• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.293-298
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• 2016

Thirty-eight spherules from the Antarctic ice sheet were analyzed using neutron activation analysis under two different conditions to investigate their origin. In almost all of these spherules, the contents of iron, cobalt, and manganese were determined to be 31% to 88%, 17 mg/kg to 810 mg/kg, and 0.017% to 7%, respectively. A detectable iridium content of 0.84 mg/kg was found in only one spherule, which was judged to be extraterrestrial in origin. A comparison of elemental compositions of the Antarctic spherules analyzed in this study with those of deep-sea sediment spherules and those of terrestrial materials revealed that most of the Antarctic spherules except for the sample in which iridium was detected could not be identified as extraterrestrial in origin.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.109-117
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• 2016

We explain the results of Yu et al. (2015b) of the novel sharpness angle measurement to a large number of spectra obtained from the Fermi gamma-ray burst monitor. The sharpness angle is compared to the values obtained from various representative emission models: blackbody, single-electron synchrotron, synchrotron emission from a Maxwellian or power-law electron distribution. It is found that more than 91% of the high temporally and spectrally resolved spectra are inconsistent with any kind of optically thin synchrotron emission model alone. It is also found that the limiting case, a single temperature Maxwellian synchrotron function, can only contribute up to 58⁺²³₋₁₈% of the peak flux. These results show that even the sharpest but non-realistic case, the single-electron synchrotron function, cannot explain a large fraction of the observed spectra. Since any combination of physically possible synchrotron spectra added together will always further broaden the spectrum, emission mechanisms other than optically thin synchrotron radiation are likely required in a full explanation of the spectral peaks or breaks of the GRB prompt emission phase.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.11-20
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• 2022

Planetary geotechnical investigation in charge of drilling and soil sampling is of a great importance in providing extraterrestrial geotechnical information. Extraterrestrial subsurface investigation, which includes drilling, soil sampling, and sample transportation, will be loaded in a lander or a rover. Scientists from all over the world are interested in the design and development of a drilling system with various functions due to potential applications in planetary surface exploration mission. However, it is difficult to build a fully functional drilling system in extreme environment conditions. This paper presents engineering considerations for the design and development of soil sampling including drilling and performance verification in extreme environment conditions in detail.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.61.4-61.4
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• 2021

Searching for technosignatures is the fundamental tool for finding the evidence of the extraterrestrial life in the Universe along with searching for biosignatures. We summarize the current status of the radio SETI(Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) such as the Breakthrough Listen project and suggest a concept of the VLBI SETI with KVN(Korean VLBI Network). In addition, we introduce conceptual studies of the SETI on the surface of Moon's farside and in lunar orbit.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.59-73
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• 2023

Since the farside of the moon is a place to avoid artificial radio frequency interference (RFI) created by human civilization, it is a most suitable place for searching technosignature, which are signs of technological civilization in the universe, in the radio band. The RFI is a factor that makes the study of searching technosignature quite complicated because it is difficult to distinguish between technological signals produced by human and extraterrestrial civilizations. In this paper, we review why the farside of the moon is the best place to detect technosignature and also introduce radio observatories on the farside of the moon that have been proposed in radio astronomy. The SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) project on the farside of the moon is expected to be one of the main candidates for international collaboration research topics on lunar surface observatory.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.75-89
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• 2023

Technosignature, previously known as SETI(search for extraterrestrial intelligence), is the scientific evidence of past or present extraterrestrial civilizations. Since NRAO's Project Ozma was performed in 1960, most of the noticeable technosignature searches have been done by radio telescopes, hoping to find strong and narrow bandwidth signals that cannot be explained by known natural processes. Recently, the Breakthrough Listen project has opened a new opportunity for technosignature by utilizing both optical telescopes, radio telescopes, and next-generation radio telescope arrays. In this review, mainly based on NASA Technosignatures Workshop (2018), we review the current trends of technosignature surveys, as well as other possible methods for detecting technosignature. Also, we suggest what the Korean community could contribute the technosignature research, including the new SETI project with Korea VLBI Network (KVN).

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• v.1
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• pp.86-89
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• 2006

Ocean color remote sensing community currently uses the different solar irradiance spectra covering the visible and near-infrared in the calibration/validation and deriving products of ocean color instruments. These spectra derived from single and / or multiple measurements sets or models have significant discrepancies, primarily due to variation of the solar activity and uncertainties in the measurements from various instruments and their different calibration standards. Thus, it is prudent to examine model-to-model differences and select a standard reference spectrum that can be adopted in the future calibration and validation processes, particularly of the first Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) onboard its Communication Ocean and Meterological Satellite (COMS) planned to be launched in 2008. From an exhaustive survey that reveals a variety of solar spectra in the literature, only eight spectra are considered here seeing as reference in many remote sensing applications. Several criteria are designed to define the reference spectrum: i.e., minimum spectral range of 350-1200nm, based completely or mostly on direct measurements, possible update of data and less errors. A careful analysis of these spectra reveals that the Thuillier 2004 spectrum seems to be very identical compared to other spectra, primarily because it represents very high spectral resolution and the current state of the art in solar irradiance spectra of exceptionally low uncertainty ${\sim}0.1%.$ This study also suggests use of the Gueymard 2004 spectrum as an alternative for applications of multispectral/multipurpose satellite sensors covering the terrestrial regions of interest, where it provides spectral converge beyond 2400nm of the Thuillier 2004 spectrum. Since the solar-activity induced spectral variation is about less than 0.1% and a large portion of this variability occurs particularly in the ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is the region of less interest for the ocean color community, we disregard considering this variability in the analysis of solar irradiance spectra, although determine the solar constant 1366.1 $Wm^{-2}$ to be proposed for an improved approximation of the extraterrestrial solar spectrum in the visible and NIR region.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.47-57
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• 2019

Clear sky indices were estimated by various ways based on in-situ observation and satellite-derived solar irradiance. In principle, clear sky index defined by clear sky solar irradiance indicates the impacts of cloud on the incoming solar irradiance. However, clear sky index widely used in energy sciences is formulated by extraterrestrial irradiance, which implies the extinction of solar irradiance due to mainly aerosol, water vapor and clouds drops. This study examined the relative difference of clear sky indices and then major characteristics of clear sky irradiance when sky is clear are investigated. Clear sky is defined when clear sky index based on clear sky irradiance is higher than 0.9. In contrast, clear sky index defined by extraterrestrial irradiance is distributed between 0.4 and 0.8. When aerosol optical depth and air mass coefficient are relative larger, solar irradiance is lower due to enhanced extinction, which leads to the lower value of clear sky index defined by extraterrestrial irradiance.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.30-50
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• 2006

The long-lived radionuclide, $^{10}Be$, is produced by cosmic-ray effects in the atmosphere of the earth as well as its surface and that of other planetary surfaces and atmospheres. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) was developed in late 1970s, which made $^{10}Be$ terrestrial measurements more feasible. Since then, many research applications of $^{10}Be$ for both terrestrial and extraterrestrial applications have been developed, which parallel the wide range of radiocarbon ($^{14}C$) research applications. This paper summarizes production mechanisms of $^{10}Be$ both in the atmosphere and on the surface of terrestrial and extraterrestrial environments and also provides numerous $^{10}Be$ research applications in the fields of geomorphology, oceanography, archaeology, glaciology, cosmochemistry, climatology, and planetary science. We also review some $^{10}Be$ AMS research applications.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.14-26
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• 2012

The only extraterrestrial life detection experiments ever conducted were the three which were components of the 1976 Viking Mission to Mars. Of these, only the Labeled Release experiment obtained a clearly positive response. In this experiment $^{14}C$ radiolabeled nutrient was added to the Mars soil samples. Active soils exhibited rapid, substantial gas release. The gas was probably $CO_2$ and, possibly, other radiocarbon-containing gases. We have applied complexity analysis to the Viking LR data. Measures of mathematical complexity permit deep analysis of data structure along continua including signal vs. noise, entropy vs.negentropy, periodicity vs. aperiodicity, order vs. disorder etc. We have employed seven complexity variables, all derived from LR data, to show that Viking LR active responses can be distinguished from controls via cluster analysis and other multivariate techniques. Furthermore, Martian LR active response data cluster with known biological time series while the control data cluster with purely physical measures. We conclude that the complexity pattern seen in active experiments strongly suggests biology while the different pattern in the control responses is more likely to be non-biological. Control responses that exhibit relatively low initial order rapidly devolve into near-random noise, while the active experiments exhibit higher initial order which decays only slowly. This suggests a robust biological response. These analyses support the interpretation that the Viking LR experiment did detect extant microbial life on Mars.