• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.387-393
• /
• 2015

This study presents a precise relative navigation algorithm using both laser and Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements in real time. The measurement model of the navigation algorithm between two spacecraft is comprised of relative distances measured by laser instruments and single differences of GPS pseudo-range measurements in spherical coordinates. Based on the measurement model, the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) is applied to smooth the pseudo-range measurements and to obtain the relative navigation solution. While the navigation algorithm using only laser measurements might become inaccurate because of the limited accuracy of spacecraft attitude estimation when the distance between spacecraft is rather large, the proposed approach is able to provide an accurate solution even in such cases by employing the smoothed GPS pseudo-range measurements. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the errors of the proposed algorithm are reduced by more than about 12% compared to those of an algorithm using only laser measurements, as the accuracy of angular measurements is greater than $0.001^{\circ}$ at relative distances greater than 30 km.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.367-375
• /
• 2010

In this study, we compared the precipitable water vapor (PWV) data derived from the radiosonde observation data at Sokcho Observatory and the PWV data at Sokcho Global Positioning System (GPS) Observatory provided by Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, from 0000 UTC, June 1, 2007 to 1200 UTC, May 31, 2009, and analyzed the radiosonde bias between the day and the night. In the scatter diagram of the daytime and nighttime radiosonde PWV data and the GPS PWV data, dry bias was found in the daytime radiosonde observation as known in the previous study. In addition, for all the rainfall events, the tendency that the wet bias of the radiosonde PWV increased as the GPS PWV decreased and the dry bias of the radiosonde PWV increased as the GPS PWV increased was significantly less distinctive in nighttime than in daytime. The quantitative analysis of the bias and error of the radiosonde PWV data showed that the mean bias decreased in the second year, regardless of nighttime or daytime rainfall, and the non-rainfall root mean square error (RMSE) was similar to that of the previous studies, while the rainfall RMSE was larger to a certain extent.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.121-131
• /
• 2019

The ionospheric mid-latitude trough (IMT) is the electron density depletion phenomenon in the F region during nighttime. It has been suggested that the IMT is the result of complex plasma processes coupled to the magnetosphere. In order to statistically investigate the characteristics of the IMT, we analyze topside sounding data from Alouette and ISIS satellites in 1960s and 1970s. The IMT position is almost constant for seasons and solar activities whereas the IMT depth ratio and the IMT feature are stronger and clearer in the winter hemisphere under solar minimum condition. We also calculated transition heights at which the densities of oxygen ions and hydrogen/helium ions are equal. Transition heights are generally higher in daytime and lower in nighttime, but the opposite aspects are seen in the IMT region. Utilizing the Incoherent Scatter Radar (ISR) electron temperature measurements, we find that the electron temperature in the IMT region is enhanced at night during winter. The increase of electron temperature may cause fast transport of the ionospheric plasma to the magnetosphere via ambipolar diffusion, resulting in the IMT depletion. This mechanism of the IMT may work in addition to the simply prolonged recombination of ions proposed by the traditional stagnation model.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.55-68
• /
• 2010

It has been generally known that Datong-li (a Chinese calendar in the Ming dynasty) was first introduced into Korea in the nineteenth reign of King Gongmin (1370) of the Goryeo dynasty and lasted to the third reign of King Hyeojong (1652) of the Joseon dynasty. This understanding is based on the records of Goryeo-sa (History of the Goryeo dynasty) and of Seoungwan-ji (Official book of Seoungwan)/Jeungbomunheon-bigo (Explanatory Notes of Library Document). To verify the period of the use of Datong-li in Korea, we develop a Fortran code to calculate the calendar day by Datong-li and also investigate historical literatures and extant almanacs. As a result, we find the possibility that Datong-li had been in use since 1389 at least. However, we cannot confirm whether Datong-li was first enforced in 1370 or not. On the other hand, we confirm that Datong-li was used until 1653 and reintroduced during the period from 1667 to 1669. Also, we find that previous studies had some errors in the sexagenary cycle of the real first day of a month. We think that this study will contribute to understanding the calendrical history of the Joseon dynasty.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2020

Frozen orbit is an attractive option for orbital design owing to its characteristics (its argument of pericenter and eccentricity are kept constant on an average). Solar sails are attractive solutions for massive and expensive missions. However, the solar radiation pressure effect represents an additional force on the solar sail that may greatly affect its orbital behavior in the long run. Thus, this force must be included as a perturbation force in the dynamical model for more accuracy. This study shows the calculations of initial conditions for a lunar solar sail frozen orbit. The disturbing function of the problem was developed to include the lunar gravitational field that is characterized by uneven mass distribution, third body perturbation, and the effect of solar radiation. An averaging technique was used to reduce the dynamical problem to a long period system. Lagrange planetary equations were utilized to formulate the rate of change of the argument of pericenter and eccentricity. Using the reduced system, frozen orbits for the Moon sail orbiter were constructed. The resulting frozen orbits are shown by two 3Dsurface (semi-major, eccentricity, inclination) figures. To simplify the analysis, we showed inclination-eccentricity contours for different values of semi-major axis, argument of pericenter, and values of sail lightness number.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.235-248
• /
• 2019

This paper suggests a relative orbit control strategy for the CubeSat Astronomy by NASA and Yonsei using Virtual Telescope Alignment eXperiment (CANYVAL-X) mission whose main goal is to demonstrate an essential technique, which is an arrangement among two satellites and a specific celestial object, referred to as inertial alignment, for a next-generation virtual space telescope. The inertial alignment system is a relative orbit control system and has requirements for the relative state. Through the proposed orbit control strategy, consisting of separation, proximity keeping, and reconfiguration, the requirements will be satisfied. The separation direction of the two CubeSats with respect to the orbital plane is decided to provide advantageous initial condition to the orbit controller. Proximity keeping is accomplished by differential atmospheric drag control (DADC), which generates acceleration by changing the spacecraft's effective cross section via attitude control rather than consuming propellant. Reconfiguration is performed to meet the requirements after proximity keeping. Numerical simulations show that the requirements can be satisfied by the relative orbit control strategy. Furthermore, through numerical simulations, it is demonstrated that the inertial alignment can be achieved. A beacon signal had been received for several months after the launch; however, we have lost the signal at present.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 2016

Over the last few years, the data obtained using the Large Area Telescope (LAT) aboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has provided new insights on high-energy processes in globular clusters, particularly those involving compact objects such as MilliSecond Pulsars (MSPs). Gamma-ray emission in the 100 MeV to 10 GeV range has been detected from more than a dozen globular clusters in our galaxy, including 47 Tucanae and Terzan 5. Based on a sample of known gammaray globular clusters, the empirical relations between gamma-ray luminosity and properties of globular clusters such as their stellar encounter rate, metallicity, and possible optical and infrared photon energy densities, have been derived. The measured gamma-ray spectra are generally described by a power law with a cut-off at a few gigaelectronvolts. Together with the detection of pulsed γ-rays from two MSPs in two different globular clusters, such spectral signature lends support to the hypothesis that γ-rays from globular clusters represent collective curvature emission from magnetospheres of MSPs in the clusters. Alternative models, involving Inverse-Compton (IC) emission of relativistic electrons that are accelerated close to MSPs or pulsar wind nebula shocks, have also been suggested. Observations at >100 GeV by using Fermi/LAT and atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes such as H.E.S.S.-II, MAGIC-II, VERITAS, and CTA will help to settle some questions unanswered by current data.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.37-54
• /
• 2011

Two semi-analytic solutions for a perturbed two-body problem known as Lagrange planetary equations (LPE) were compared to a numerical integration of the equation of motion with same perturbation force. To avoid the critical conditions inherited from the configuration of LPE, non-singular orbital elements (EOE) had been introduced. In this study, two types of orbital elements, classical Keplerian orbital elements (COE) and EOE were used for the solution of the LPE. The effectiveness of EOE and the discrepancy between EOE and COE were investigated by using several near critical conditions. The near one revolution, one day, and seven days evolutions of each orbital element described in LPE with COE and EOE were analyzed by comparing it with the directly converted orbital elements from the numerically integrated state vector in Cartesian coordinate. As a result, LPE with EOE has an advantage in long term calculation over LPE with COE in case of relatively small eccentricity.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.59-67
• /
• 2013

We present a spectroscopic study of 343 blue compact galaxies (BCGs) at 0.20 < z < 0.35 from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR7 data. We derive gas phase oxygen abundance using the empirical and direct method. Stellar masses of galaxies are derived from the STARLIGHT code. We also derive star formation rates of galaxies based on $H{\alpha}$ emission line from the SDSS as well as far-ultraviolet (FUV) flux from the Galaxy Evolution Explorer GR6 data. Evolution of the luminosity-metallicity and mass-metallicity (M-Z) relations with redshift is observed. At a given luminosity and mass, galaxies at higher redshifts appear to be biased to low metallicities relative to the lower redshift counterparts. Furthermore, low mass galaxies show higher specific star formation rates (SSFRs) than more massive ones and galaxies at higher redshifts are biased to higher SSFRs compared to the lower redshift sample. By visual inspection of the SDSS images, we classify galaxy morphology into disturbed or undisturbed. In the M-Z relation, we find a hint that morphologically disturbed BCGs appear to exhibit low metallicities and high SSFRs compared to undisturbed counterparts. We suggest that our results support downsizing galaxy formation scenario and star formation histories of BCGs are closely related with their morphologies.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.169-174
• /
• 2013

BOH magnetometer was installed at Mt. Bohyun in 2007 and has provided continuous dataset for 3-axis geomagnetic field over the South Korea. We have calculated real-time K-index based on BOH magnetic field data using well-known FMI method. Local K-index is calculated eight times a day, per every three hours. To calculate K-index, it is critical to get the Quiet Day Curve (QDC). For QDC calculation, we take the previous one month's average of H-component. In this paper, we compared four geomagnetic stations' magnetic field data over South Korea and Japan and K-indices of each stations; Bohyun, Gangneung, Jeju, and Kakioka for two years data, 2011-2012. To investigate the difference depending on the latitude, longitude and local time in more detail, we compare K-index on International Quiet Days (IQDs) and International Disturbed Days (IDDs). As a result, we report the correlation between local K-indices are higher than those between Kp and local K-indices, and the correlation is much better after sunset than after sunrise. As the geomagnetic activity becomes stronger, the correlation between the local K-indices and global Kp-index become higher.