• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.57.2-57.2
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• 2016

Polarimetry is an important tool for studying the physical processes in the interstellar medium, including star-forming regions. Polarimetry of young stellar objects and their circumstellar structures provides invaluable information about distributions of matter and configurations of magnetic fields in their environments. However, only a few near-infrared circular polarization (CP) observations were reported so far (before our survey). A systematic near-infrared CP survey has been firstly conducted in various star-forming regions, covering high-mass, intermediate-mass, and low-mass young stellar objects. All the observations were made using the SIRPOL imaging polarimeter on the Infrared Survey Facility (IRSF) 1.4 m telescope at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO). In this presentation, we present the first CP survey results. The polarization patterns, extents, and maximum degrees of circular and linear polarizations are used to determine the prevalence and origin of CP in the star-forming regions. Our results are explained with a combination of circumstellar scattering and dichroic extinction mechanism generating the high degrees of CP in star-forming regions. The universality of the large and extended CPs in star-formaing regions can also be linked with the origin of homochirality of life.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.38.3-39
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• 2017

The N159 and N160 ionized regions in the Large Magellanic Cloud are an important extragalactic star-forming complex. The physical environments and the star formation stages are different in N159 and N160. We performed near-infrared polarimetry to those star forming regions with IRSF/SIRPOL 1.4-m telescope. Near-infrared polarization enabled us to trace the detailed structure of magnetic fields in star-forming regions. Through the polarimetric data of J, H, and Ks bands, we examined the magnetic field structures in the N159/N160 complex. In this presentation, we show complex distribution of the magnetic fields associated with dust and gas structures. We verify the local magnetic fields in each star-forming region, which appear to be related with local environments, such as interior and boundary of shell structure, star-forming HII regions, and boundaries between HII regions and dense dark clouds. We discuss the formation scenario of the N159/N160 complex suggested from the magnetic field structure.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.25-36
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• 2023

Since interstellar objects like 1I/'Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov originate from exoplanetary systems, even if we do not visit the exoplanetary systems, flyby, rendezvous, and sample return missions of interstellar objects can provide clues to solve the mysteries of cosmic life phenomena such as the origin of exoplanetary systems, galactic evolution, biosignatures (or even technosignatures), and panspermia. In this paper, we review space missions for interstellar object exploration in the stage of mission design or concept study such as Project Lyra, Bridge, Comet Interceptors, and Lightcraft^TM. We also review space missions, OSIRIS-REx and NEA Scout, designed for Near Earth Asteroids(NEA) explorations, to investigate the current state of basic technologies that can be extended to explore interstellar objects in a velocity of ~ 6AU/year. One of the technologies that needs to be developed for interstellar object exploration is a spacecraft propulsion method such as solar sail, which can catch up with the fast speed of interstellar objects. If this kind of propulsion becomes practical for space explorations, interstellar object explorations will mark a new era and serve as a driving force to provide evidences of cosmic life.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.91-98
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• 2023

We present a novel method that can enhance the detection success rate of interstellar objects. Interstellar objects are objects that are not gravitationally bound to our solar system and thus are believed to have originated from other planetary systems. Since the finding of two interstellar objects, 1l/'Oumuamua in 2017 and 2l/Borisov in 2019, much attention has been paid to finding new interstellar objects. In this paper, we propose the use of Heliospheric Imagers (HIs) for the survey of interstellar objects. In particular, we show HI data taken from Solar TErrestrial RElation Observatory/Sun Earth Connection Coronal and Heliospheric Investigation and demonstrate their ability to detect 'Oumuamua-like interstellar objects. HIs are designed to monitor and study space weather by observing the solar wind traveling through interplanetary space. HIs provide the day-side observations and thus it can dramatically enlarge the observable sky range when combined with the traditional night-side observations. In this paper, we first review previous methods for detecting interstellar objects and demonstrate that HIs can be used for the survey of interstellar objects.

• 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.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.635-646
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• 2000

Geological achievements of the 20th century revolutionized our views about geological understanding and concept. A good example is the concept of continental drift suggested early in the 20th century and later explained in terms of seafloor spreading and plate tectonics. Our understanding of the compositions of materials forming earth has also improved during the20th century. Radio and stable isotopes together with biostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy allow us to interpret the evolution of sedimentary basins in terms of plate movement and sedimentation processes. The Deep Sea Drilling Project initiated in 1960s and continued as the Ocean Drilling Project in 1980s is one of the most successful international research observations, and new developments in computational techniques have provided a wholly new view about the interior of the earth. Most of the geological features and phenomena observed in deep sea and around continental margins are now explained in terms of global tectonic processes such as superplumes flowing up from the interior of our planet and interacting with such as Rodinia Pannotia and Nena back in the Precambrian time. The space explorations which began in the late 1950s opened up a new path to astrogeology, astrobiology, and astropaleontology. The impact theory rooted in the discovery of iridium and associated phenomena in 1980s revived Cuvier's catastrophism as a possible explanation for the extinctions of biotas found in the geological record of this planet. Due to the geological achievements made in the 20th century, we now have a better understanding of geologic times and processes that were too long to be grasped by human records.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.665-669
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• 2015

The Kepler mission has shown that small planets are extremely common. It is likely that nearly every star in the sky hosts at least one rocky planet. We just need to look hard enough-but this requires vast amounts of telescope time. MINERVA (MINiature Exoplanet Radial Velocity Array) is a dedicated exoplanet observatory with the primary goal of discovering rocky, Earth-like planets orbiting in the habitable zone of bright, nearby stars. The MINERVA team is a collaboration among UNSW Australia, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Penn State University, University of Montana, and the California Institute of Technology. The four-telescope MINERVA array will be sited at the F.L. Whipple Observatory on Mt Hopkins in Arizona, USA. Full science operations will begin in mid-2015 with all four telescopes and a stabilised spectrograph capable of high-precision Doppler velocity measurements. We will observe ~100 of the nearest, brightest, Sun-like stars every night for at least five years. Detailed simulations of the target list and survey strategy lead us to expect $15{\pm}4$ new low-mass planets.