• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.52.1-52.1
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• 2010

The Japanese infrared (IR) space mission AKARI monitored the brightness in the fields very close to the north ecliptic pole (NEP) with nine wavebands in Infrared Camera (IRC), which cover the wavelength range from 2 to $24{\mu}m$. We reduced the NEP monitor observations and examined the smoothness of the sky background brightness. Our analysis shows that the background brightness is smooth over a frame of about $10'\times10'$ within about 0.1% deviation in mid-IR. Because the zodiacal light (ZL) and emission (ZE) dominate the diffuse sky brightness in the near- and mid-IR wavelengths, the background brightness varies with season through a year. We tried sinusoidal fittings to the observed NEP background brightness. The fitting analysis shows that the sine function is successful in describing the seasonal variation of the ZL and ZE within 2% deviations from the observed brightness, especially for the 15, 18, and $24{\mu}m$ bands, within 0.3%. These results will provide limits and caveats for the studies of the cosmic infrared background radiation.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.263-270
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• 2005

Nuclear track is an useful tool for elemental analysis of radionuclides, such as uranium, plutonium and thorium, etc., and for elements undergoing nuclear reactions with thermal neutrons such as lithium and boron. This method has various application fields such as detecting fissionable radionuelides, measuring the fission rate in nuclear technology, analyzing cosmic radiation from meteorite, calculating the age of minerals as well as their history, etc. Track registration method has been applied to the microscopic analysis of boron and fissionable element such as uranium in KAERI. This report reviews the theoretical background of the nuclear track formation, practical procedures to obtain etched tracks and a perspective of the future.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.101.2-101.2
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• 2011

We have developed solar and space weather monitoring system for space weather users since 2007 as a project named 'Construction of Korea Space Weather Prediction Center'. In this presentation we will introduce space weather monitoring system for Geostationary Satellites and Polar Routes. These were developed for satisfying demands of space weather user groups. 'Space Weather Monitoring System for Geostationary Satellites' displays integrated space weather information on geostationary orbit such as magnetopause location, nowcast and forecast of space weather, cosmic ray count rate, number of meteors and x-ray solar flux. This system is developed for space weather customers who are managing satellite systems or using satellite information. In addition, this system provides space weather warning by SMS in which short message is delivered to users' cell phones when space weather parameters reach a critical value. 'Space Weather Monitoring System for Polar Routes' was developed for the commercial airline companies operating polar routes. This provides D-region and polar cap absorption map, aurora and radiation particle distribution, nowcast and forecast of space weather, proton flux, Kp index and so on.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.177-187
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• 2003

Active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are distant, powerful sources of radiation over the entire electromagnetic spectrum, from radio waves to gamma-rays. There is much evidence that they are driven by gravitational accretion of stars, dust, and gas, onto central massive black holes (MBHs) imprisoning anywhere from $\~$1 to $\~$10,000 million solar masses; such objects may naturally form in the centers of galaxies during their normal dynamical evolution. A small fraction of AGNs, of the radio-loud type (RLAGNs), are somehow able to generate powerful synchrotron-emitting structures (cores, jets, lobes) with sizes ranging from pc to Mpc. A brief summary of AGN observations and theories is given, with an emphasis on RLAGNs. Preliminary results from the imaging of 10000 extragalactic radio sources observed in the MITVLA snapshot survey, and from a new analytic theory of the time-variable power output from Kerr black hole magnetospheres, are presented. To better understand the complex physical processes within the central engines of AGNs, it is important to confront the observations with theories, from the viewpoint of analyzing the time-variable behaviours of AGNs - which have been recorded over both 'short' human ($10^0-10^9\;s$) and 'long' cosmic ($10^{13} - 10^{17}\;s$) timescales. Some key ingredients of a basic mathematical formalism are outlined, which may help in building detailed Monte-Carlo models of evolving AGN populations; such numerical calculations should be potentially important tools for useful interpretation of the large amounts of statistical data now publicly available for both AGNs and RLAGNs.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.49.2-49.2
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• 2011

To investigate whether radio galaxies have systematically different accretion disk compared to radio-quiet AGN, we obtained high quality optical spectra for a sample of 22 young radio galaxies, using the KAST Double Spectrograph at the Lick 3-m telescope. Young radio galaxies are particularly useful since the age of the radio phenomena is comparable to that of accretion disk. Based on the optical emission-line diagnostics of narrow line region, which is thought to be photoionized by the nuclear radiation, we constrain the states of the accretion disk. In addition to strong emission lines, i.e., [O I], [O II], [O III], and [Ne III], we use the [Ar III] line to break the degeneracy between the ionization parameter and the SED shape. We find that young radio galaxies show systematically different emission line ratios compared to radio-quiet Type II AGN, suggesting that young radio galaxies probably have the power-law SED without a strong big blue bump. We will present the main results of the emission-line diagnostics.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.52.2-52.2
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• 2019

In the last decades, the use of type Ia supernovae (SN) as standard candles has allowed us to understand the geometry of the Universe as they help to measure the expansion rate of the Universe, especially in combination with other cosmological probes such as the study of cosmic microwave background radiation anisotropies or the study of the imprint of baryonic acoustic oscillations on the galaxy clustering. Cosmological parameter constraints obtained with type Ia SN are mainly affected by intrinsic systematic errors. But there are other systematic effects related with the correlation of the observed brightness of Supernova and the large-scale structure of the Universe such as the effect of peculiar velocities and gravitational lensing. The former is relevant for SN at low redshifts while the latter starts being relevant for SN at higher redshifts. Gravitational lensing depends on how much matter is along the trajectory of each SN light beam. In order to account for this effect, we consider a statistical approach by defining the probability distribution (PDF) that a given supernova brightness is magnified by a given amount, for a particular redshift. We will show that different theoretical approaches to define the matter density along the light trajectory hugely affect the shape and width of the PDF. This may have catastrophic effects on cosmology fits using Supernova lensing as planned for surveys such as the Dark Energy Survey or future surveys such the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.36.2-36.2
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• 2021

In the outskirts of galaxy clusters, weak shocks with M_s < ~3 appear as radio relics where the synchrotron radiation is emitted from cosmic-ray (CR) electrons. To understand the production of CR electrons through the so-called diffusive shock acceleration (DSA), the electron injection into the DSA process at shocks in the hot intracluster medium (ICM) has to be described. However, the injection remains as an unsolved, outstanding problem. To explore this problem, 2D Particle-in-Cell (PIC) simulations were performed. In this talk, we present the electron preacceleration mechanism mediated by multi-scale plasma waves in the shock transition zone. In particular, we find that the electron preacceleration is effective only in the supercritical shocks, which have the sonic Mach number M_s > M_crit ≈ 2.3 in the high-beta (β~100) plasma of the ICM, because the Alfven ion cyclotron instability operates and hence multi-scale plasma waves are induced only in such supercritical shocks. Our findings will help to understand the nature of radio relics in galaxy clusters.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.21-33
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• 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
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.625-628
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• 2015

POLARBEAR is a ground-based experiment located in the Atacama desert of northern Chile. The experiment is designed to measure the Cosmic Microwave Background B-mode polarization at several arcminute resolution. The CMB B-mode polarization on degree angular scales is a unique signature of primordial gravitational waves from cosmic inflation and B-mode signal on sub-degree scales is induced by the gravitational lensing from large-scale structure. Science observations began in early 2012 with an array of 1.274 polarization sensitive antenna-couple Transition Edge Sensor (TES) bolometers at 150 GHz. We published the first CMB-only measurement of the B-mode polarization on sub-degree scales induced by gravitational lensing in December 2013 followed by the first measurement of the B-mode power spectrum on those scales in March 2014. In this proceedings, we review the physics of CMB B-modes and then describe the Polarbear experiment, observations, and recent results.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2016

Caves can serve as major outposts for future human exploration of the Moon and Mars. In addition, caves can protect people and electronic equipment from external hazards such as cosmic ray radiation and meteorites impacts and serve as a shelter. Numerous pit craters have been discovered on the Moon and Mars and are potential entrances to caves; the principal topographic features of pit craters are their visible internal floors and pits with vertical walls. We have devised two topographical models for investigating the relationship between the topographical characteristics and the inner void of pit craters. One of our models is a concave floor void model and the other is a convex floor tube model. For each model, optical photographs have been obtained under conditions similar to those in which optical photographs have been acquired for craters on the Moon and Mars. Brightness profiles were analyzed for determining the profile patterns of the void pit craters. The profile patterns were compared to the brightness profiles of Martian pit craters, because no good-quality images of lunar pit craters were available. In future studies, the model profile patterns will be compared to those of lunar pit craters, and the proposed method will likely become useful for finding lunar caves and consequently for planning lunar bases for manned lunar expeditions.