• 천문학회보
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.36-36
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• 2013

Globular clusters (GCs) are among the oldest stellar objects in the universe and provide valuable constraints on many aspects of galaxy evolution. GC systems typically exhibit bimodal color distributions the phenomenon of which has been a major topic in the area of GC research. GC color bimodality established a paradigm where scenarios to explain its origin require two GC groups with different formation origins. The GC division, asserted mainly by photometric color bimodality so far, has been viewed as the presence of two distinct metallicity subgroups within individual galaxies. In this study, we make use of spectroscopy of GC systems associated with two giant galaxies, M31 (the Andromeda) and M87 (NGC 4486), to investigate the GC bimodality and the underlying metallicity distributions. Recent spectroscopy on the globular cluster (GC) system of M31 with unprecedented precision witnessed a clear bimodality in absorption-line index distributions of old GCs. Given that spectroscopy is a more detailed probe into stellar population than photometry; the discovery of index bimodality may point to the very existence of dual GC populations. However, here we show that the observed spectroscopic dichotomy of M31 GCs emerges due to the nonlinear nature of metallicity-to-index conversion and thus one does not necessarily have to invoke two separate GC subsystems. We present spectra of 130 old globular clusters (GCs) associated with the Virgo giant elliptical galaxy M87, obtained using the Multi-Object Spectrography (MOS) mode of Faint Object Camera and Spectrograph (FOCAS) on the Subaru telescope. M87 GCs with reliable metallicity measurements exhibit significant inflection along the color-metallicity relations, through which observed color bimodality is reproduced from a broad, unimodal metallicity distribution. Our findings lend further support to this new interpretation of the GC color bimodality, which could change much of the current thought on the formation of GC systems and their host galaxies.

• 천문학회보
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• 제41권2호
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• pp.64.1-64.1
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• 2016

We study the evolution of a late-type galaxy (LTG) in a rich cluster environment by using N-body/SPH simulations. To do that we perform a set of simulations of a LTG falling in a Coma-like cluster and also the LTG colliding with early-type galaxies (ETGs) multiple times in the cluster environment. We use a catalog of the Coma cluster in order to estimate the typical number of collisions and the closest approach distances that a LTG would experience in the cluster. We investigate the cold gas depletion and star formation quenching of our LTG model influenced by the hot cluster gas as well as the hot halo gas of the colliding ETGs.

• 천문학회보
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• 제43권1호
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• pp.47.2-47.2
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• 2018

In this talk, we will review extragalactic science cases with NISS and SPHEREx. With its capability to perform a low resolution spectroscopy over a wide area, NISS and SPHEREx can provide valuable information about the evolution of spectral shapes of galaxies in different environments over cosmic history. This talk will focus on the cases for the studies that are closely related to the galaxy evolution and formation.

• 천문학회보
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• 제40권2호
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• pp.47.3-48
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• 2015

We present environmental effects on the galaxy evolution in the Virgo cluster focusing on intracluster medium - interstellar medium (ICM-ISM) interactions and gravitational interactions. We identify signatures of these environmental effects for 21 massive late-type galaxies based on the visual inspection of high resolution HI data from VLA Imaging of Virgo spirals in Atomic gas (VIVA) survey comparing with multi-wavelength data. We classify galaxies into three subgroups showing different environmental effects. First and second groups includes galaxies influenced by ongoing/active and past ram pressure stripping effect, respectively. Third group consists of galaxies undergoing gravitational interactions. Additionally, we define neighbor galaxies for each VIVA galaxies utilizing kinematic data from Extended Virgo Cluster Catalog. Assuming that neighbor galaxies share similar levels of environmental effects with host VIVA galaxies, we investigate environmental effects on galaxy properties in different subgroups using SDSS optical and GALEX ultraviolet photometric data. We find that dwarf neighbor galaxies in first and second groups show rapid quenching of their star formation (SF), while massive counterparts are still in SF activity. On the other hand, most third group galaxies show hints of SF activity regardless of their mass. We conclude that SF and evolution of galaxy in the cluster environment is closely linked to ICM-ISM interactions and dwarf galaxies seem to be more sensitive to this effect compared to massive counterparts.

• 천문학회보
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• 제43권1호
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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.

• 천문학회보
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• 제40권1호
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• pp.41.2-41.2
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• 2015

Steward Observatory has a rich and diverse program of investigations, with significant groups working on star and planet formation and astrobiology, galaxy and quasar formation and evolution, technology for adaptive optics and interferometry, computational astrophysics, and effectiveness of educational practice. To support this work, Steward operates and offers a range of observational and other facilities, including the Large Binocular Telescope, the MMT, the Magellan Telescopes, the Arizona Radio Observatory, and a suite of 1- and 2-m class telescopes. A special opportunity for IR astronomy exists with Arizona now running UKIRT. Steward Observatory astronomers would welcome the opportunity to form genuine scientific collaborations that are mutually beneficial for high-impact projects and improving the observing facilities.

• 천문학회보
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.29.1-29.1
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• 2021

There have been many studies aiming to reveal the origins of the star-gas misalignment found in galaxies, but there still is a lack of understanding of the contribution from each formation channel candidate. We explore the properties, origins, and lifetimes of the star-gas misalignment using Horizon-AGN, a large-volume cosmological simulation. First, the misalignment fraction shows a strong anti-correlation with the kinematic morphology (V/sigma) and the cold gas fraction of the galaxy. This result is consistent with the result of integral field spectroscopy observations. Second, we have identified four main formation channels of misalignment and quantified their level of contribution: mergers (35%), interaction with nearby galaxies (23%), interaction with dense environments or their central galaxies (21%), and secular evolution including smooth accretion from neighboring filaments (21%). Third, the decay timescale of the misalignment is strongly linked with the kinematic morphology of the galaxy: early-type galaxies (2.28 Gyr) tend to have a longer misalignment lifetime than LTGs (0.49 Gyr). We also found that the morphology and cold gas fraction are both and independently anti-correlated with the misalignment lifetime.

• 천문학회보
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• 제44권2호
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• pp.75.2-75.2
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• 2019

This poster introduces the ongoing "Narrow-band Ca Photometry for Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies" project and presents the latest results. The project aims to explain the formation and evolution of dwarf spheroidal galaxies by examining the structural properties of stellar populations as a function of metallicity. To overcome the lack of stars with known spectroscopic metallicities for dwarf spheroidal galaxies, we apply the hk index as a photometric metallicity indicator to three galaxies-Draco, Sextans, and Canes Venatici I. For all three galaxies, we found that metal-poor and metal-rich groups of red-giant-branch stars have distinct spatial distributions, in which metal-rich stars are centrally concentrated while metal-poor stars are relatively dispersed. In Sextans, we found an off-centered peak of metal-poor stars which is presumed to be a disrupting star cluster in this galaxy. We will discuss the implications of our results for the dwarf galaxy formation and possible directions on future work of this project.

• 천문학회보
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• 제44권1호
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• pp.40.3-40.3
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• 2019

There is growing evidence for the dependence of Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) luminosities on the environments. The origin of this correlation, however, is under debate. In order to explore the physical origin of the trend in detail, we analyze SN Ia light-curves by combining a sample of 1231 SNe Ia over a wide redshift range (0.01 < z < 1.37) in various SN surveys and employing two independent light-curve fitters of SALT2 and MLCS2k2. Although SALT2 is the most widely used fitter in the SN community, MLCS2k2 has a novelty in the context of an investigation of the luminosity evolution of SNe Ia. For this reason we use both fitters and analyze them separately. We also determine a stellar mass and a star formation rate (SFR) for a sample of ~600 host galaxies. In addition, because recent low-redshift studies suggest that this dependence manifests itself most strongly when using the local SFR at the SN location, we introduce a new method to infer the local environments by restricting the SN Ia sample in globally star-forming host galaxies to a low-mass host galaxy subset (${\leq}10^{10}M_{\odot}$). We find that SNe Ia in low-mass and star-forming host galaxies are fainter than those in high-mass and passive hosts, after light-curve corrections. Especially, for the first time in host studies, we show that SNe Ia in locally star-forming environments are $0.081{\pm}0.018$ mag fainter ($4.5{\sigma}$) than those in locally passive environments from the sample including SNe at the high-redshift range. Considering the significant difference in the mean stellar population age between these environments, the result would suggest that the origin of the environmental dependence is the luminosity evolution of SNe Ia.

• 천문학회보
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.37.2-37.2
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• 2012

The A2199 supercluster at z=0.03 is one of the most massive system in nearby universe. In this supercluster, A2199 is kinematically connected to A2197 and several infalling galaxy groups. Thanks to a high-density environment and complex structures around A2199, this supercluster is an excellent laboratory for studying galaxy evolution. We determine the membership of galaxies in the supercluster using radial velocities of galaxies drawn from the SDSS spectroscopic DR7 data. We present an infrared view of this supercluster using AKARI and WISE data. We compare spatial distributions between early- and late-type galaxies, and also AGNs and star-forming galaxies. We also investigate how local and cluster-scale environments affect galaxy properties, such as IR-properties, star formation rates, and morphology transformations.