• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.421-424
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• 2009

The $JHK_S$ magnitudes of the red giant branch tip (TRGB) and the distance moduli of the nearby dwarf irregular galaxy IC 1613 have been determined from the near-infrared luminosity functions (LFs) of the resolved stars in the galaxy. Applying a Savitzky-Golay filtering, we derived the second derivatives of the LFs, and estimated the apparent magnitudes of the TRGB as $m_J\;=\;19.1$, $m_H\;=\;18.4$, and $m_{Ks}\;=\;18.0$. The mean values of the theoretical absolute magnitudes of the TRGB were measured by using the Yonsei-Yale isochrones with a metallicity range of -2.1 < [Fe/H] < -0.5 and age of 12 Gyr. The derived values of near-infrared TRGB distance moduli for IC 1613 are (m - M) = $24.12{\pm}0.25$, $24.20{\pm}0.44$, and $24.00{\pm}0.52$ for J, H, and $K_S$ bands, respectively.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.47.1-47.1
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• 2014

The calcium infrared triplet (CaT) is one of the prominent absorption features in the infrared wavelength regime. Recently, this absorption feature has been getting attention in the prediction of metallicity of stellar populations because of its strong sensitivity to the calcium abundance and metallicity of a star. However, we find that measuring metallicity directly from CaT is very dangerous because the formation mechanism of CaT is very inefficient in the cool stars which are abundant in metal-rich populations. This characteristics of CaT make the CaT-metallicity relation to converge around ~ $8{\AA}$ in the metal-rich regime. Our results suggest that, because of the converging CaT-metallicity relation in the metal-rich regime, the metallicity of simple stellar populations greater than [Fe/H]~-0.5 is unreliable when the linear conversion between CaT and metallicity is applied to derive metallicity. Based on these results, we suggest that CaT is not a good metallicity indicator for the metal-rich stellar populations.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.35.1-35.1
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• 2021

RR Lyrae stars are sensitive probe for the precision stellar astrophysics and also for the cosmic distance scale thanks to their well-defined near-infrared Period-Luminosity relations (PLRs). These horizontal branch variables can be used for primary calibration of the first-rung of population II distance ladder providing an evaluation of the ongoing tension between Cepheid-Supernovae based Hubble constant and the Planck results. Therefore, absolute calibration of RR Lyrae PLRs is now crucial to complement or test the tip of the red giant branch based distances, and in turn, population II star based Hubble constant measurements. While the pulsation models of RR Lyrae can reproduce most observables, they predict a significant metallicity effect on their JHKs-band PLRs that is inconsistent with so-far limited observational studies. We remedy this inconsistency of metallicity dependence in RR Lyrae PLRs by combining their near-infrared observations in the globular clusters of different mean-metallicities with the new parallaxes from the Gaia early data release 3 (EDR3). Our empirical results on Period-Luminosity-Metallicity (PLZ)relations are consistent with theoretical predictions but the precision of absolute calibrations is still affected by the parallax uncertainties and the systematic zero-point offset present in the Gaia EDR3.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.131-133
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• 2017

We present the latest results from the Mission Program NIRLT (PI: I.Yamamura), the near-infrared spectroscopy of brown dwarfs using the AKARI/IRC grism mode with the spectral resolution of ~ 120. The near-infrared spectra in the wavelength range between 2.5 and $5.0{\mu}m$ are especially important to study the brown dwarf atmospheres because of the presence of major molecular bands, including $CH_4$ at $3.3{\mu}m$, $CO_2$ at $4.2{\mu}m$, CO at $4.6{\mu}m$, and $H_2O$ around $2.7{\mu}m$. We observed 27 sources, and obtained 16 good spectra. Our model fitting reveals deviations between theoretical model and observed spectra in this wavelength range, which may be attributed to the physical condition of the upper atmosphere. The deviations indicate additional heating, which we hypothesize to be due to chromospheric activity. We test this effect by modifying the brown dwarf atmosphere model to artificially increase the temperature of the upper atmosphere, and compare the revised model with observed spectra of early- to mid-L type objects with $H{\alpha}$ emission. We find that the chemical structure of the atmosphere changes dramatically, and the heating model spectra of early-type brown dwarfs can be considerably improved to match the observed spectra. Our result suggests that chromospheric activity is essential to understand early-type brown dwarf atmospheres.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.343-355
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• 2015

There is much observational evidence that active star formation is taking place in the Hii regions Sh 2-255 – 257. We present a photometric study of this star forming region (SFR) using imaging data obtained in passbands from the optical to the mid-infrared, in order to study the star formation process. A total of 218 members were identified using various selection criteria based on their observational properties. The SFR is reddened by at least E(B −V ) = 0.8 mag, and the reddening law toward the region is normal (R_V = 3.1). From the zero-age main sequence fitting method it is confirmed that the SFR is 2.1 ± 0.3 kpc from the Sun. The median age of the identified members is estimated to be about 1.3 Myr from a comparison of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram (HRD) with stellar evolutionary models. The initial mass function (IMF) is derived from the HRD and the near-infrared (J, J −H) color-magnitude diagram. The slope of the IMF is about Γ = −1.6 ± 0.1, which is slightly steeper than that of the Salpeter/Kroupa IMF. It implies that low-mass star formation is dominant in the SFR. The sum of the masses of all the identified members provides the lower limit of the cluster mass (169M_⊙). We also analyzed the spectral energy distribution (SED) of pre-main sequence stars using the SED fitting tool of Robitaille et al., and confirm that there is a significant discrepancy between stellar mass and age obtained from two different methods based on the SED fitting tool and the HRD.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.402-410
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• 2011

We present results of CO observations toward an infrared (IR) source, IRAS 07280-1829, and its possibly related molecular clouds. The physical parameters of this IR source such as its infrared slope (${\alpha}$=16) of the Spectral Energy Distribution and bolometric temperature (145 K) indicate that it is an embedded protostar. Its luminosity is ${\sim}2.9{\times}10^4L_{\odot}$, typical of a massive star. The CO profile toward IRAS 07280-1829 has broad wing components, implying a possible existence of CO outflow. The excitation temperature and mass of a molecular cloud (Cloud A) which is thought to harbor the IR source are estimated to be 9~22 K and ~180 $M_{\odot}$, respectively, indicating the Cloud A is a typical infrared-dark cloud. Its LTE mass is found to be much smaller than its virial mass by more than a factor of 10 which is inconsistent with the fact that a protostar recently formed exists in the Cloud A. This may suggest that the environment of the cloud where the IR source is forming is dominant of turbulence and/or magnetic filed, making its virial mass estimated unusually high.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.159-165
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• 2003

Optical (R) and near-infrared (K') images of the IRAS 1-Jy sample of 118 ultraluminous infrared galaxies have been studied. All but one object in the 1-Jy sample show signs of strong tidal interaction/merger. Most of them harbor a single disturbed nucleus and are therefore in the later stages of a merger event. Single-nucleus ULIGs show a broad distribution in host magnitudes with significant overlap with those of quasars. The same statement applies to R - K' colors in ULIG and quasar hosts. An analysis of the surface brightness profiles of the host galaxies in single-nucleus sources reveals that about $35\%$ of the Rand K' surface brightness profiles are well fit by an elliptical-like $R^{1/4}$-law, while only $2\%$ are well fit by an exponential disk. Another $38\%$ of the single-nucleus systems are fit equally well with an exponential or de Vaucouleurs profile. Elliptical-like hosts are most common among merger remnants with Seyfert 1 nuclei ($83\%$) and Seyfert 2 optical characteristics ($69\%$). The mean effective radius of these ULIGs is 4.80 $\pm$ 1.37 kpc at Rand 3.48 $\pm$ 1.39 kpc at K'. These values are in excellent agreement with recent quasar measurements obtained at H with HST. The hosts of elliptical-like 1-Jy systems follow with some scatter the same ${\mu}e - r_e$ relation, giving credence to the idea that some of these objects may eventually become elliptical galaxies if they get rid of their excess gas or transform this gas into stars.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.183-184
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• 2012

We present the latest results from the Mission Program NIRLT, the NIR spectroscopic observations of brown dwarfs using the IRC on board AKARI. The near-infrared spectra in the wavelength range between 2.5 and $5.0{\mu}m$ is especially important to study the brown dwarf atmospheres because of the presence of non-blended bands of major molecules, including $CH_4$ at $3.3{\mu}m$, $CO_2$ at $4.2{\mu}m$, CO at $4.6{\mu}m$ and $H_2O$ around $2.7{\mu}m$. Our observations were carried out in the grism-mode resulting in a spectral resolution of ~ 120. In total, 27 sources were observed and 18 good spectra were obtained. We investigate the behavior of three molecular absorption bands, CO, $CH_4$ and $CO_2$, in brown dwarf spectra relative to their spectral types. We find that the $CH_4$ band appears in the spectra of dwarfs later than L5 and CO band is seen in the spectra of all spectral types. $CO_2$ is detected in the spectra of late-L and T type dwarfs.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.91-107
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• 1999

We present BVRI CCD photometry and near-infrared K photometry of the intermediate-aged open cluster NGC 7790. The reddening, E(B - V) = 0.54 $\pm$ 0.05 and the distance modulus, (m - M)o = 12.45 $\pm$ 0.10 for the cluster were determined by zero-age-main-sequence fitting and theoretical isochrone fitting using not only (V, B - V), (V, V - 1), (V, V - R) but also (V, V - K) color-magnitude diagrams. The reddening corresponded approximately to the average value derived from previous studies, while the distance modulus was found to be almost midway between the CCD photometric results of Romeo et al. (1989) and those of Mateo & Madore (1988). We have used four colors to distinguish members from field stars. The expected colors were calculated using the derived distance modulus, and were then were compared with the observed colors (B - V), (V - 1), (V - R), and (V - K). Thus, a color excess E(B - V) for each star was determined which could give the minimum difference between the calculated and observed colors. Single and binary members of the cluster were determined on the basis of the E(B - V) distribution of stars.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.231-253
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• 1992

A model for the distribution of stars in the disk and the spheroid of our Galaxy is reexamined from an edge-on view of the Galaxy obtained by selecting infrared sources from the IRAS Point Source Catalog. The sources are counted as a function of galactic latitude. longitude and $12{\mu}m$ apparent magnitude. The source counts are reasonably separated into the disk component and the spheroid component contributions and each of the contributions is further interpreted as a convolution of a spatial density distribution and a luminosity function based on the least-square fit method. The spatial density of the disk component has an exponential radial scale length of $h_R{\sim}2.6\;kpc$ and the vertical distribution follows a canonical $sech^2$ law with a scale height $h_z{\sim}240\;pc$. The distribution of the spheroid component can be represented by an oblate spheriod with an axis ratio $k{\sim}0.61$ and a de Vaucouleurs' $r^{1/4}$ law with an effective radius of $R_e{\sim}120\;pc$. The steep density gradient of the spheroid component is consistent with that of late M giants in the central bulge. The luminosity functions of the disk and the spheroid component stars resemble respectively those of the K luminosity function of disk M giants (Garwood and Jones 1986) and the bolometric luminosity function of M giants in bulge fields (Frogel et al, 1990).