• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.41-57
• /
• 2002

We have written a code called QDM_sca, which numerically solves the problem of radiative transfer in an anisotropically scattering, spherical atmosphere. First we formulate the problem as a second order differential equation of a quasi-diffusion type. We then apply a three-point finite differencing to the resulting differential equation and transform it to a tri-diagonal system of simultaneous linear equations. After boundary conditions are implemented in the tri-diagonal system, the QDM_sca radiative code fixes the field of specific intensity at every point in the atmosphere. As an application example, we used the code to calculate the brightness of atmospheric diffuse light(ADL) as a function of zenith distance, which plays a pivotal role in reducing the zodiacal light brightness from night sky observations. On the basis of this ADL calculation, frequent uses of effective extinction optical depth have been fully justified in correcting the atmospheric extinction for such extended sources as zodiacal light, integrated starlight and diffuse galactic light. The code will be available on request.

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

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.25-27
• /
• 2017

We are creating all-sky diffuse maps from the AKARI mid-infrared survey data with the two photometric bands centered at wavelengths of 9 and $18{\mu}m$. The AKARI mid-infrared diffuse maps achieve higher spatial resolution and higher sensitivity than the IRAS maps. In particular, the $9{\mu}m$ data are unique resources as an all-sky tracer of the emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). However, the original data suffer many artifacts. Thus, we have been developing correction methods. Among them, we have recently improved correction methods for the non-linearity and the reset anomaly of the detector response. These corrections successfully reduce the artifact level down to $0.1MJy\;sr^{-1}$ on average, which is essential for discussion on faint extended emission (e.g., the Galactic PAH emission). We have also made progress in the subtraction of the scattered light caused in the camera optics. We plan to release the improved diffuse maps to the public within a year.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.115-119
• /
• 2019

This paper is a part of the series on positron annihilation spectroscopy of two-phase diffuse gas-and-dust aggregates, such as interstellar medium and the young remnants of type II supernovae. The results obtained from prior studies were applied here to detect the relationship between the processes of the annihilation of the K-shell electrons and incident positrons, and the effects of these processes on the optical spectra of their respective atoms. Particular attention was paid to the Doppler broadening of their optical lines. The relationship between the atomic mass of the elements and the Doppler broadening, ${\Delta}{\lambda}_D$ (${\AA}$), of their emission lines as produced in these processes was established. This relationship is also illustrated for isotope sets of light elements, namely $^3_2He$, $^6_3Li$, $^7_3Be$, $^{10}_5B$ and $^{11}_5B$. A direct correlation between the ${\gamma}-line$ luminosity ( $E_{\gamma}=1.022MeV$) and ${\Delta}{\lambda}_D$ (${\AA}$) was proved virtually. Qualitative estimates of the structure of such lines depending on the positron velocity distribution function, f(E), were made. The results are presented in tabular form and can be used to set up the objectives of further studies on active galactic nuclei and young remnants of type II supernovae.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.31-35
• /
• 2008

We present analytical approximations for calculating the scattering and escape of non-ionizing photons from a plane-parallel medium with uniformly illuminated by external sources. We compare the results with the case of a spherical dust cloud. It is found that more scattering and absorption occur in the plane-parallel geometry than in the spherical geometry when the optical depth perpendicular to the plane and the radial optical depth of the sphere are the same. The results can provide an approximate way to estimate radiative transfer in a variety interstellar conditions and can be applied to the dust-scattered diffuse Galactic light.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.363-365
• /
• 2012

We report a search for fluctuations of the sky brightness toward the North Ecliptic Pole with AKARI, at 2.4, 3.2, and $4.1{\mu}m$. The stacked images with a diameter of 10 arcminutes of the AKARI-Monitor Field show a spatial structure on the scale of a few hundred arcseconds. A power spectrum analysis shows that there is a significant excess fluctuation at angular scales larger than 100 arcseconds that cannot be explained by zodiacal light, diffuse Galactic light, shot noise of faint galaxies, or clustering of low-redshift galaxies. These findings indicate that the detected fluctuation could be attributed to the first stars of the universe, i.e., Population III stars.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.117.1-117.1
• /
• 2011

We present the smoothness of mid-infrared sky brightness from the Japanese infrared astronomical satellite, AKARI observations. AKARI monitored the north ecliptic pole (NEP) during its cold phase with nine wavebands from 2.4 to 24 ${\mu}m$, out of which six mid-infrared bands are used in this study. Simple sinusoidal fit to the seasonal variation of the sky brightness shows that the mid-infrared brightness towards the NEP is not affected by small-scale features of the interplanetary dust cloud. We applied the power spectrum analysis to the images to search for the fluctuation of sky brightness. The fluctuation powers at 200 arcsecond are estimated to be at most $1.58{\pm}0.33\;nW\;m^{-2}sr^{-1}$ or 0.13% of the total brightness at $7{\mu}m$ and a tleast $0.64{\pm}0.11\;nW\;m^{-2}sr^{-1}$ or 0.02% at $18{\mu}m$. The residual fluctuations at a few arcminute scales at short mid-infrared wavelengths (7, 9, and 11 ${\mu}m$) are consistent with those expected from the diffuse galactic light. At long mid-infrared wavelengths (15, 18, and 24 ${\mu}m$) the measured fluctuations are comparable to or smaller than the one caused by photon noise and their sources are not identified. We conclude that the upper limit of the fluctuation in the zodiacal light is about 0.02% of the sky brightness.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.42-42
• /
• 2012

The First stars (Pop.III stars) in the universe are expected to be formed between the recombination era at z - 1100 and the most distant quasar (z - 8). They have never been directly detected due to its faintness so far, but can be observed as a background radiation at around 1${\mu}m$ which is called the Cosmic Near-Infrared Background (CNB). Main part of the CNB is thought to be redshifted Lyman-alpha from gas clouds surrounding the Pop.III stars. Until now, the COBE (COsmic Background Explorer) and the IRTS (Infrared Telescope in Space) observed excess emission over the background due to galaxies. To confirm the COBE and the IRTS results and pursue more observational evidences, we carried out the sounding rocket experiment named the Cosmic Infrared Background ExpeRiment (CIBER). The CIBER is successfully launched on July 10, 2010 at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, USA. It consists of three kinds of instruments. We report the results obtained by LRS (Low Resolution Spectrometer) which is developed to fill the uncovered spectrum around 1${\mu}m$. LRS is a refractive telescope of 5.5 cm aperture with spectral resolution of 20 - 30 and wavelength coverage of 0.7 to 2.0${\mu}m$. After subtracting foreground components (zodiacal light, integrated star light and diffuse galactic light) from the sky brightness of observed five fields, there remained significant residual emission (even for the lower limit case) consistent with the IRTS and the COBE results. In addition, there exists a clear gap at 0.7 - 0.8${\mu}m$ in the CNB spectrum over the background due to galaxies according to recent results (Matsuoka et al. 2011; Mattila et al. 2011). The origin of the excess emission could be ascribed to the Pop.III stars with its active era of z = 7 - 10.