Late Quaternary Paleoenvironmental Changes in the Western Nakdong River delta

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.