• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.46.2-46.2
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• 2017

We will present a discovery of an elliptical jellyfish galaxy in Abell 2670 (Sheen et al. 2017, ApJL, 840, L7). Our MUSE IFU spectra revealed a rotating gas disk in the center of the galaxy and long ionised gas tails emanating from the disk. Its one-sided tails and a tadpole-like morphology of star-forming blobs around the galaxy suggested that the galaxy is experiencing strong ram-pressure stripping in the cluster environment. Stellar kinematics with stellar absorption lines in the MUSE spectra demonstrated that the galaxy is an elliptical galaxy without any hint of a stellar disk. Then, the primary question would be the origin of the rich gas component in the elliptical galaxy. A plausible scenario is a wet merger with a gas-rich companion. In order to investigate star formation history of the system (the galaxy and star-forming blobs), we derived star-formation rate and metallicity from the MUSE spectra. Photometric UV-Optica-IR SED fitting was also performed using GALEX, SDSS, 2MASS and WISE data, to estimate dust and gas masses in the system. For a better understanding of star formation history and environmental effect of this galaxy, FIR/sub-mm follow-up observations are proposed.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.40.1-40.1
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• 2012

In the hierarchical universe, galaxy merger is predicted to be frequent, and thus it is an important element for understanding galaxy evolution. In particular, star formation is greatly enhanced during the merger. The aim of this study is to understand the position and rate change of star formation caused by equal-mass edge-on mergers. We use the GADGET2- N-body/SPH code, and fully consider gas cooling, star formation, and supernova feedback. We show the star formation rate (SFR), and the magnitude and color evolution of the merger remnants for 18 different configurations varying orbit elements and inclinations of host galaxies against orbit planes. Then we construct the mock images of the remnants and investigate on how equal-mass galaxy merger affects the SFR and color/magnitude evolution while considering dust reddening. We conclude that over 90% mass of SF in equal-mass merger is in the central region. SF in tidal feature involves a small fraction of new stars and thus is difficult to detect unless deep imaging is performed. Around 55 ${\pm}$ 5 percent of gas turns into stars until the final coalescence which typically corresponds to 0.8, 1.2, and 2.5 Gyr for direct, parabolic, and elliptical orbit, respectively. This result is roughly consistent with Cox et al. 2000. We plan to implement this result into semi-analytic model of galaxy formation. Caveats and future work on merging conditions are discussed.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.39.1-39.1
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• 2019

Not all stars in the Universe are gravitationally bounded to galaxies. Since first discovered in 1951, observations have revealed that a significant fraction of stars fills the space between galaxies in local (low-redshift) galaxy clusters, observed as diffuse intracluster light (ICL). Theoretical models provide mechanisms for the production of intracluster stars as tidally stripped material or debris generated through numerous galaxy interactions during the hierarchical growth of the galaxy cluster. These mechanisms predict that most intracluster stars in local galaxy clusters are long-accumulated material since z~1. However, there is no observational evidence to verify this prediction. Here we report observations of abundant ICL for a massive (above $10^{14}$ solar masses) galaxy cluster at a redshift of z=1.24, when the Universe was 5 billion years old. We found that more than 10 per cent of the total light of the cluster is contributed by the diffuse ICL out to 110 kpc from the center of the cluster, comparable to 5-20 per cent in local, massive galaxy cluster. Furthermore, we found that the colour of the brightest cluster galaxy located in the core of the cluster is consistent with that of the ICL out to 200 kpc. Our results demonstrate that the majority of the intracluster stars present in the local Universe, contrary to most previous theoretical and observational studies, were built up during a short period and early (z>1) in the history of the Virgo-like massive galaxy cluster formation, and might be concurrent with the formation of the brightest cluster galaxy.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.69.1-69.1
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• 2012

We present a comprehensive study of star-forming regions and young star clusters in M33. We use GALEX far-UV and near-UV imaging to detect these young stellar populations tracing recent star formation across the disk of M33. The GALEX imaging, combining deep sensitivity and entire coverage of the galaxy, provides a complete view of the recent star formation in M33 and its variation with environment throughout the galaxy. We discuss variation of various properties (e.g., age, mass, spatial distribution) of star-forming regions and young star clusters in M33 which allow to provide constraints of recent star formation history of this galaxy.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.413-415
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• 2015

How galaxy evolution differs in different environments is one of the intriguing questions in the study of structure formation. While galaxy properties are clearly distinguished in different environments in the local universe, it is still an open issue what causes this environmental dependence of various galaxy properties. To address this question, in this work, we investigate the build-up of passive galaxies over a wide redshift range, from z ~ 2 to z ~ 0.5, focusing on its dependence on galaxy environment. In the UKIDSS/Ultra Deep Survey (UDS) field, we identify high-redshift galaxy cluster candidates within this redshift range. Then, using deep optical and near-infrared data from Subaru and UKIRT available in this field, we analyze and compare the stellar population properties of galaxies in the clusters and in the field. Our results show that the environmental effect on galaxy star-formation properties is a strong function of redshift as well as stellar mass - in the sense that (1) the effect becomes significant at small redshift, and (2) it is stronger for low-mass ($M_{\ast}<10^{10}M_{\odot}$) galaxies. We have also found that galaxy stellar mass plays a more significant role in determining their star-formation property - i.e., whether they are forming stars actively or not - than their environment throughout the redshift range.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.243-248
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• 2012

Nearby spiral galaxies M101 and M81 are considered to have undergone a galaxy-galaxy interaction. M101 has experienced HI gas infall due to the interaction. With AKARI far-infrared (IR) photometric observations, we found regions with enhanced star forming activity, which are spatially close to regions affected by the interaction. In addition, the relation between the star formation rate (SFR) and the gas content for such regions shows a significant difference from typical spiral arm regions. We discuss possible explanations for star formation processes on a kiloparsec scale and the association with interaction-triggered star formation. We also observed the compact group of galaxies Stephan's Quintet (SQ) with the AKARI Far-infrared Surveyor (FIS). The SQ shows diffuse intergalactic medium (IGM) due to multiple collisions between the member galaxies and the IGM. The intruder galaxy NGC 7318b is currently colliding with the IGM and causes a large-scale shock. The 160 micron image clearly shows the structure along the shock ridge as seen in warm molecular hydrogen line emission and X-ray emission. The far-IR emission from the shocked region comes from the luminous [CII]$158{\mu}m$ line and cold dust (~ 20 K) that coexist with molecular hydrogen gas. Survival of dust grains is indispensable to form molecular hydrogen gas within the collision age (~ 5 Myr). At the stage of the dusty IGM environment, [CII] and $H_2$ lines rather than X-ray emission are powerful cooling channels to release the collision energy.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.49.1-49.1
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• 2015

Star formation in galaxies that lie in dense environment tends to increase as the redshift of the cluster increases. At z~1.4, the situation turns to be complex; some clusters still harbor galaxies with vigorous star formation, and others are populated with relatively old, massive galaxies. We present the result from narrow-band photometric study of the fields around the radio galaxy 6CE 1100+3505 at z=1.44. Deep H- and H-narrow band data have been obtained using CFHT/WIRCAM which cover the corresponding wavelengths for redshifted $H{\alpha}$. While the number of IRAC 3.6, and $4.5{\mu}m$ selected sources show clear excess within the central ~1Mpc area from the radio galaxy, number of galaxies identified to show excess in H-narrow band is very small. We discuss the possible integrated star formation rate in this overdense structure, and the implication to the evolution of cosmic star formation rate as a function of environment.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.32.1-32.1
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• 2015

The gradual infall of small dark matter halos onto larger ones has become a relatively straightforward aspect of the standard hierarchical formation paradigm. What happens to the baryons they contain, however, is less well understood. Of special relevance are the processes that regulate and ultimately suppress star formation in galaxies in the early universe. The z=1.5-2.5 epoch is then particularly interesting as a transition period when global star-formation in the universe starts peaking but also where the first ostensibly collapsed and virialized galaxy clusters appear, along with segregated galaxy populations. From a theoretical point of view, the mode of gas accretion in massive halos is also expected to change around this time, switching from a cold to a hot phase and affecting the build-up and evolution of the galaxies they host. A lot of effort has thus been devoted to the search for high-redshift structures, in particular galaxy clusters, through a variety of methods. However, as the limited area for which deep datasets are available remains relatively limited, only few massive z>1.5 structures have been found so far. Here I will instead discuss the regulation of star-formation in lower-mass, X-ray detected halos at z~2 and its implication for galaxy quenching at high redshift. As these smaller, group-size halos are vastly more abundant and structurally simpler than massive clusters, they allow for true statistical studies and offer a novel way to probe environmental effects in this transitional epoch.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.32.1-32.1
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• 2012

Radial color gradient of disk galaxies has been a key tool for diagnosing the ages and metallicities of the stars and gas of these galaxies, and thus, the formation process of these disks. In many cases, observational data support the 'inside-out' picture of disk galaxy formation proposed by Larson (1976). In this scenario, gas within dark matter halos cools and accretes on to the outer disk while enhancing star formation in the disk. Recent discoveries of "extended ultra-viloet" (XUV) disks also show that majority of disk galaxy experience active star formation within out disks where gas surface density is quite low (Thilker et al. 2007; Gil de Paz et al. 2007). However, neither gas, nor stars stay put within galaxies. They rather migrate into bulges, disperse throughout galaxies, or flow into and out of galaxies via various mechanisms. There have been a few notable studies to investigate how radial star formation and metal abundance gradients vary across populations of disk galaxies systematically. However, the mechanisms driving gas transport are still poorly understood. Cross-matching various galaxy catalogs including KVAGC and UKIDSS, we are investigating if color gradients of late-type galaxies depend on their physical properties, especially on environmental properties. We will present the result from the pilot study on Karachentsev isolated galaxy catalog.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.59-67
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• 2013

We present a spectroscopic study of 343 blue compact galaxies (BCGs) at 0.20 < z < 0.35 from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR7 data. We derive gas phase oxygen abundance using the empirical and direct method. Stellar masses of galaxies are derived from the STARLIGHT code. We also derive star formation rates of galaxies based on $H{\alpha}$ emission line from the SDSS as well as far-ultraviolet (FUV) flux from the Galaxy Evolution Explorer GR6 data. Evolution of the luminosity-metallicity and mass-metallicity (M-Z) relations with redshift is observed. At a given luminosity and mass, galaxies at higher redshifts appear to be biased to low metallicities relative to the lower redshift counterparts. Furthermore, low mass galaxies show higher specific star formation rates (SSFRs) than more massive ones and galaxies at higher redshifts are biased to higher SSFRs compared to the lower redshift sample. By visual inspection of the SDSS images, we classify galaxy morphology into disturbed or undisturbed. In the M-Z relation, we find a hint that morphologically disturbed BCGs appear to exhibit low metallicities and high SSFRs compared to undisturbed counterparts. We suggest that our results support downsizing galaxy formation scenario and star formation histories of BCGs are closely related with their morphologies.