• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.78.3-78.3
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• 2015

About 70 high redshift quasars with $z{\geq}5$ have been discovered through combinations of standard broad-band filters to distinguish them from contaminating sources. However, among the discovered quasars so far, there is a redshift gap at $5{\leq}z{\leq}6$ due to the limitation of traditional filter sets and selection techniques. To understand the early mass growth of supermassive black holes and the final stage of the cosmic reionization, it is important to find a statistically meaningful sample of quasars with various physical properties. Here we suggest a new selection technique of high redshift quasars using medium-band filters: nine filters with bandwidths of 50nm and central wavelengths from 625 to 1025nm. Photometry with these medium-bands traces the spectral energy distribution (SED) of a source, similar to spectroscopy with R~15. We installed these filters to SED camera for QUasars in EArly uNiverse (SQUEAN) on the 2.1m telescope at McDonald Observatory, and conducted test observations of known high redshift quasars at $4.7{\leq}z{\leq}6.1$ and also dwarf stars for comparison. We found differences in SED shapes between high redshift quasars and dwarf stars, determined their locations on color-color diagrams, and demonstrated that the medium-band filters can enhance the efficiency of selecting robust quasar candidates in this redshift range. In this poster, we propose an effective selection method of high redshift quasars using these medium-band filters and discuss its effect on our high redshift quasar survey.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.25-35
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• 2016

Multiple color selection techniques are successful in identifying quasars from wide-field broadband imaging survey data. Among the quasars that have been discovered so far, however, there is a redshift gap at 5 ≲ z ≲ 5.7 due to the limitations of filter sets in previous studies. In this work, we present a new selection technique of high redshift quasars using a sequence of medium-band filters: nine filters with central wavelengths from 625 to 1025 nm and bandwidths of 50 nm. Photometry with these medium-bands traces the spectral energy distribution (SED) of a source, similar to spectroscopy with resolution R ~ 15. By conducting medium-band observations of high redshift quasars at 4.7 ≤ z ≤ 6.0 and brown dwarfs (the main contaminants in high redshift quasar selection) using the SED camera for QUasars in EArly uNiverse (SQUEAN) on the 2.1-m telescope at the McDonald Observatory, we show that these medium-band filters are superior to multi-color broad-band color section in separating high redshift quasars from brown dwarfs. In addition, we show that redshifts of high redshift quasars can be determined to an accuracy of Δz/(1 + z) = 0.002 - 0.026. The selection technique can be extended to z ~ 7, suggesting that the medium-band observation can be powerful in identifying quasars even at the re-ionization epoch.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.52.1-52.1
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• 2015

We have recently installed SQUEAN on the 82 inch telescope at the McDonald Observatory, USA. This instrument consists of an ANDOR CCD camera, a focal reducer, an electronic box, an auto guiding system and a new filter wheel which holds up to 20 filters. Currently the filter wheel is equipped with Johnson-Cousins BVRI filters, SDSS rizY and isiz filters, and 50nm medium band pass filters (M625(625nm), M675(675nm), M725(725nm), M775(775nm), M825(825nm), M875(875nm), M925s(925nm), M975(975nm), and M1025(1025nm)). Our medium band pass filter system is suitable with SED fitting. Filter transformation methods are essential for time-domain observations including transient objects, e.g., supernovae, variable stars, and solar system bodies. In this work, we develop a series of equations to convert the open clusters photometry data within these filter systems.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.73.1-73.1
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• 2017

Reverberation mapping is one of the best way to investigate structure and kinematics of broad-line regions around central supermassive black holes of active galactic nuclei (AGN). It is usually used to estimate masses of supermassive black holes. So far, reverberation mapping studies have achieved good results for dozens of AGN by spectroscopic monitoring. However, spectroscopic monitoring is time consuming and high cost. Here, we present result of photometric reverberation mapping with medium-band observation. We monitored five nearby AGN which are already studied, have short time-lag, and show bright H-alpha emission lines. Observation has been performed for ~3 months with ~3 days cadence using three medium-band filters installed in LSGT (Lee Sang Gak Telescope). We found 0.01-0.06 magnitude variations by differential photometry. Also time-lags between continuum light-curves and H-alpha emission line light-curves are calculated using Javelin software. The result shows that our study and previous studies are consistent within uncertainty range. From verification of availability in this study, photometric reverberation mapping could be used as a powerful tool to measure central supermassive black holes for large samples and high-redshift AGN in the future.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.71-78
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• 2017

We present the characteristics and the performance of the new CCD camera system, SNUCAM-II (Seoul National University CAMera system II) that was installed on the Lee Sang Gak Telescope (LSGT) at the Siding Spring Observatory in 2016. SNUCAM-II consists of a deep depletion chip covering a wide wavelength from $0.3{\mu}m$ to $1.1{\mu}m$ with high sensitivity (QE at > 80% over 0.4 to $0.9{\mu}m$). It is equipped with the SDSS ugriz filters and 13 medium band width (50 nm) filters, enabling us to study spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of diverse objects from extragalactic sources to solar system objects. On LSGT, SNUCAM-II offers $15.7{\times}15.7$ arcmin field-of-view (FOV) at a pixel scale of 0.92 arcsec and a limiting magnitude of g = 19.91 AB mag and z=18.20 AB mag at $5{\sigma}$ with 180 sec exposure time for point source detection.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.78.1-78.1
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• 2017

We present a noble method to determine BH mass of many AGNs directly through reverberation mapping using a small telescope with wide-field of view. In 2017 August we installed five medium-band filters to a 0.25m diameter $5deg^2$ FOV telescope at the McDonald observatory. The width of these filters (FWHM ~ 50nm) are matched to the broad line width of type-1 AGNs at various redshifts. From recently obtained data, about r ~ 19 magnitude AGNs can be detected in line component with 150s exposure. With this magnitude limit, about 20~30 AGNs can be studied in one field. We plan to carry out at one day cadence observation over 20~30 fields, enabling us to monitor up to ~1000 AGNs over a wide range of variability. This poster presents out plan and early results from test observation.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.34.2-34.2
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• 2020

Reverberation mapping is one of the best ways to investigate the physical mechanism of broad-line regions around central supermassive black holes of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). It is usually used to estimate the masses of supermassive black holes. Although spectroscopic reverberation mapping has used to study dozens of AGN, spectroscopic monitoring campaign of large sample is expansive. Here, we present results of photometric reverberation mapping with medium-band photometry. We monitored five nearby AGN which were already studied with H-alpha emission line. Observation has been performed for ~3 months with ~3 days cadence using three medium-band filters installed in LSGT (Lee Sang Gak Telescope; 0.43m). We found 0.01-0.08 magnitude variations from differential photometry. Also time-lags between continuum light-curves and H-alpha emission line light-curves are found using JAVELIN software. The result shows that our study and previous studies are consistent within uncertainty range. In the near future, medium-band photometric reverberation mapping seems useful to study large AGN samples. We will present preliminary result of following study that report new time lag measurement of six AGNs in the similar way.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.51.4-52
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• 2015

From 2010 to 2014, CQUEAN (Camera for QUasars in EArly uNiverse) has been operated for the observation at the 82 inch Otto Struve Telescope of the McDonald Observatory, US. This camera is optimized at wavelength range of 0.7 - 1.1 um with seven (g', r', I', z', Y, Iz and Is) broad-band filters for the survey of high redshift (z > 5) quasars in the early universe. We are upgrading this system to identify more details of SED (Spectral Energy Distribution) of quasar candidates and other astronomical sources. The SQUEAN is comprised of a focal reducer, a CCD camera, a new filter wheel, new auto guiding system and new control software. The new filter wheel consists of interchangeable cartridges for various wavelength and size of filters. 50 nm medium bandwidth filters from 600 - 1050 nm, seven SDSS (Sloan Digital Sky Survey) filters and Johnson-Cousin BVRI filters are installed for now. We also have a plan to use narrow band interference filters to classify high redshift quasars or to obtain SEDs of interesting astronomical sources in details more efficiently. We also developed KAP82 (Kyung Hee University Auto guiding Package for 82 inch telescope) for auto guiding software. CQUEAN and SQUEAN have been developed by CEOU (Center for the Exploration of the Origin of the Universe).

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.35.1-35.1
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• 2017

We present the characteristics and the performance of the new CCD camera system, SNUCAM-II (Seoul National University CAMera system II) that was installed on the Lee Sang Gak Telescope (LSGT) at the Siding Spring Observatory Australia in 2016. SNUCAM-II consists of a deep depletion chip covering a wide wavelength from $0.3{\mu}m$ to $1.1{\mu}m$ with high sensitivity (QE at 90%). It is equipped with SDSS ugriz filters and 13 medium band width (50nm) filters. On LSGT, SNUCAM-II covers $15.7{\times}15.7arcmin$ FOV at pixel scale of 0.92 arcsec and a limiting magnitude of g = 19.91 AB mag at $5{\sigma}$ with 180s exposure time. SNUCAM-II will enable us to study Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs) of diverse objects from extragalactic sources to solar objects in the southern hemisphere for research and education activities.

• 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.