• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.169-173
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• 2017

We provide a new physical insight on the hot molecular clouds near the nucleus of the obscured AGNs. We performed near-infrared spectroscopic observations of heavily obscured AGNs in order to reveal physical characteristics of molecular clouds, especially focused on the CO fundamental ro-vibrational absorption around $4.7{\mu}m$. We have made systematic moderate-resolution spectroscopic observations toward 30 representative (U)LIRGs using the AKARI/IRC, and some of the ULIRGs showed the strong CO absorption feature. For three bright (U)LIRGs that show a steep red continuum with the deep CO absorption feature, IRAS 08572+3915, UGC 05101, and IRAS 01250+2832, we have also made high-resolution spectroscopic observations using the Subaru/IRCS. We have successfully detected many absorption lines up to highly excited rotational levels, and these lines are very deep and extremely broad. The derived physical conditions of molecular clouds are extreme; the gas temperature is as high as several 100 to a 1000 K, the $H_2$ column density is larger than $10^{22}cm^{-2}$, and the gas density is greater than $10^7cm^{-3}$. Such hot and dense molecular clouds must exist around the central engine of the AGN.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.105-107
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• 2017

We present results of AKARI/IRC near-infrared (NIR) slit-spectroscopy ($2.5-5.0{\mu}m$, R ~ 100) of Galactic sources, focusing on ice absorption features. We investigate the abundance of $H_2O$ and $CO_2$ ices and other ice species (CO and XCN ices) along lines of sight towards Galactic H $\small{II}$ regions, massive YSOs, and infrared diffuse sources. Even among those different kinds of astronomical objects, the abundance ratio of $CO_2$ to $H_2O$ ices does not vary significantly, suggesting that the pathway to $CO_2$ ice formation driven by UV irradiation is not effective at least among the present targets.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.98.2-98.2
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• 2012

It has been speculated that there could be dormant or extinct comets in the list of known asteroids, which appear asteroidal but are icy bodies originating from outer solar system. However, little is known about the existence of such objects not only because of their complicated chaotic orbits but also because of the limited physical and chemical information. AKARI infrared space mission gave us brand-new albedo catalog of Near Earth Objects, which clues in a better understanding of dark asteroids using both albedo data and dynamical models could be possible. Dark Asteroids with low () albedos are thought to be dormant or extinct comet candidates due to its similar albedo values with comet nucleus. In addition to this, dynamical models indicate that candidate cometary objects have Tisserand parameter. Based on both observational and dynamical criteria, we obtained 196 dark asteroids lists. We numerically integrated backward their orbits using the N-body code Mercury6 (Chambers 1999) during 10 million years to track the past orbits of bodies. We picked out 14 comet candidates that show abnormal orbits in the past by analyzing orbital elements among 196 candidates. From the dynamical evolution simulations, we finally obtained 3 most-likely comet candidates; 944Hidalgo,2006QL39,andP/SidingSpring.Twoofthemareconsistent with past research; P/Siding Spring is a known comet and 944 Hidalgo is a most-likely comet candidate in asteroid populations. Since they all have stable orbits in nowadays although they have unstable orbit in the past, we could conclude that they may be not active comets but dormant or extinct comets.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.51.2-51.2
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• 2010

We have carried out an extensive statistical analysis based on the results of simultaneous observations of SiO and $H_2O$ masers toward 166 known SiO and $H_2O$ maser sources using KVN_Yonsei radio telescope (Kim et al.2010, ApJS submitted). We investigate the distributions of the mean velocities and the intensity ratios between SiO and $H_2O$ maser emission including those between SiO v=1 and v=2,J=1-0 transitions according to type of evolved stars. We also investigate mutual relations between SiO and $H_2O$ maser properties(total flux densities and velocity structures etc.) according to stellar pulsation phases. Most of SiO masers appear around the stellar velocity (80 % within ${\pm}5km\;s^{-1}$), while $H_2O$ masers show a different characteristic compared with SiO masers (69% within ${\pm}5km\;s^{-1}$). In addition, we investigate a correlation between $SiO/H_2O$ maser emission and AKARIFIS flux density as well as the AKARI color characteristics of SiO and $H_2O$ observational results in the AKARIFIS two-color diagram.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.40.2-40.2
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• 2010

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) features have emerged as one of the most important infrared (IR) features since these PAH features dominate mid-IR spectra of galaxies and are ubiquitous within galactic and extragalactic objects. These PAH features have the potentials to become reliable star formation rate (SFR) proxies and diagnostics of physical conditions of interstellar medium, such as ionization states of dust grains and grain sizes. While constructing an unbiased library of 44 sample galaxies selected from 5MUSES sample, AKARI mJY Unbiased Survey of Extragalactic Sources in 5MUSES (AMUSES) intends to measure and to calibrate the PAH 3.3 mm emission feature which has not been studied extensively due to its weak strength and dearth of capable instruments. Out of 20 target galaxies, we detected the 3.3mm feature from eight galaxies and measured their line strengths, line widths and line ratios with other PAH emission features. Sample galaxies whose spectral energy distributions (SEDs) are classified as starburst-type have clearly stronger 3.3mm emission features than ones with AGN-type SEDs. We also found that there is a correlation between the PAH 3.3mm luminosity and total IR luminosity within our sample galaxies, albeit a large scatter. We further discuss implications of our results.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.114.1-114.1
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• 2011

We present the near-infrared spectra (2.5-5.0 um) of shocked $H_2$ gas, observed with the InfraRed Camera onboard the satellite AKARI. Two supernova remnants, IC 443 and HB 21, were observed, and they all showed the ortho-to-para ratios (OPRs) of less than 3.0: 2.1-2.2 for IC 443 and 1.6-1.8 for HB 21. These non-equilibrium OPRs are first reported at E(v,J) > 7000 K, as far as we are aware of. Based on our previous study, we try to interpret that the non-equilibrium OPRs originate from dissociative J-shocks. Dissociative J-shocks mainly generate infrared H2 emissions from their $H_2$ reformation zone, and the OPR of 3.0 are expected for the reformed $H_2$ from the theoretical study. This is contradictory to our observational results. We propose other possible origins of the non-equilibrium OPRs, such as, abnormal $H_2$ reformation, partially dissociative J-shocks, etc.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.67.2-67.2
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• 2014

Comet nucleus is a solid body consisting of dark dust grains and ice. Cometary volatiles sublimate from subsurface layer by solar heating, leaving behind large dust grains on the surface. Eventually, the appearance could turn into asteroidal rather than cometary. It is, therefore, expected that there would be "dormant comets" in the list of known asteroids. Our research group has undertaken the research on the population of dormant comets. We applied a brand-new asteroidal catalog compiled from data garnered by three infrared astronomical observatories, AKARI, IRAS and WISE. We extracted objects which have comet-like orbits on the basis of their orbital properties (Tisserand parameters with respect to Jupiter, TJ, and aphelion distance, Q). We found that (1) there are a considerable number (>100) of asteroids in comet-like orbits, and (2) 80% of them have low albedo consistent with comets. This result suggest that these low albedo objects could be dormant comets. One unanticipated finding is that 20% of asteroids in comet-like orbit have high albedo similar to S-type asteroids. It is difficult to explain the population of S-type asteroids in comet-like orbits by the classical mechanics theory. We further found that these high-albedo objects are small (D < 2 km) bodies distributed in near-Earth space. We suggest that such high-albedo, small, near-Earth asteroids are susceptible to Yarkovsky effect and injected into comet-like orbits.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.48.2-48.2
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• 2013

We present the near-infrared spectra (2.5-5.0 um) of shocked $H_2$ gas, observed with the Infrared Camera onboard the satellite AKARI. Two supernova remnants, IC 443 and HB 21, were observed. IC 443 shows a hint of non-equilibrium ortho-to-para ratio (OPR): 2.4 (-0.2, +0.3). HB 21 also shows an indication of a potential non-equilibrium OPR: 1.8-2.0. These non-equilibrium OPRs are first reported for shocked $H_2$ gas at E(v,J) > 7000 K, as far as we are aware. We concluded that the non-equilibrium OPR probably originates from dissociative J-shocks, considering several factors such as the shock combination requirement, the line ratios, and the possibility that $H_2$ gas can form on grains with a non-equilibrium OPR. The difference in the collision energy of H atoms on grain surfaces would give rise to the observed difference between the OPRs of IC 443 and HB 21, if dissociative J-shocks are responsible for the $H_2$ emission. Our study suggests that shocked-then-cooled $H_2$ gas may play as a heat reservoir with the non-equilibrium OPR.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.193-193
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• 2009

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.37.1-37.1
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• 2014

There exists strong evidence supporting the co-evolution of central supermassive black holes and their host galaxies; however it is still under debate how such a relation comes about and whether it is relevant for all or only a subset of galaxies. An important mechanism connecting AGN to their host galaxies is AGN feedback, potentially heating up or even expelling gas from galaxies. AGN feedback may hence be responsible for the eventual quenching of star formation and halting of galaxy growth. A rich multi-wavelength dataset ranging from the X-ray regime (Chandra), to far-IR (Herschel), and radio (WSRT) is available for the North Ecliptic Pole field, most notably surveyed by the AKARI infrared space telescope, covering a total area on the sky of 5.4 sq. degrees. We investigate the star-formation properties and possible signatures of radio feedback mechanisms in the host galaxies of 237 radio-AGN below redshift z=2 and at a radio 1.4 GHz flux density limit of 0.1 mJy. Using broadband SED modeling, the nuclear and host galaxy components of these sources are studied simultaneously as a function of their radio luminosity. Here we present results concerning the AGN content of the radio sources in this field, while offering evidence supporting a "maintenance" type of feedback from powerful radio-jets.