded in total assemblages of surface sediments from 10 stations. Ammonia beccarii tepida, Discorbis candeiana, Elphidium etigoense and Eponides nipponicus were most dominant species in living and total assemblages. The relative abundance (%) of living population was high at upper flat and decreased from upper to lower flat. The low percentages of living populations in middle to lower flat are probably influenced by the decreasing reproduction of foraminifera caused by high energy condition and addition of dead species from offshore. The occurence of planktonic foraminifera in middle to lower flat (5.3∼6.6%) indicates introduction of planktonic foraminifera from offshore by storm and/or tidal current. The relatively high numbers of species in lower middle to lower flat are probably caused by a mixing of faunas from these areas and offshore. The high numbers of total individuals per 50 ml of sediment in upper flat indicate that this area is a relatively stable environment where waves and currents are protected by the chenier. Five biofacies of the total foraminiferal assemblages were established on the basis of dominant species (those representing more than 20% of the total assemblages in any station) in the five a priori subenvironments recognized along the Line-SW transect in Gomso-Bay tidal flat. Five biofacies are potentially useful in paleoenvironmental interpretation in late Quaternary Gomso-Bay tidal deposits.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.32-42
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• 2007

In Sagye coast of Andeok-myeon, southwestern Jeju, shore platform of noncohesive Hamori Formation, marine terrace deposit of round gravels, coastal dune composed of shell sand and volcanic sand, and back lake are linked closely with each other. In this paper, the formation process of Sagye coastal geomorphic system analysed by using OSL dating method is as follows: Firstly, Hamori Formation is a horizontal stratum filed up of tuff reworked by submarine volcanic eruption during 3$\sim$7.6 ka BP. Hollow at the boundary between Hamori Formation' flat and Kwangheak Basalt's gentle slope become a back lake when block is appeared over the sea level by uplift. Secondly, while Hamori Formation was laid below sea level, gravels which had been broken and abraded at southwestern rocky coast composed of Kwangheak basalt or been transported through the small stream from adjacent hillslope were deposited in rapid flow environment. Thirdly, deposition of round gravels was ceased by earth uplift, and shore platform was constructed by abrasion process of energy of swash moving forward. As altitude of shore platform is equal to high tidal level of spring tide, compared it with present high tidal level of study area, earth is uplifted about 105m since shore platform was formed. Fourthly, much sandy sediments transported from offshore bottom covered shore platforms and marine terrace deposits. Lighter sediments among sandy sediments was blown to back, formed secondary sand dune since about 500 year.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.77-90
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• 1995

The sedimentary environments and biostratigrapy of the tidal sediments off the Mankyung-Dongjin River estuary were studied based on sedimentary facies and diatom assemblage analysis. Sediment facies from the five vibracores are mainly clay, silt, and sand facies. The clay and silty sediment facies are more dominant than the sandy facies, and contain diatom frustules. The frequency of the diatom frustules are rate to common, but not found in sandy sediment facies. Bigeneric structures such as burrow and non-bigeneric primary sedimentary structures such as laminated sand and mud or silt and mud couplets, flaser bedding, ripple-cross lamination are found in several stratigraphic levels of the sedimentary sequences. A total of 219 species and varieties, belonging to 61 genera has been identified in the present study. Among them, paralia sulcata is the most abundant species about 30 to 50% of the total diatom frustules. Another predominant species are Cyclotella striata. Thalassionema nitzschioides. Actinoptychus undulatus. Delphineis surirella, Raphoneis amphiceros. Most of the diatoms occurred in this study area are marine, marine-brackish water, and brackish water species, and are benthic and tychopelagic or meroplanktonic species. Also, most of the species are coastal to littoral and littoral to inner neritic species. The occurrences of freshwater species, about 1 to 5% is higher than that of the Namyang Bay tidal sediments. The ecological properties of the diatoms occurred in the study area and primary sedimentary structure such as flaser bedding ripple cross bedding indicate that the deposits are formed under coastal or littoral to subeditorial environments such as tidal zone which was subjected to the influenced of stream water and was more strongly influenced by temperate to warm water than cold water. The sedimentary environments have not been changed distinctively during the time of deposition. The vertical distribution pattern of diatoms in the study area is studied by Q-mode cluster Analysis using spss/pc+ (ver.4.0). The results show that the three cores (GE-3, GE-11, GE-12) are divided into two diatom assemblages, respectively. Biostratigraphic correlation using the data of Q-mode Cluster Analysis are attempt in this study.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.683-694
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• 2009

High-resolution (Chirp and Sparker system) seismic profiles were analyzed to investigate the sedimentary sequence and distribution pattern of the late Holocene deposits in Gyunggi Bay, the Yellow Sea. The bay is located in the western part of Korea, east of the Yellow Sea. The sedimentary sequence divided into three units bounded by erosional bounding surface: (1) acoustically parallel to subparallel reflectors with cross bedding structures (Unit 1); (2) confused inner reflectors and top of unit exposed partially at the seafloor (Unit 2); and (3) approximately parallel reflections and regressive to transgressive incision-fills (Unit 3). On the basis of seafloor morphology, surface bedforms, and subbotom acoustic characters, echo types in the study area were identified following the schemes of Chough et al. (2002); (1) flat seafloor with sharp bottom echoes (echo types 1-1, 1-2 and 1-3; transgressive sediment sheets or relict sands), (2) mounded seafloor with either smooth surface or superposed bedforms (echo types 2-1 and 2-2; tidal ridges), and (3) various-scale eroded seafloor (echo types 3-1 and 3-2; channels). Suspect features of acoustic turbid zones which is related to gas charged sediment are reported.