• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.60.2-60.2
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• 2014

Hierarchical structure of star-forming regions is widespread and may be characteristic of all star formation. We studied the hierarchical structure of star-forming regions in the Local Group galaxies (M31, M33, Phoenix, Pegasus, Sextans A, Sextans B, WLM). The star-forming regions were selected from Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) far-UV imaging in various detection thresholds for investigating hierarchical structure. We examined the spatial distribution of the hot massive stars within star-forming regions from Hubble Space Telescope (HST) multi-band photometry. Small compact groups arranged within large complexes. The cumulative mass distribution follows a power law. The results allow us to understand the hierarchical structure of star formation and recent evolution of the Local Group galaxies.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.389-392
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• 2015

We identify a strong lensing galaxy in the cluster IRC 0218 that is spectroscopically confirmed to be at z = 1.62, making it the highest-redshift strong lens galaxy known. The lens is one of the two brightest cluster galaxies and lenses a background source galaxy into an arc and a counterimage. With Hubble Space Telescope (HST) grism and Keck/LRIS spectroscopy, we measure the source redshift to be $z_S=2.26$. Using HST imaging, we model the lens mass distribution with an elliptical power-law profile and account for the effects of the cluster halo and nearby galaxies. The Einstein radius is $^{\theta}E=0.38^{+0.02{\prime}{\prime}}_{-0.01}$ ($3.2^{+0.2}_{-0.1}kpc$) and the total enclosed mass is $M_{tot}(<^{\theta}_E)=1.8^{+0.2}_{-0.1}{\times}10^{11}M_{\odot}$. We estimate that the cluster environment contributes ~ 10% of this total mass. Assuming a Chabrier IMF, the dark matter fraction within $^{\theta}E$ is $f^{Chab}_{DM}=0.3^{+0.1}_{-0.3}$, while a Salpeter IMF is marginally inconsistent with the enclosed mass ($f^{Salp}_{DM}=-0.3^{+0.2}_{-0.5}$).

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.63.2-63.2
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• 2011

We present a photometric study of star clusters in three nearby barred spiral galaxies NGC 1300, NGC 1672 and NGC 6217. We use the Hubble Heritage CCD images taken with Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) of Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in several filters. We have selected hundreds of star clusters with V $\leq$ 24 mag in each galaxy, based on the morphological parameters and visual inspection. Most of the blue star clusters with B-V $\leq$ 0.5 are strongly concentrated in spiral arms. A significant fraction of these star clusters are distributed in ansae (the joint between spiral arms and bar structure). Some of the blue star clusters are also found in the nuclear starburst region, especially in NGC 1672. A small number of star clusters are found in the bar region. In contrast, the red star clusters with B-V < 0.5 are relatively uniformly located over the entire field of galaxy, and show some central concentration around the bulge. We discuss the physical properties of these star clusters with the expected results from simulations.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.45.2-45.2
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• 2013

We studied recent evolution of M31 and M33 with star-forming regions and hot massive stars. We use GALEX far-UV and near-UV imaging to detect the star-forming regions and trace the recent star formation across the entire disk of galaxies. The GALEX imaging, combining deep sensitivity and entire coverage of these galaxies, provides a complete picture of the recent star formation in M31 and M33, and its variation with environment throughout these galaxies. We also show results from recent extensive surveys in M31 and M33 with Hubble Space Telescope multi-wavelength data including UV filters, which imaged several regions at a linear resolution of less than half a pc in these galaxies. Both datasets allow us to study the hierarchical structure of star formation: the youngest stellar groups are the most compact, and are often arranged withing broader, sparser structures. The derived recent star-formation rates are rather similar for the two galaxies, when scaled for the respective areas.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.68.2-68.2
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• 2011

We present the detailed image decomposition of Hubble Space Telescope archival images for 235 nearby (z < 0.35) unobscured type 1 AGNs. It allows us to perform robust measurements of host galaxy properties and AGN luminosity contribution. We examine how the host properties correlate with AGN properties. Broad line type 1 and radio-loud AGNs are hosted preferentially by early type galaxies. Narrow line type 1 AGNs show a low fraction of tidal interaction, that might suggest the secular evolution may play an important role for triggering AGN activity, while the fraction of merging hosts is rather higher in luminous AGNs. We compare the nucleus luminosity and bulge luminosity and find that either our sample might have a smaller zero point in the M(BH)-L(bulge) relation (i.e. less massive black hole at a given bulge luminosity) relation compared to the normal galaxies or Eddington ratio of our sample could be systematically overestimated.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.149-159
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• 2020

Gravitational lensing of point sources located inside the lens caustic is known to produce four images in a configuration closely related to the source position. We study this relation in the particular case of a sample of quadruply-imaged quasars observed by the Hubble Space Telescope. Strong correlations between the parameters defining the image configuration are revealed. The relation between the image configuration and the source position is studied. Some simple features of the selected data sample are exposed and commented upon. In particular, evidence is found for the selected sample to be biased in favor of large magnification systems. While having no direct impact on practical analyses of specific systems, our results have pedagogical value and deepen our understanding of the mechanism of gravitational lensing.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.45.1-45.1
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• 2013

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are a powerful tool to investigate the expansion history of the universe, because their peak luminosity is as bright as a galaxy and is known as an excellent standard candle. Since the discovery of the acceleration of the universe based on the observations of SNe Ia, higher than ever accuracy of their peak luminosity is needed to investigate various problems in cosmology. We started a project to improve the accuracy of the calibration of the peak luminosity of SNe Ia by measuring accurate distances to nearby resolved galaxies that host SNe Ia. We derive accurate distances to the SN Ia host galaxies using the method to measure the luminosity of the tip of the red giant branch (TRGB). In this study we present the results for M66 and M96 in the Leo I Group which are nearby spiral galaxies hosting SN 1989B and SN 1998bu, respectively. We obtain VI photometry of resolved stars in these galaxies from F555W and F814W images in the Hubble Space Telescope archive. We derive the distances to these galaxies from the luminosity of the TRGB. With these results we derive absolute maximum magnitudes of two SNe (SN 1989B in M66 and SN 1998bu in M96). We derive a value of the Hubble constant from the optical magnitudes of these SNe Ia and SN 2011fe in M101 based on our TRGB analysis. This value is similar to the values derived from recent estimates from WMAP9 and Planck results, but smaller than other recent determinations based on Cepheid calibration for SNe Ia luminosity.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.245-253
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• 1996

We have analyzed infrared (IR) images of Jupiter which was observed at the McDonald Observatory, Texas, U.S.A., during the P/SHoemaker-LEvy 9 (SL9) impact period and about one week after the last impact. The IR images were obtained on the 2.7m telescope using a NICMOS array with filters to isolate the $1.5{\mu}m\;NH_3\; band,\;the\;2.3{\mu}m\;CH_4\;band,\;the\;2.12{\mu}m\;H_2\;S(0)$ pressure-induced absorption, and the continua at $1.58{\mu}m\;and\;2.0{\mu}m$ (short K-band). All images except those with the $1.58{\mu}m$ continuum filter show bright impact sites against the relatively dark Jovian disk near the impact latitude of about $45^{\circ}$ S. This implies that dusts originated from the impacts reflect the solar radiation at high altitudes before absorbed by stratospheric $CH_4,\;NH_3 \;or\;H_2$. The impact sites observed with the $2.3{\mu}m$ filter are conspicuously bright against a very dark background. The morphology of impact sites, G, L, and H at 2.3 and $2.12{\mu}m$ filters shows clearly an asymmetric structure toward the incident direction of the comet fragments, in agreement with the studies of visible impact images obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope. Comparisons of reflectances of G, L, and H sites with simple radiative transfer models suggest that optically thick dust layers were formed at high altitudes at which methane absorption attenuates incoming sunlight only by about $1\%$. The dust layers in these sites seem to form at about the same altitude regardless of the magnitude of the impacts, but they appear to descend gradually after the impacts. The dust layers have optical depths of 2-5, according to the models.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.151-160
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• 2011

We present a study searching for globular cluster systems (GCSs) of two face-on low surface bright- ness galaxies (LSBGs), UGC 5981 and UGC 6614. Based on HSTWFPC2 images of F555Wand F814W filters, we detect 12 and 18 GC candidates for UGC 5981 and UGC 6614, respectively. Although these two LSBGs have very different bulge properties, they have very similar specific frequencies ($S_N$) of 0.1. However, $S_N$ ~ 0.1 is quite small even for their late morphological types, albeit within errors. This suggests that LSBGs have had star formation histories lacking dominant initial starburst events while accumulating their stellar masses through sporadic star formation activities.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.62.3-63
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• 2016

We studied the young stellar populations of star-forming (SF) regions in M33 based on the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) ultraviolet (UV) imaging data. The SF regions are defined from far-UV data with various thresholds. We examined the reddening and spatial distribution of hot massive stars within SF regions from Hubble Space Telescope multi-band survey and Local Group Galaxy Survey (LGGS) data. The H-alpha sources from the LGGS are used for comparing with the spatial distribution of SF regions. The GALEX UV flux measurements of SF regions are used to derive their ages and masses. We also estimated the size and density of SF regions. The younger and compact SF regions are often arranged within older and sparser SF complexes. The results allow us to understand the hierarchical star formation and recent evolution of M33.