• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.34.2-35
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• 2018

Galaxy transition from star-forming to quiescent, accompanied with morphology transformation, is one of the key unresolved issues in extragalactic astronomy. Although several environmental mechanisms have been proposed, a deeper understanding of the impact of environment on galaxy transition still requires much exploration. My Ph.D. thesis focuses on which environmental mechanisms are primarily responsible for galaxy transition in different environments and looks at what happens during the transition phase using multi-wavelength photometric/spectroscopic data, from UV to mid-infrared (MIR), derived from several large surveys (GALEX, SDSS, and WISE) and our GMOS-North IFU observations. Our multi-wavelength approach provides new insights into the *late* stages of galaxy transition with a definition of the MIR green valley different from the optical green valley. I will present highlights from three areas in my thesis. First, through an in-depth study of environmental dependence of various properties of galaxies in a nearby supercluster A2199 (Lee et al. 2015), we found that the star formation of galaxies is quenched before the galaxies enter the MIR green valley, which is driven mainly by strangulation. Then, the morphological transformation from late- to early-type galaxies occurs in the MIR green valley. The main environmental mechanisms for the morphological transformation are galaxy-galaxy mergers and interactions that are likely to happen in high-density regions such as galaxy groups/clusters. After the transformation, early-type MIR green valley galaxies keep the memory of their last star formation for several Gyr until they move on to the next stage for completely quiescent galaxies. Second, compact groups (CGs) of galaxies are the most favorable environments for galaxy interactions. We studied MIR properties of galaxies in CGs and their environmental dependence (Lee et al. 2017), using a sample of 670 CGs identified using a friends-of-friends algorithms. We found that MIR [3.4]-[12] colors of CG galaxies are, on average, bluer than those of cluster galaxies. As CGs are located in denser regions, they tend to have larger early-type galaxy fractions and bluer MIR color galaxies. These trends can also be seen for neighboring galaxies around CGs. However, CG members always have larger early-type fractions and bluer MIR colors than their neighboring galaxies. These results suggest that galaxy evolution is faster in CGs than in other environments and that CGs are likely to be the best place for pre-processing. Third, post-starburst galaxies (PSBs) are an ideal laboratory to investigate the details of the transition phase. Their spectra reveal a phase of vigorous star formation activity, which is abruptly ended within the last 1 Gyr. Numerical simulations predict that the starburst, and thus the current A-type stellar population, should be localized within the galaxy's center (< kpc). Yet our GMOS IFU observations show otherwise; all five PSBs in our sample have Hdelta absorption line profiles that extend well beyond the central kpc. Most interestingly, we found a negative correlation between the Hdelta gradient slopes and the fractions of the stellar mass produced during the starburst, suggesting that stronger starbursts are more centrally-concentrated. I will discuss the results in relation with the origin of PSBs.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.61-70
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• 2017

We study the angular correlation function of bright ($K_s{\leq}19.5$) Extremely Red Objects (EROs) selected in the Subaru GTO 2$deg^2$ field. By applying the color selection criteria of $R-K_s$ > 5.0, 5.5, and 6.0, we identify 9055, 4270, and 1777 EROs, respectively. The number density is consistent with similar studies on the optical - NIR color selected red galaxies. The angular correlation functions are derived for EROs with different limiting magnitude and different $R-K_s$ color cut. When we assume that the angular correlation function $w({\theta})$ follows a form of a power-law (i.e., $w({\theta})=A{\theta}^{-{\delta}}$), the value of the amplitude A was larger for brighter EROs compared to the fainter EROs. The result suggests that the brighter, thus more massive high-redshift galaxies, are clustered more strongly compared to the less massive galaxies. Assuming that EROs have redshift distribution centered at ~ 1.1 with ${\sigma}_z=0.15$, the spatial correlation length $r_0$ of the EROs estimated from the observed angular correlation function ranges ${\sim}6-10h^{-1}Mpc$. A comparison with the clustering of dark matter halos in numerical simulation suggests that the EROs are located in most massive dark matter halos and could be progenitors of $L_{\ast}$ elliptical galaxies.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.235-244
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• 2019

We present the results of near-infrared imaging observations of the galaxy overdensity around the z = 1.44 radio-loud active galactic nucleus (AGN) 6CE1100+3505, which was carried out with the purpose of sampling the redshifted Hα emission from the actively star-forming galaxies that could constitute the overdensity. The existence of the structure around this AGN was spectroscopically confirmed by previous grism observations which are however limited to the central region. Using the CH4Off narrow/medium-band and H broad band filters in the Wide Infrared Camera (WIRCam) on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), we constructed a sample of objects that show a flux excess in the CH4Off band due to line emission. The emission line flux is ~ 4.9 × 10^-16 erg s^-1 cm^-2, corresponding to a star formation rate (SFR) of ~ 50 M_⊙ yr^-1 for galaxies at redshifts z ~ 1.4. None of the galaxies with medium-band flux excess is located within 1 Mpc from the central AGN, and there is no evidence that the selected galaxies are associated with the proposed cluster. Along with the star formation quenching near the center that was found from the previous grism observations, the lack of extreme starbursts in the structure suggests that at z ~ 1.4, overdense regions are no longer favorable locations for vigorous star formation.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.35.2-35.2
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• 2014

Today, it is widely accepted that dense environments tend to accelerate galaxy evolution. However, according to recent studies, the environments where galaxies evolve most considerably are galaxy groups rather than galaxy clusters. In an isolated group, the central host galaxy and its satellites co-evolve and interact with each other; as a result, they tend to have similar properties. Such conformity between host and satellite galaxies are relatively well known in galaxy groups, but it is hardly studied what happens after such galaxy groups merge into a galaxy cluster. Recently, J. H. Lee et al. (2014) have found that the colors of bright galaxies in WHL J085910.0+294957, a galaxy cluster at z = 0.3, show a measurable correlation with the mean colors of faint companions around them, which may be the vestige of infallen groups in the cluster. As a follow-up study, we explore more galaxy clusters, Abell 3659 and Abell 1146 at z ~ 0.1, using deep images obtained from the Magellan (Baade) 6.5-m telescope. Cluster members are selected based on the distributions of color, size and concentration along magnitude and spatial distribution. We investigate the dependence of the mean colors of faint companion galaxies on local environments and the properties of adjacent bright galaxies. After comparing the results with those in J. H. Lee et al. (2014), we discuss the origin of the relationships between bright galaxies and their faint companions based on their dependence on cluster properties.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.72.3-72.3
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• 2015

We present the mid-infrared (MIR) luminosity function (LF) of local (z < 0.3) star forming (SF) galaxies based on the AKARI's NEP-Wide Survey data. We utilized a combination of the NEP-Wide point source catalogue containing a large number (114,000) of infrared (IR) sources distributed over the wide (5.4 sq. deg) field and spectroscopic redshift (z) data for 1790 selected targets obtained by optical follow-up surveys with MMT/Hectospec and WIYN/Hydra. The AKARI's continuous $2{\sim}24{\mu}m$ wavelength coverage and the spectroscopic redshifts for sample galaxies enable us to derive accurate spectral energy distributions (SEDs) in the mid-infrared. We carried out SED-fit analysis and employed 1/Vmax method to derive the mid-IR (e.g., $8{\mu}m$, $12{\mu}m$, and $15{\mu}m$ rest-frame) luminosity functions. Our results for local galaxies from the NEP region generally consistent with various previous works for other fields over wide luminosity ranges. The comparison with the results of the NEP-Deep data implies the luminosity evolution from higher redshifts towards the present epoch. We attempted to fit our derived LFs to the double power-laws and present the resulting power indices. We also examined the correlation between mid-IR luminosity and total IR luminosity.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.193-195
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• 2017

We demonstrate the luminosity dependence of the covering factor (CF) of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), based on AKARI mid-infrared all-sky survey catalog. Combining the AKARI with Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) spectroscopic data, we selected 243 galaxies at $9{\mu}m$ and 255 galaxies at $18{\mu}m$. We then identified 64 AGNs at $9{\mu}m$ and 105 AGNs at $18{\mu}m$ by their optical emission lines. Following that, we estimated the CF as the fraction of type 2 AGN in all AGNs. We found that the CF decreased with increasing $18{\mu}m$ luminosity, regardless of the choice of type 2 AGN classification criteria.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.53.1-53.1
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• 2014

The M81 group is a nearby galaxy group hosted by M81, a twin galaxy of Milky Way. This galaxy group is considered as an ideal laboratory for near-field cosmology to understand mass assembly and evolution of galaxies in the group environment. We designed a project to investigate spectroscopic properties of globular cluster candidates in this group. We obtained spectra of globular cluster candidates using the MMT/Hectospec as a part of the K-GMT Science Program. Our main targets include globular cluster candidates of the M81 group member galaxies and those wandering in the intragroup region. We also observed supernova remnants and some background galaxies. Observing fields covered about 2 square degrees including three main galaxies of the M81 group. Using these spectra, we will identify globular clusters in the M81 group, and investigate their properties including age and metallicity. We will discuss the MMT/Hectospec data reduction processes, and future plan for this project.

• Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.35.2-35.2
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• 2009

One possible channel for the formation of dwarf galaxies involves birth in the tidal tails of interacting galaxies. We report the detection of a bright UV tidal tail and several young tidal dwarf galaxy candidates in the post-merger galaxy NGC 4922 in the Coma cluster. Based on a two-component population model (combining young and old stellar populations), we find that its light predominantly comes from young stars (a few Myr old). The Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) ultraviolet data played a critical role in the parameter (age and mass) estimation. Our stellar mass estimates of the tidal dwarf galaxy candidates are ~10^{6-7} M_sun, typical for dwarf galaxies.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.77.1-77.1
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• 2019

It has been proposed by Gunn & Gott (1972) that galaxies may lose their interstellar gas by ram pressure due to the dense intra-cluster medium while falling to the cluster potential. The observational evidence for this process, which is known as ram pressure stripping, is increasing, and it is believed to be one of the key environmental effects that can dramatically change the star formation activity of galaxies and hence their evolution. Intriguingly however, some cases with clear signs of ram pressure stripping are found in the environment which betrays our expectations (e.g. large clustercentric distances), and our understandings to the detailed working principle behind ram pressure stripping seem to be still lacking. As one of the ways to gain more theoretical insights into the conditions for ram pressure stripping process, we have been comparing the gas truncation radius which is predicted based on the simple Gunn & Gott's prescription with what is actually observed in a sample of carefully selected Virgo galaxies. In this work, we present the results of our comparisons between the theoretically predicted truncation radius and the observationally measured truncation radius for individual galaxies in the sample and discuss which additional conditions are needed in order to fully understand the observations.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.31.2-31.2
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• 2020

Mass segregation, a tendency of more massive galaxies being distributed closer to the cluster center, is naturally expected from dynamical friction, but its presence is still controversial. Using deep optical observations of 14 Abell clusters (KYDISC) and a set of hydrodynamic simulations (YZiCS), we find in some cases a hint of mass segregation inside the virial radius. Segregation is visible more clearly when the massive galaxy fraction is used instead of mean stellar mass. The trend is more significant in the simulations than in the observations. To find out the mechanisms working on mass segregation, we look into the evolution of individual clusters simulated. We find that the degree of mass segregation is different for different clusters: the trend is visible only for low-mass clusters. We compare the masses of galaxies and their dark haloes at the time of infall and at the present epoch to quantify the amount of tidal stripping. We then conclude that satellites that get accreted at earlier epochs, or galaxies in more massive clusters go through more tidal stripping. These effects in combination result in a correlation between the host halo mass and the degree of stellar mass segregation. This is a work submitted to The Astrophysical Journal (under review).