• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.277-284
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• 2015

We present our efforts for extending the simultaneous multi-frequency receiver system of the Korean Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) Network (KVN) to global baselines in order to measure the frequency-dependent position shifts in Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) jets, the so called core shift effect, with an unprecedented accuracy (a few micro-arcseconds). Millimeter VLBI observations with simultaneous multi-frequency receiver systems, like those of the KVN, enable us to explore the innermost regions of AGN and high precision astrometry. Such a system is capable of locating the frequency dependent opacity changes accurately. We have conducted the feasibility test-observations with the interested partners by implementing the KVN-compatible systems. Here we describe the science case for measuring the core shift effect in the AGN jet and report progress and future plans on extending the simultaneous multi-frequency system to global baselines.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.240.2-240.2
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• 2012

AGN(Active Galactic Nucleus) consists of a supermassive black hole located at its center, an accretion disk around the black hole, and bipolar jets. Since May 2011, we have performed the MOGABA(Monitoring Of GAmma-ray Bright AGN) project for observing gamma-ray bright AGN once a week at multifrequencies using KVN(Korean VLBI Network) 21m radio telescopes. The MOGABA project is the observations for measuring the degree of polarization, polarization angle, and total flux of about 20 AGN at 22, 43 and 86GHz. By this project, we are able to investigate polarization characteristics, spectral index, and variation of rotation measure at radio wavelengths of gamma-ray bright AGN and to study possible relation between gamma-ray flares and magnetic field structure change in AGN. According to previous research, gamma-ray flares of some AGN are coincident with large changes in angle of linear polarization. In this paper we report the preliminary results of linear polarization and total flux at 22, 43, 86GHz of gamma-ray bright quasars 3C279 and 1510-089 showing noticeable variation of total flux at 22GHz in late 2011, and discuss possible correlation with gamma ray light curves.

• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.280-288
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• 2009

In this paper, we developed new time information recording module of VSI (VLBI Standard Interface) format by analyzing the Mark5B recorder control and operation software with 1Gbps speed, which is able to record the weak signal of space radio source, through the Korean VLBI Network (KVN). The control and operation software of high-speed recorder consists of 2 kinds of software, which is that it can operate RAID control board by controlling large capacity HDD drive and the network control and operation. Especially, core software in high-speed recorder is able to output the results after performing and analyzing the input command. Through the analysis of control and operation software, new time information recording module, which is needed to process the observed data for correlation, is developed. New developed time information recording module can record the time information together after checking the interrupt of 1PPS(Pulse Per Second) input signal when the observed data will be recorded. To verify the normal operation of the developed time information recording module, we performed the real observation test and confirmed the effectiveness of developed software through analyzing the recorded observation data.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.60.2-60.2
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• 2016

We present recent results of very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of gamma-ray bright active galactic nuclei (AGNs) using Korean VLBI Network (KVN) at 22, 43, 86, and 129~GHz bands, which are part of a KVN key science program; Interferometric Monitoring of Gamma-ray Bright AGNs (iMOGABA). We selected a total of 34 radio-loud AGNs of which 30 sources are gamma-ray bright AGNs, including 24 sources monitored by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope using the Large Area Telescope on board. The selected sources consist of 24 quasars, 7 BL Lacs, and 3 radio galaxies. In this talk, we summarize recent results of the iMOGABA, including results of single-epoch multi-frequency VLBI observations of the target sources, conducted during a 24-hr session on 2013 November 19 and 20. All observed sources were detected and imaged at all frequency bands with or without a frequency phase transfer technique which enabled to detect and image 12 faint sources at 129 GHz, except for 0218+357 which was detected for only one baseline at all frequency bands.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.76.1-76.1
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• 2019

CTA 102, one of gamma-ray bright active galactic nuclei (AGN) has been observed with Korean very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) network (KVN) during the period of 2012 December-2018 May as part of interferometric Monitoring Of Gamma-ray Bright AGN (iMOGABA). Multi-frequency VLBI observations enable us to compare the milliarcsecond(mas)-scale iMOGABA images of relativistic jets with those from the Monitoring Of Jets in AGN with Very long baseline array (VLBA) Experiments (MOJAVE) and the VLBA-Boston University(BU)-BLAZAR programs which use VLBA with its angular resolutions of 0.2-1.3 mas. In spite of the relative larger beam sizes of KVN (1-10 mas), we are able to identify jet components of CTA 102 using the KVN multi-frequency VLBI observations with those resolved with VLBA. Considering an instrumental beam blending effect on the jet component identification, we were able to obtain a blending shift of the core position based on a convolution analysis using the VLBA data. When we apply the core position shift to the KVN images of CTA 102, we find that the identified jet components of CTA 102 from the KVN observations are well matched with those from the VLBA observations. Based on the results of the analysis, we may be able to study the jet kinematics and its correlation with gamma-ray flare activity.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.1009-1018
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• 2017

We developed new Digital Sampler for KVN(: Korean VLBI Network). The sampler has 1024MHz sampling frequency with 2bits/sample. The sampler's input reference frequencies are 1pps(: pulse per second) and 10MHz, also UTC(: Universal Time Coordinated) time information out with 1PPS signal, synchronized. The output of sampling data is adapted VSI(: VLBI Standard Interface) specification including the time information. In order to confirm the performance of the sampler, we carried out the astronomical radio observation test in Ulsan Radio Observatory of KVN. It was confirmed the stable performance. In this paper, We introduce the new developed sampler and present the observational test result.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2022

During the course of analysing both single-dish and very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) data obtained from the Korean VLBI Network (KVN), we found a systematic offset between flux density measurements from different antennas. We were able to attribute a majority of the systematic offsets to changes in the "a priori" antenna gains, which were found to have varied up to 10 percent at 22 GHz and up to 30 percent at 43 GHz. Using historical calibrator observations, we present a revised set of gains that may be applied to KVN data taken from 2015 August to 2019 January. Application of the revised gains to the KVN results in a consistency of correlated flux density measurements between the three baselines of approximately five percent. We found that images from the recalibrated data typically have a 50 percent higher dynamic range, with some cases showing an increase of dynamic range of up to a factor of three.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.207-213
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• 2022

The Seoul Radio Astronomy Observatory (SRAO) operates a 6.1-meter radio telescope on the Gwanak campus of Seoul National University. We present the efforts to reform SRAO to a Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) station, motivated by recent achievements by millimeter interferometer networks such as Event Horizon Telescope, East Asia VLBI Network, and Korean VLBI Network (KVN). For this goal, we installed a receiver that had been used in the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy and a digital backend, including an H-maser clock. The existing hardware and software were also revised, which had been dedicated only to single-dish operations. After several years of preparations and test observations in 1 and 3-millimeter bands, a fringe was successfully detected toward 3C 84 in 86 GHz in June 2022 for a baseline between SRAO and KVN Ulsan station separated by 300 km. Thanks to the dual frequency operation of the receiver, the VLBI observations will soon be extended to the 1 mm band and verify the frequency phase referencing technique between 1 and 3-millimeter bands.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.42.2-42.2
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• 2015

High frequency peakers (HFPs) are promising candidates for young active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Their small physical scale (< 1 kpc) and radio spectrum peaked at high frequency (> 5 GHz) are suggestive that it has been only about $10^2-10^3$ years since a central massive black hole in their host galaxies was launched. Until recently however, long-term monitoring radio observations at frequencies which are high enough to cover the true peak of HFP candidates were rare. Therefore, previous HFP samples are often contaminated by blazars, which are highly variable, hence may show a similar radio spectrum as HFPs depending on the observational epoch. In this work, we challenge to identify genuine young AGNs by monitoring HFP candidates at high radio frequencies. We performed single-dish monitoring of 19 candidates in 18 epochs over 2.5 years at 22 and 43 GHz using the Korean VLBI Network (KVN). Also, using KaVA, a combined array of the KVN and the VERA in Japan, we carried out 22 GHz VLBI observations of two HFPs and one blazar selected from our sample in order to compare their parsec scale (milli-arcsecond scale) morphology. HFPs are expected to have double/triple features, so called compact symmetric objects, which are scaled-down versions of extended radio galaxies, while blazars typically show core-jet morphology. We discuss the properties of AGNs at their very early evolutionary stage based on the results of the KVN and KaVA observations.

• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.333-340
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• 2011

KJJVC(Korea-Japan Joint VLBI Correlator) was installed at the KJCC(Korea-Japan Correlation Center) and has been operated by KASI(Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute) from 2009. KJNC is able to correlate the VLBI observed data through KVN(Korean VLBI Network), VERA(VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry), and JVN(Japanese VLBI Network) and its joint network array. And it is used exclusively as computer in order to process the observed data for the scientific purpose KJJVC used the VSI(VLBI Standard Interface) as the VLBI international standard at the data input-output specification between each component. Especially, for correlating the observed data, the data is transmitted with 1024Mbps speed between Mark5B high-speed playback and RVDB(Raw VLBI Data Buffer). The EMI(Electromagnetic lnterference), which is occurred by data transmission with high-speed, cause the data loss and the loss occurrence is frequently often for long transmission cable. Finally it will be caused the data recognition error by decreasing the voltage level of digital data signal. In this paper, in order to minimize the data loss by measuring the EMI noise level in transmission of the VSI specification, the 3 methods such as 1) RC filtering method, 2) lmpedance matching using Microstrip line, and 3) Signal buffering method using Differential line driver, were proposed. To verify the effectiveness of each proposed method, the performance evaluation was conducted by implementing and simulations for each method. Each proposed method was effectively confirmed as the high-speed data transmission of the VSI specification.