• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.117-123
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• 2020

We investigate the plausibility of mass return, from stellar mass loss processes within the central ~100 pc region of the Milky Way (the inner nuclear bulge), as a mass supply mechanism for the Circumnuclear Disk (CND). Gas in the Galactic disk migrates inward to the Galactic centre due to the asymmetric potential caused by the Galactic bar. The inward migration of gas stops and accumulates to form the central molecular zone (CMZ), at 100-200 pc from the Galactic center. It is commonly assumed that stars have formed in the CMZ throughout the lifetime of the Galaxy and have diffused inward to form a 'r-2 stellar cusp' within the inner nuclear bulge. We propose that the stars migrating inward from the CMZ supply gas to the inner nuclear bulge via stellar mass loss, resulting in the formation of a gas disk along the Galactic plane and subsequent inward migration down to the central 10 pc region (CND). We simulate the evolution of a gas distribution that initially follows the stellar distribution of the aforementioned stellar cusp, and illustrate the potential gas supply toward the CND.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 2002

The five space density distribution D(z) wish distance perpendicular to the Galactic plane were combined. The scale heights and the local densities at z = 0 of the thin disk, thick disk, and the halo components were estimated from the nonlinear least square fits of exponential law. The scale heights of the thin disk, thick disk, and the halo components were estimated to be $260{\pm}90$ pc, $660{\pm}220$ pc, and $3.6{\pm}1.4$ kpc, respectively. The density ratio of each components to the thin disk component at the galactic plane, i.e., z = 0.0, were also derived as 1 :0.07:0.002. Our model fit suggests that the thick disk component has a local density of 6.9% relative to the thin disk.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.52.2-52.2
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• 2021

The Black Eye Galaxy M64 is an intriguing spiral galaxy with a Type III disk break. To trace the origin of its Type III component, we present HST/ACS F606W/F814W photometry of resolved stars in the outer disk of M64 (2.5' < R < 6.5'). First, we discover a bright extended globular cluster (GC) M64-GC1 at R ~ 5.5', and find that it is an old metal-poor halo GC ([Fe/H] = -1.5 +/- 0.2). Second, we find that there are two distinct subpopulations of red giant branch stars (RGBs). One is an old metal-rich ([Fe/H] ~ -0.4) disk population, and the other is an old metal-poor halo population similar to the resolved stars in M64-GC1. The radial number density profile of the metal-rich RGB follows an exponential disk law, while that of the metal-poor RGB follows a de Vaucouleurs's low. From these results, we conclude that the origin of the Type III component in M64 is a halo, not a disk or a bulge. We will further discuss the results in regards to the formation and evolution of M64.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.63.1-63.1
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• 2014

The galaxy disk warp is a common phenomenon, yet their properties and formation mechanism(s) are still unclear. Here, we introduce a new automatic measurement method for the warp properties of stellar disks in nearby edge-on galaxies, including warp's angle, shape, and asymmetry. We obtain isophotal maps of edge-on galaxies and express each of isophote contours in polar coordinates (${\Phi}$, R) centered on the galaxy centers. Two peaks in the ${\Phi}$-R diagram correspond to the outermost tips of each isophote. The locations of peaks, in turn, inform us of the misalignment between their inner and outer galactic planes, i.e., the warp. We apply this method to SDSS Stripe 82 co-added data and discuss its reliability and validity. Based on the measurement of warp properties, we also investigate their correlations with both intrinsic and environmental properties of warped galaxies.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2007

We examine the morphology and luminosity distribution of a strongly warped spiral galaxy PGC 20348 by conducting a detailed BVI CCD surface photometry using BOAO 1.8m telescope. The radial surface brightness shows a break at warp radius $(r_{\omega})$ with a shallow gradient in the inner disk and a steeper gradient in the outer disk. The luminosity of east side of the disk is ${\sim}0.5$ mag fainter than the west side at r > $r_{\omega}$. The reason for the asymmetric luminosity distribution is thought to be the asymmetric flarings that result in the formation of a large diffuse region at the edge of the east disk and a smaller diffuse region at the west disk. The vertical luminosity profiles show a thick disk component whose scale heights increase with increasing galactocentric distances. The warp of PGC 20348 seems to be made by the tidal interactions with the two massive companion galaxies since the flarings and radial increase of disk scale heights are thought to be general properties of tidally perturbed disks. According to the colors of the two clumps inside the diffuse region at the edge of the east disk, they seem to be sites of active star formation triggered by tidal forces from the companion galaxies.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.63.1-63.1
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• 2011

M82 is a famous starburst galaxy which is dominated by young stellar populations and ISM. Some previous studies indicated the existence of intermediate-age and old stellar population in this galaxy, but little is known about them. We present a study of old globular clusters in M82 using the Hubble Space Telescope archive data. From the cluster survey of M82 we found 650 star clusters. We divided them into disk and halo star clusters according to their position. The color-color diagrams show that all 19 halo star clusters are old globular clusters. The disk sample may include both reddened young clusters and geniune old globular clusters. We estimated their ages using spectral energy distribution fit method with six filter data covering from ultraviolet (F330W) to infrared (F160W), and found that 30 of them are older than 3 Gyr. These are considered to be disk globular clusters. Twelve of the halo globular clusters are found to be partially resolved into their member stars. The (B-V) color range of the halo globular clusters is consistent with that of the Milky Way globular clusters, but most of M82 globular clusters are bluer than (B-V)=0.7. The existence of these old globular clusters suggests that the starburst galaxy M82 has an old stellar halo that may be as old as the Milky Way halo.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.33-45
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• 1993

We have conducted surface photometry of a spiral galaxy NGC4419, by making use of photographic plates in U, B, V and R-bands taken by 105cm Schmidt Camera at Kiso Observatory. Two dimensional surface brightness distributions as well as luminosity profiles along the major axis are examined in detail to decipher the morphological properties of the galaxy. Analysis of the color distributions of NGC4419 shows that B-V and U-B colors remain constant throughout the galaxy with a weak trend of blue bulge in B-V color. The blue bulge might indicate an active star formation in the nucleus of NGC4419. For a quantitative analysis of the luminosity distribution of NGC4419, the observed luminosity profiles are decomposed into bulge and disk components, assuming the bulge component to follow de Vaucouleurs $\gamma^{1/4}-law$ while the disk component is assumed to be exponential. The fitting generally fails at the central part and at the shoulder near r = 15' where bulge and disk components overlap. The failure at the central part cannot be attributed wholly by the seeing disk since the core-radius of the central plateau is much larger than the width of point spread function. The failure at shoulder could be due to the luminosities from the spiral arms.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.107-108
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• 2015

In this project, all available databases of molecular and gas-dust clouds in the Galaxy were cross-identified by taking into account available properties, including position, angular dimensions, velocity, density, temperature and mass. An initial list of about 7000 entries was condensed into a cross-identified all-sky catalogue containing molecular and gas-dust clouds. Some relationships were studied between the main physical features of clouds. Finally, we prepared a complex observing program and address future work for filling in the gaps.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.55-71
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• 1981

On the basis of observational constraints, particularly the relationship between metal abundance and cumulative stellar mass, a simple two-zone disk-halo model for the chemical evolution of our Galaxy was investigated, assuming different chemical processes in the disk and halo and the infall rates of the halo gas defined by the halo evolution. The main results of the present model calculations are: (i) The halo formation requires more than 80% of the initial galactic mass and it takes a period of $2{\sim}3{\times}10^9$ yrs. (ii) The halo evolution is divided into two phases, a fast collapse phase ($t=2{\sim}3{\times}10^8$ yrs) during which period most of the halo stars $({\sim}95%)$ are formed and a later slow collapse phase which is characterized by the chemical enrichment due to the inflow of external matter to the halo. (iii) The disk evolution is also divided into two phases, an active disk formation phase with a time-dependent initial mass function (IMF) up to $t{\approx}6{\times}10^9$ yrs and a later steady slow formation phase with a constant IMF. It is found that at the very early time $t{\approx}5{\times}10^8$ yrs, the metal abundance in the disk is rapidly increased to ${\sim}1/3$ of the present value but the total stellar mass only to ${\sim}10%$ of the present value, finally reaching about 80% of the present values toward the end of the active formation phase.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.58.1-58.1
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• 2011

We present our N-body simulation study on the disk galaxy warp formation via close encounters. Using a publicly available code Gadget2, we investigate morphological and kinematical structures of disk galaxies while the galaxies are undergoing fly-by encounters with adjacent dark matter halos. In this study, we find that warps can be excited by impulsive encounters and sustained for a few billion years. Most of the warps from the simulation show inclination angles that are comparable to the observations. The creation of warps, their inclination and their lifetimes are governed primarily by the following three parameters: the impact parameter (the minimum distance between two halos), the mass ratio between two galaxies, and the incoming angle of the intruder. We discuss pros and cons about our alternative scenario in comparison with existing explanations.