• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.381-387
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• 2012

The planetary exploration rover executes various missions after moving to the target point in an unknown environment in the shortest distance. Such missions include the researches for geological and climatic conditions as well as the existence of water or living creatures. If there is any obstacle on the way, it is detected by such sensors as ultrasonic sensor, infrared light sensor, stereo vision, and laser ranger finder. After the obtained data is transferred to the main controller of the rover, decisions can be made to either overcome or avoid the obstacle on the way based on the operating algorithm of the rover. All the planetary exploration rovers which have been developed until now receive the information of the height or width of the obstacle from such sensors before analyzing it in order to find out whether it is possible to overcome the obstacle or not. If it is decided to be better to overcome the obstacle in terms of the operating safety and the electric consumption of the rover, it is generally made to overcome it. Therefore, for the purpose of carrying out the planetary exploration task, it is necessary to design the proper suspension system of the rover which enables it to safely overcome any obstacle on the way on the surface in any unknown environment. This study focuses on the design of the new double 4-bar linkage type of suspension system applied to the Korea Aerospace Research Institute rover (a tentatively name) that is currently in the process of development by our institute in order to develop the planetary exploration rover which absolutely requires the capacity of overcoming any obstacle. Throughout this study, the negative moment which harms the capacity of the rover for overcoming an obstacle was induced through the dynamical modeling process for the rocker-bogie applied to the Mars exploration rover of the US and the improved version of rocker-bogie as well as the suggested double 4-bar linkage type of suspension system. Also, based on the height of the obstacle, a simulation was carried out for the negative moment of the suspension system before the excellence of the suspension system suggested through the comparison of responding characteristics was proved.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2002

Black hole binary candidates are known to be composed of a black hole with 10 $M_{\odot}$ and a K or M type companion. Because the companion is believed to fill the Roche lobe that is very aspherical, the light curves of black hole binaries are characterized by an ellipsoidal variation. It has been known that the ellipsoidal light curves exhibit asymmetric maximum brightness at the orbital phases 0.25 and 0.75, which has been attributed to star spots or the hot impact points of the accretion flow on to the accretion disk around the black hole. In this paper, it is pointed out that the special relativistic beaming effect contributes to the asymmetry of several percent often observed in the light curves. The typical orbital velocity 400 km $s^{-1}$ observed in black hole binaries may induce the temperature difference $\DeltaT/T$ ~ 1/400 of the late type companion star in the observer`s rest frame, because of the special relativistic Doppler beaming effect. This difference in temperature can result in several per cent of brightness sensitively dependent on the wavelength band, which is comparable to what has been observed in most black hole binary candidates. Considering the significant contribution of the special relativistic Doppler beaming effect, we conclude that the estimation of the sizes and temperatures of the star spots or the hot impact point needs serious revision.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.153-166
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• 2004

Interplanetary trajectories using the gravity assists are studied for future Korean interplanetary missions. Verifications of the developed softwares and results were performed by comparing data from ESA's Mars Express mission and previous results. Among the Jupiter exploration mission scenarios, multi-planet gravity assist mission to Jupiter (Earth-Mars-Earth-Jupiter Gravity Assist, EMEJGA trajectory) requires minimum launch energy ($C_3$) of 29.231 $Km^2$/$S^2$ with 4.6 years flight times. Others, such as direct mission and single-planet(Mars) gravity assist mission, requires launch energy ($C_3$) of 75.656 $Km^2$/$S^2$ with 2.98 years flight times and 63.590 $Km^2$/$S^2$ with 2.33 years flight times, respectively. These results show that the planetary gravity assists can reduce launch energy, while EMEJGA trajectory requires the longer flight time than the other missions.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.11-28
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• 2004

To better understand how high-latitude electric fields influence thermospheric dynamics, winds in the high-latitude lower thermosphere are studied by using the Thermosphere-ionosphere Electrodynamics General Circulation Model developed by the National Conte. for Atmospheric Research (NCAR-TIEGCM). The model is run for the conditions of 1992-1993 southern summer. The association of the model results with the interplanetary magnetic field(IMF) is also examined to determine the influences of the IMF-dependent ionospheric convection on the winds. The wind patterns show good agreement with the WINDII observations, although the model wind speeds are generally weaker than the observations. It is confirmed that the influences of high-latitude ionospheric convection on summertime thermospheric winds are seen down to 105 km. The difference wind, the difference between the winds for IMF$\neq$O and IMF=0, during negative IMF $B_y$ shows a strong anticyclonic vortex while during positive IMF $B_y$ a strong cyclonic vortex down to 105 km. For positive IMF $B_z$ the difference winds are largely confined to the polar cap, while for negative IMF B, they extend down to subauroral latitudes. The IMF $B_z$ -dependent diurnal wind component is strongly correlated with the corresponding component of ionospheric convection velocity down to 108 km and is largely rotational. The influence of IMF by on the lower thermospheric summertime zonal-mean zonal wind is substantial at high latitudes, with maximum wind speeds being $60\;ms^-1$ at 130 km around $77^{\circ}$ magnetic latitude.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.101-112
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• 2008

Systematic CCD observations of times of minimum lights for eclipsing binaries has been carried out from 2002 to 2007 at Campus Station of Chungbuk National University Observatory which is located in Cheongju city, Korea. As a by-product of our observations, photometric data for stars in CCD images taken from 2005 to 2007 were used to determine 1st order atmospheric extinction coefficient (hereafter AEC) and seasonal and yearly variations of the AECs were studied. Total nights used for determination of AECs were 57 days in 2005, 51 days in 2006, and 63 days in 2007. As a result the annual mean value of the AECs per air mass is calculated as $0.^m34{\pm}0.^m18$ for 2005, $0.^m38{\pm}0.^m19$ for 2006, and $0.^m45{\pm}0.^m20$ for 2007. These values show that the AECs and their standard deviations are two and four times, respectively, larger than those of normal observatories which are not located near large cities. Annual comparison between concentration of atmospheric fine dust and coefficient of atmospheric extinction show strong correlation between two quantities of which time variations show similar patterns. The AECs for the east sky show larger than those for the west sky. It can be easily understood by the reasonable possibility that air pollutants remain more in the east sky than in the west because the east area of Cheongju city has been more developed than the west one. In conclusion the atmospheric extinction of the night sky of Cheongju city has an annual trend of increase of $0.^m06\;airrnass^{-1}\; year^{-1}$ implying that it may take only about 13 years for Cheongju city to have 2 times brighter night sky than the present one. Our study highlights that variations of AEC can be used as an important indicator of air pollution to monitor night skies.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.305-316
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• 2009

In this study, we suggest an empirical forecast of CIR (Corotating Interaction Regions) and geomagnetic storm based on the information of coronal holes (CH). For this we used CH data obtained from He I $10830{\AA}$ maps at National Solar Observatory-Kitt Peak from January 1996 to November 2003 and the CIR and storm data that Choi et al. (2009) identified. Considering the relationship among coronal holes, CIRs, and geomagnetic storms (Choi et al. 2009), we propose the criteria for geoeffective coronal holes; the center of CH is located between $N40^{\circ}$ and $S40^{\circ}$ and between $E40^{\circ}$ and $W20^{\circ}$, and its area in percentage of solar hemispheric area is larger than the following areas: (1) case 1: 0.36%, (2) case 2: 0.66%, (3) case 3: 0.36% for 1996-2000, and 0.66% for 2001-2003. Then we present contingency tables between prediction and observation for three cases and their dependence on solar cycle phase. From the contingency tables, we determined several statistical parameters for forecast evaluation such as PODy (the probability of detection yes), FAR (the false alarm ratio), Bias (the ratio of "yes" predictions to "yes" observations) and CSI (critical success index). Considering the importance of PODy and CSI, we found that the best criterion is case 3; CH-CIR: PODy=0.77, FAR=0.66, Bias=2.28, CSI=0.30. CH-storm: PODy=0.81, FAR=0.84, Bias=5.00, CSI=0.16. It is also found that the parameters after the solar maximum are much better than those before the solar maximum. Our results show that the forecasting of CIR based on coronal hole information is meaningful but the forecast of goemagnetic storm is challenging.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.603-620
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• 2009

New Pochonka published in the eighteenth century of the Choson dynasty was composed of star-charts based on the new observations made by Jesuits in China and songs corrected a little bit from previous version of Pochonka. The asterisms in the previous Pochonka are listed in the same order to that in the Song dynasty's literature; while the asterisms in the new Pochonka are listed in accordance with Pu-tien-ko published in China after the Ming dynasty. The Chinese-style twelve-equatorial-section system is adopted in the new Pochonka, while in its song is adopted the zodiac system, which can be seen in the star-charts of previous version of Pochonka. The asterisms belonging to three or four neighboring lunar-mansions are drawn in one chart. Each chart covers asterisms not belonging to a certain range of right ascension, but to a certain lunar mansion. We estimate the forming era of the new Pochonka from the following facts; that the Ling-Tai-I-Hsiang-Chih was used to make charts and footnotes whose archetype can be found in the Chinese literature around A.D. 1700, that these Chinese books were imported into Choson in A.D. 1709, that the naming taboo to the emperor Khang-Hsi was used, that the order of Shen-Hsiu (參宿) was transposed with Tshui-Hsiu (자宿), and that the new Pochonka was substituted for the old version when the rules of Royal Astronomical Bureau was reformed in A.D. 1791. In conclusion, the parent sources of the charts and footnotes of the new Pochonka might be imported from the Ching dynasty around 1709 A.D. to form the new Pochonka between A.D. 1709 and A.D. 1791, and finally to be published in A.D. 1792. We discuss the possible future works to make a firm conclusion.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.405-414
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• 2008

To better understand the physical processes that control the high-latitude lower thermospheric dynamics, we analyze the divergence and vorticity of the high-latitude neutral wind field in the lower thermosphere during the southern summertime for different IMF conditions. For this study the National Center for Atmospheric Research Thermosphere-Ionosphere Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (NCAR-TIEG CM) is used. The analysis of the large-scale vorticity and divergence provides basic understanding flow configurations to help elucidate the momentum sources that ulti-mately determine the total wind field in the lower polar thermosphere and provides insight into the relative strengths of the different sources of momentum responsible for driving winds. The mean neutral wind pattern in the high-latitude lower thermosphere is dominated by rotational flow, imparted primarily through the ion drag force, rather than by divergent flow, imparted primarily through Joule and solar heating. The difference vorticity, obtained by subtracting values with zero IMF from those with non-zero IMF, in the high-latitude lower thermosphere is much larger than the difference divergence for all IMF conditions, indicating that a larger response of the thermospheric wind system to enhancement in the momentum input generating the rotational motion with elevated IMF than the corresponding energy input generating the divergent motion. the difference vorticity in the high-latitude lower thermosphere depends on the direction of the IMF. The difference vorticity for negative and positive $B_y$ shows positive and negative, respectively, at higher magnetic latitudes than $-70^{\circ}$. For negative $B_z$, the difference vorticities have positive in the dusk sector and negative in the dawn sector. The difference vorticities for positive $B_z$ have opposite sign. Negative IMF $B_z$ has a stronger effect on the vorticity than does positive $B_z$.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.21-33
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• 2019

This paper focuses on the interpretation of radiation fluxes from active galactic nuclei. The advantage of positron annihilation spectroscopy over other methods of spectral diagnostics of active galactic nuclei (therefore AGN) is demonstrated. A relationship between regular and random components in both bolometric and spectral composition of fluxes of quanta and particles generated in AGN is found. We consider their diffuse component separately and also detect radiative feedback after the passage of high-velocity cosmic rays and hard quanta through gas-and-dust aggregates surrounding massive black holes in AGN. The motion of relativistic positrons and electrons in such complex systems produces secondary radiation throughout the whole investigated region of active galactic nuclei in form of cylinder with radius R= 400-1000 pc and height H=200-400 pc, thus causing their visible luminescence across all spectral bands. We obtain radiation and electron energy distribution functions depending on the spatial distribution of the investigated bulk of matter in AGN. Radiation luminescence of the non-central part of AGN is a response to the effects of particles and quanta falling from its center created by atoms, molecules and dust of its diffuse component. The cross-sections for the single-photon annihilation of positrons of different energies with atoms in these active galactic nuclei are determined. For the first time we use the data on the change in chemical composition due to spallation reactions induced by high-energy particles. We establish or define more accurately how the energies of the incident positron, emitted ${\gamma}-quantum$ and recoiling nucleus correlate with the atomic number and weight of the target nucleus. For light elements, we provide detailed tables of all indicated parameters. A new criterion is proposed, based on the use of the ratio of the fluxes of ${\gamma}-quanta$ formed in one- and two-photon annihilation of positrons in a diffuse medium. It is concluded that, as is the case in young supernova remnants, the two-photon annihilation tends to occur in solid-state grains as a result of active loss of kinetic energy of positrons due to ionisation down to thermal energy of free electrons. The single-photon annihilation of positrons manifests itself in the gas component of active galactic nuclei. Such annihilation occurs as interaction between positrons and K-shell electrons; hence, it is suitable for identification of the chemical state of substances comprising the gas component of the investigated media. Specific physical media producing high fluxes of positrons are discussed; it allowed a significant reduction in the number of reaction channels generating positrons. We estimate the brightness distribution in the ${\gamma}-ray$ spectra of the gas-and-dust media through which positron fluxes travel with the energy range similar to that recorded by the Payload for Antimatter Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics (PAMELA) research module. Based on the results of our calculations, we analyse the reasons for such a high power of positrons to penetrate through gas-and-dust aggregates. The energy loss of positrons by ionisation is compared to the production of secondary positrons by high-energy cosmic rays in order to determine the depth of their penetration into gas-and-dust aggregations clustered in active galactic nuclei. The relationship between the energy of ${\gamma}-quanta$ emitted upon the single-photon annihilation and the energy of incident electrons is established. The obtained cross sections for positron interactions with bound electrons of the diffuse component of the non-central, peripheral AGN regions allowed us to obtain new spectroscopic characteristics of the atoms involved in single-photon annihilation.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.409-418
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• 2005

Magnetospheric substorms occur frequently during magnetic storms, suggesting that the two phenomena are closely associated. We can investigate the relation between magnetospheric substorms and magnetic storms by examining the correlation between AE and Dst indices. For this purpose, we calculated the monthly cumulative AU, $\mid{AL}\mid$ and $\mid{Dst}\mid$ indices. The correlation coefficient between the monthly cumulative $\mid{AL}\mid$ and $\mid{Dst}\mid$ index is found to be 0.60, while that between monthly cumulative AU and $\mid{Dst}\mid$ index is 0.28. This result indicates that substorms seem to contribute to the development of magnetic storms. On the other hand, it has been reported that the interplanetary electric field associated with southward IMF intensifies the magnetospheric convection, which injects charged particles into the inner magnetosphere, thus developing the ring current. To evaluate the contribution of the interplanetary electric field to the development of the storm time ring current belt, we compared the monthly cumulative interplanetary electric field and the monthly cumulative Dst index. The correlation coefficient between the two cumulative indices is 0.83 for southward IMP and 0.39 for northward IMF. It indicates that magnetospheric convection induced by southward IMF is also important in developing magnetic storms. Therefore, both magnetospheric substorm and enhanced magnetospheric convection seem to contribute to the buildup of magnetic storm.