• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.61.2-61.2
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• 2021

SkyMapper is the largest-aperture optical wide-field telescope in Australia and can be used for transient detection in the Southern sky. Reference images from its Southern Survey cover the sky at δ <+10 deg to a depth of I ~ 20 mag. It has been used for surveys of extragalactic transients such as supernovae, optical counterparts to gravitational-wave (GW) and fast radio bursts. We adopt an ensemble-based machine learning technique and further filtering scheme that provides high completeness ~98% and purity ~91% across a wide magnitude range. Here we present an important use-case of our robotic transient search, which is the follow-up of GW event triggers from LIGO/Virgo. We discuss the facility's performance in the case of the second binary neutron star merger GW190425. In time for the LIGO/Virgo O4 run, we will have deeper reference images for galaxies within out to ~200 Mpc distance, allowing rapid transient detection to i ~ 21 mag.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.67.1-67.1
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• 2021

We use Sloan Digital Sky Survey, Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fibre Spectroscopic Telescope, and Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment data to analyze the kinematic and chemical properties of stellar members in Sagittarius(Sgr) tidal streams. Using distances, positions, proper motions, and angular momenta of stars around the Sgr streams, we gather clean sample of Sgr member stars. We find that the leading arm has different chemical, kinematic, orbital characteristics from those of the trailing arm and the remnant of Sgr. In particular, the leading arm shows relatively lower eccentricity distribution than the trailing arm, suggesting their origin may differ or they have experienced different dynamical evolution, which is in somewhat mystery.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.69.1-69.1
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• 2021

We present preliminary results of the VLA archival HI data of local AGN hosts. The sample consists of the galaxies selected from the Swift-BAT hard X-ray survey. The main goal is to probe the gas environment of the sample in order to verify the role of gas accretion as one of the major AGN triggering mechanisms. HI, as a mostly diffuse and extended gas component in many galaxies, is a sensitive tracer to explore the impact of the surroundings on galaxies. In this work, we therefore probe the HI imaging data of a subsample of BAT-BASS AGN hosts, starting with the cases for which relatively high HI fluxes have been reported from the past single-dish observations. Based on their resolved HI properties, we will discuss the possibility of gas accretion and its role in powering AGNs in these examples.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.265-270
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• 2012

Many observations have found evidence of the presence of a large number of heavily obscured Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs). However, the nature of this population is only poorly understood because heavy obscuration by dust prevents one from finding them at optical wavelengths. Mid-infrared AGN searches can overcome this obstacle by penetrating through dust and by detecting direct emission from the dust torus. Thus, we can identify most of the AGN population, including type-2 and buried AGNs. Using the AKARI mid-infrared all-sky survey, we performed an AGN search in the nearby universe. Utilizing the 2MASS photometry, we selected mid-infrared-excess sources and carried out near-infrared spectroscopic observations in the AKARI Phase 3. During these follow-up observations, we have found three galaxies that show strong near-infrared red continuum from hot dust with a temperature of about 500 K, but do not show any AGN features in other wavelengths. The most suitable explanation of near-infrared continuum is the presence of central AGNs. Therefore, we conclude that they are AGNs obscured by dust. We performed X-ray observations of the two galaxies with SUZAKU. No detections in the 0.4-10 keV suggest that the column density may be much higher than $N_H=10^{23.5}cm^{-2}$. Comparing the masses of the host galaxies with those of the SDSS AGNs, we find that the host galaxies of the dusty AGNs discovered with AKARI are less massive populations than those of optically selected AGNs.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.42.1-42.1
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• 2017

We present the results from an extensive spectroscopic survey of the central region of the nearby galaxy cluster Abell 2199 (A2199) at z=0.03. By combining 775 new redshifts from the MMT/Hectospec observations with the data in the literature, we construct a large sample of 1624 galaxies with measured redshifts at R<30', which redsults in high spectroscopic completeness at $r_{petro,0}$<20.5 (77%). We use these data to study the kinematics and clustering of galaxies, focusing on the comparison with those of the intracluster medium (ICM) from Suzaku X-ray observations. We identify 406 member galaxies of A2199 at R<30' using the caustic technique. The velocity dispersion profile of cluster members appears smoothly connected to the stellar velocity dispersion profile of the cD galaxy. The luminosity function is well fitted with a Schechter function at $M_r$<-15. The radial velocities of cluster galaxies generally agree well with those of the ICM, but there are some regions where the velocity difference between the two is about a few hundred kilometers per second. The cluster galaxies show a hint of global rotation at R<5' with $v_{rot}=300-600kms^{-1}$, but the ICM in the same region does not show such rotation. We apply a friends-of-friends algorithm to the cluster galaxy sample at R<60' and identify 32 group candidates, and examine the spatial correlation between the galaxy groups and X-ray emission. This extensive survey in the central region of A2199 provides an important basis for future studies of interplay among the galaxies, the ICM, and the dark matter in the cluster.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.67-71
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• 2017

Debris disks are circumstellar dust disks around main-sequence stars. They are important observational clues to understanding the planetary system formation. The zodiacal light is the thermal emission from the dust disk in our Solar system. For a comprehensive understanding of the nature and the evolution of dust disks around main-sequence stars, we try a comparative study of debris disks and the zodiacal light. We search for debris disks using the AKARI mid-infrared all-sky point source catalog. By applying accurate flux estimate of the photospheric emission based on the follow-up near-infrared observations with IRSF, we have improved the detection rate of debris disks. For a detailed study of the structure and grain properties in the zodiacal dust cloud, as an example of dust disks around main-sequence stars, we analyze the AKARI mid-infrared all-sky diffuse maps. As a result of the debris disks search, we found old (>1 Gyr) debris disks which have large excess emission compared to their age, which cannot be explained simply by the conventional steady-state evolution model. From the zodiacal light analysis, we find the possibility that the dust grains trapped in the Earth's resonance orbits have increased by a factor of ~3 in the past ~20 years. Combining these results, we discuss the non-steady processes in debris disks and the zodiacal light.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.197-199
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• 2017

Using the InfraRed Camera (IRC) on board the infrared astronomical satellite AKARI we study the ${3.3{\mu}m}$ polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) feature and its connection to active galactic nucleus (AGN) properties for a sample of 54 hard X-ray selected bright AGN, including both Seyfert 1 and Seyfert 2 type objects. The sample is selected from the 9-month Swift/BAT survey in the 14-195 keV band and all of the sources have known neutral hydrogen column densities ($N_H$). The ${3.3{\mu}m}$ PAH luminosity ($L_{3.3{\mu}m}$) is used as a proxy for star-formation (SF) activity and hard X-ray luminosity ($L_{14-195keV}$) as an indicator of the AGN power. We explore for possible difference of SF activity between type 1 (un-absorbed) and type 2 (absorbed) AGN. We use several statistical analyses taking the upper-limits of the PAH lines into account utilizing survival analysis methods. The results of our log($L_{14-195keV}$) versus log($L_{3.3{\mu}m}$) regression shows a positive correlation and the slope for the type 1/unobscured AGN is steeper than that of type 2/obscured AGN at a $3{\sigma}$ level. Also our analysis shows that the circum-nuclear SF is more enhanced in type 2/absorbed AGN than type 1/un-absorbed AGN for low $L_{14-195keV}$ luminosity/low Eddington ratio AGN, while there is no significant dependence of SF activity on the AGN type in the high $L_{14-195keV}$ luminosities/Eddington ratios.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.11-15
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• 2017

We present the AKARI far-infrared (FIR) all-sky maps and describe its characteristics, calibration accuracy and scientific capabilities. The AKARI FIR survey has covered 97% of the whole sky in four photometric bands, which cover continuously 50-180 micron with band central wavelengths of 65, 90, 140, and 160 microns. The data have been publicly released in 2014 (Doi et al., 2015) with improved data quality that have been achieved since the last internal data release (Doi et al., 2012). The accuracy of the absolute intensity is ${\leq}10%$ for the brighter regions. Quantitative analysis of the relative intensity accuracy and its dependence upon spatial scan numbers has been carried out. The data for the first time reveal the whole sky distribution of interstellar matter with arcminute-scale spatial resolutions at the peak of dust continuum emission, enabling us to investigate large-scale distribution of interstellar medium in great detail. The filamentary structure covering the whole sky is well traced by the all-sky maps. We describe advantages of the AKARI FIR all-sky maps for the study of interstellar matter comparing to other observational data.

• Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
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• 2011.04a
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• pp.20.1-20.1
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• 2011

We present the results of far-ultraviolet (FUV) observations of comet C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) obtained with Far-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (FIMS) on board the Korean microsatellite STSAT-1, which operated at an altitude of 700 km in a sun-synchronous orbit. FIMS is a dual-channel imaging spectrograph (S channel 900-1150 ${\AA}$, L channel 1350-1750 ${\AA}$, ${\lambda}/{\Box}{\lambda}$ ~ 550) with large image fields of view (S: $4^{\circ}.0{\times}4'.6$, L: $7^{\circ}.5{\times}4'.3$, angular resolution 5'-10') optimized for the observation of diffuse emission of astrophysical radiation. Comet C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) was observed with a scanning survey mode when it was located around the perihelion between 8 and 15 May 2004. Several important emission lines were detected including S I (1425, 1474 ${\AA}$), C I (1561, 1657 ${\AA}$) and several emission lines of CO $A1{\cap}-X1{\sum}+$ system in the L channel. We estimated QCO = ($2.58\;{\pm}\;0.64)\;{\times}\;1028$ s-1 from the production rate of CO 1510 ${\AA}$. We obtained L-channel image which have map size of $5^{\circ}{\times}5^{\circ}$. The image was constructed for the wavelength band of L-channel (1350-1750 ${\AA}$).We also obtained radial profile of S I, C I, CO with line fitting from central coma.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.39.1-39.1
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• 2017

The standard hierarchical galaxy formation scenario in the popular LCDM cosmogony has been very successful in explaining the large-scale distribution of galaxies. However, one of the failures of the theory is that it predicts too many satellite galaxies associated with massive galaxies compared to observations, which is called the missing satellite galaxy problem. Isolated groups of galaxies hosted by passively evolving massive early-type galaxies are ideal laboratories for finding the missing physics in the current theory. We discover through a deep spectroscopic survey of galactic satellite systems that bright isolated early-type galaxies have almost no satellite galaxies fainter than the r-band absolute magnitude of about Mr=-14. The cutoff is at somewhat brighter magnitude of about Mr=-15 when only early-type satellites are used. Such a cutoff is not observed in the luminosity function of galaxies in the field. Physical properties of the observed satellites depend sensitively on the host-centric distance. All these are strong evidence that galactic satellites can become invisible due to astrophysics of satellite-host galaxy interaction. A recent state-of-the-art hydrodynamic simulation of galaxy formation does not reproduce such a cutoff in the satellite galaxy luminosity function. But the past history of the simulated satellites shows that many satellite galaxies near or somewhat fainter than the cutoff magnitude have recently become extinct through fatal encounters with the host or other satellite galaxies. Our observation indicates that the missing satellite galaxy problem could be mitigated if the astrophysics of galaxy interaction is more elaborated in the theory.