• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.27.2-27.2
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• 2010

We report the HST pixel analysis results of the interacting face-on spiral galaxy, NGC 5194 (M51), which is the first step of a new observational research project, PANCluG (Pixel Analysis of Nearby Cluster Galaxies). We derive several quantities describing the pixel color-magnitude diagram (pCMD) of NGC 5194, suitable for future comparisons with the pCMDs of other galaxies. We investigate the spatial distribution of pixel stellar populations, finding that the spiral arm pattern and the tidal interaction with NGC 5195 significantly affect the stellar populations in NGC 5194. We find that the pixels corresponding to the central active galactic nucleus (AGN) of NGC 5194 show a very tight sequence in the bright-end of the pCMD, of which spatial distribution seems to agree with the AGN torus region.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.57.4-58
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• 2018

We explore the role of various environments in triggering star formation (SF) and narrow-line active galactic nucleus (AGN) in SDSS spiral galaxies and the SF-AGN connection, using a volume-limited sample with $M_r$ < -19.5 and 0.02 < z < 0.055 selected from the SDSS Release 7. To avoid the dependency of AGN activity on bulge mass, the central velocity dispersion of the sample galaxies is limited to have a narrow range of $130{\leq}{\sigma}{\leq}200km\;s^{-1}$. We note that in gas sufficient galaxies, AGN feeding lags behind starburst, whereas as the gas exhausts, the SF slows down and AGN seems to even prevent the SF, and thus divide the high-${\sigma}$ sample into two subsamples according to their cold gas content at central region traced by fiber star formation rate, $SFR_{fib}$. We find that a high density (cluster) environment causes a significant increase in AGN activity as well as gas depletion in host galaxies. However, the finding is only noticeable in the high-${\sigma}$ and low $SFR_{fib}$ sample. It seems that a galaxy interaction with the nearest neighbor directly affects the SF of the central region. However, it is unclear whether it directly affects AGN activity.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.53.2-53.2
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• 2021

Quasar luminosity function (QLF) shows the active galactic nucleus (AGN) demography as a result of the combination of the growth and the evolution of black holes, galaxies, and dark matter halos along the cosmic time. The recent wide and deep surveys have improved the census of high-redshift quasars, making it possible to construct reliable ultraviolet (UV) QLFs at 2 < z < 6 down to M1450 = -23 mag. By parameterizing these up-to-date observed UV QLFs that are the most extensive in both luminosity and survey area coverage at a given redshift, we show that the UV QLF has a universal shape, and their evolution can be approximated by a pure density evolution (PDE). In order to explain the observed QLF, we construct a model QLF employing the halo mass function, a number of empirical scaling relations, and the Eddington ratio distribution. We also include the outshining of AGN over its host galaxy, which made it possible to reproduce a moderately flat shape of the faint end of the observed QLF (slope of ~ -1.1). This model successfully explains the observed PDE behavior of UV QLF at z > 2, meaning that the QLF evolution at high redshift can be understood under the framework of halo mass function evolution. The importance of the outshining effect in our model also implies that there could be a hidden population of faint AGNs (M1450 > -24 mag), which are buried under their host galaxy 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.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.37-47
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• 2021

Reverberation mapping (RM) is an efficient method to investigate the physical sizes of the broad line region (BLR) and dusty torus in an active galactic nucleus (AGN). The Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx) mission will provide multi-epoch spectroscopic data at optical and near-infrared wavelengths. These data can be used for RM experiments with bright AGNs. We present results of a feasibility test using SPHEREx data in the SPHEREx deep regions for torus RM measurements. We investigate the physical properties of bright AGNs in the SPHEREx deep field. Based on this information, we compute the efficiency of detecting torus time lags in simulated light curves. We demonstrate that, in combination with complementary optical data with a depth of ~ 20 mag in B-band, lags of ≤ 750 days for tori can be measured for more than ~ 200 bright AGNs. If high signal-to-noise ratio photometric data with a depth of ~ 21-22 mag are available, RM measurements are possible for up to ~ 900 objects. When complemented by well-designed early optical observations, SPHEREx can provide a unique dataset for studies of the physical properties of dusty tori in bright AGNs.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.43.1-43.1
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• 2015

We have discovered an unexplored population of galaxies featuring weak broad-line regions (BLRs) at z < 0.2 from detailed analysis of galaxy spectra in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7. These objects predominantly show a stellar continuum but also a broad $H{\alpha}$ emission line, indicating the presence of a low-luminosity active galactic nucleus (AGN) oriented so that we are viewing the central engine directly without significant obscuration. These accreting black holes have previously eluded detection due to their weak nature. The new BLR AGNs we found increased the number of known type 1 AGNs by 49%. Some of these new BLR AGNs were detected at the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and their X-ray properties confirm that they are indeed type 1 AGN. Based on our new and more complete catalogue of type 1 AGNs, we derived the type 1 fraction of AGNs as a function of [OIII] ${\lambda}5007$ emission luminosity and explored the possible dilution effect on the obscured AGN due to star-formation. The new type 1 AGN fraction shows much more complex behavior with respect to black hole mass and bolometric luminosity than suggested by the existing receding torus model. The type 1 AGN fraction is sensitive to both of these factors, and there seems to be a sweet spot (ridge) in the diagram of black hole mass and bolometric luminosity. Furthermore, we present a hint that the Eddington ratio plays a role in determining the opening angles. This work is submitted to ApJS.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.36.2-36.2
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• 2015

We report the first detection of linearly polarized emission at an observing wavelength of 350 mum from the radio-loud active galactic nucleus 3C 279. We conducted polarization observations for 3C 279 using the SHARP polarimeter in the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory on 2014 March 13 and 14. For the first time, we detected the linear polarization with the degree of polarization of $13.3%{\pm}3.4%$ (3.9sigma) and the electric vector position angle (EVPA) of $34.^{\circ}7{\pm}5.^{\circ}6$. We also observed 3C 279 simultaneously at 13, 7, and 3.5 mm in dual polarization with the Korean very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) Network on 2014 March 6 (single dish) and imaged in milliarcsecond (mas) scales at 13, 7, 3.5, and 2.3 mm on March 22 (VLBI). We found that the degree of linear polarization increases from 10% to 13% at 13 mm to 350 mum and the EVPAs at all observing frequencies are parallel within < $10^{\circ}$ to the direction of the jet at mas scale, implying that the integrated magnetic fields are perpendicular to the jet in the innermost regions. We also found that the Faraday rotation measures RM are in a range of $-6.5{\times}102{\sim}-2.7{\times}103$ rad m-2 between 13 and 3.5 mm, and are scaled as a function of wavelength:| {RM}| ${\backslash}propto$ {lambda }-2.2. These results indicate that the millimeter and sub-millimeter polarization emission are generated in the compact jet within 1 mas scale and affected by a Faraday screen in or in the close proximity of the jet.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.48.1-48.1
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• 2012

We present the ultraviolet (UV) color-color relation of early-type galaxies (ETGs) in the nearby universe (0.05 < z < 0.12) to investigate the properties of hot stellar populations responsible for the UV excess (UVX). The initial sample of ETGs is selected by the spectroscopic redshift and the morphology parameter from the SDSS DR 7, and then cross-matched with the GALEX far-UV (FUV) and near-UV (NUV) GR6 data. The cross-matched ETG sample is further classified by their emission line characteristics in the optical spectra into quiescent, star-forming, and active galactic nucleus categories. Contaminations from early-type spiral galaxies, mergers, and morphologically disturbed galaxies are removed by visual inspection. By drawing the FUV-NUV (as a measure of UV spectral shape) versus FUV-r (as a measure of UVX strength) diagram for the final sample of -3700 quiescent ETGs, we find that the "old and dead" ETGs consist of a well-defined sequence in UV colors, the "UV red sequence," so that the stronger UVX galaxies should have a harder UV spectral shape systematically. However, the observed UV spectral slope is too steep to be reproduced by the canonical stellar population models in which the UV flux is mainly controlled by age or metallicity parameters. Moreover, 2 mag of color spreads both in FUV-NUV and FUV-r appear to be ubiquitous among any subsets in distance or luminosity. This implies that the UVX in ETGs could be driven by yet another parameter which might be even more influential than age or metallicity.

• 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.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.43.2-43.2
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• 2013

The local environmental effects on the triggering of active galactic nucleus(AGN) activity has been studied with many authors, but there still be controversy. We perform statistical analysis for nearby(0.01 < z < 0.05) volume limited(Mr < -19) samples with visual inspection based on Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release7. We inspect ~60,000 galaxy images visually to find peculiar objects which show not only ongoing merging features and tidal features, but also post merging features like ring or shell structures. We found that these peculiar features were shown at least 2 times more frequently among AGN host galaxies than non AGN galaxies, and this trend was still visible when galaxy properties such as color or stellar mass are fixed. Furthermore, L[OIII] and L(Ha) of peculiar galaxies are found to be more increased than those of normal galaxies. In order to ensure this results, we also checked it for a smaller subsample with ~2mag deeper monochromatic images provided from SDSS Stripe82 database, and found consistent results. At last, we perform the same work for pair(r_p<80kpc/h, delta_v<200km/s) systems. Because of some pair systems which do not interact gravitationally in actuality but fulfill the criteria for identification of pair system, the trends are found to be slightly weaker. We also found that line luminosities are increased consistently as projected distance between central and companion galaxy decreased, and as companion color gets bluer. Overall, the results of this study tell us that the local environment of galaxies affect the frequency as well as the strength of AGN activity. Local environmental effects, however, may not be the dominant triggering mechanism for AGN activity since the majority of peculiar galaxies are non AGN galaxies.