• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.299-311
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• 2015

We report first results from KVN and VERA Array (KaVA) VLBI observations obtained in the frame of our Plasma-physics of Active Galactic Nuclei (PAGaN) project. We observed eight selected AGN at 22 and 43 GHz in single polarization (LCP) between March 2014 and April 2015. Each source was observed for 6 to 8 hours per observing run to maximize the uv coverage. We obtained a total of 15 deep high-resolution images permitting the identification of individual circular Gaussian jet components and three spectral index maps of BL Lac, 3C 111 and 3C 345 from simultaneous dual-frequency observations. The spectral index maps show trends in agreement with general expectations – flat core and steep jets – while the actual value of the spectral index for jets shows indications for a dependence on AGN type. We analyzed the kinematics of jet components of BL Lac and 3C 111, detecting superluminal proper motions with maximum apparent speeds of about 5c. This constrains the lower limits of the intrinsic component velocities to ~ 0.98c and the upper limits of the angle between jet and line of sight to ~20°. In agreement with global jet expansion, jet components show systematically larger diameters d at larger core distances r, following the global relation d ≈ 0.2r, albeit within substantial scatter.

• 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.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.61.1-61.1
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• 2014

IC 10 is one of the most well-known irregular starburst dwarf galaxies in the Local Group. Its low metal and oxygen abundance together with proximity make it an excellent laboratory to test star formation models, especially in low-metallicity systems like galaxies in the early Universe as well as many other local dwarfs. Among a number of active star forming regions, we have detected H2O kilo-maser emission in the south-east region of IC 10(IC 10 SE) using the Korean VLBI Network(KVN). This maser line is likely to be associated with a giant molecular cloud identified in IC 10 SE by former CO studies. Using the HI and CO data from the VLA and SMA archive, we probe the atomic and molecular gas properties of IC 10 SE. We discuss how the cool gas morphology and kinematics are related with maser and star formation activity in IC 10 SE.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.68.2-68.2
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• 2014

High Frequency Peakers (HFPs) are radio-loud Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), which are regarded as being in the earliest evolutionary phase (102-103 years) of radio galaxies. They are expected to be small in size (< ~1 kpc) compared to their host galaxies (~a few 10s kpc), and have convex spectra, which are peaking at high radio frequency (> 5 GHz). Their size and spectral shape are the most obvious supporting evidence of extremely young ages. HFPs are therefore ideal targets to probe the earliest stage of radio sources. To date however, the young radio source classification has been relying mainly on the spectral shape which usually does not cover high enough frequencies where the true peak flux is located. Hence HFPs are often confused with blazars which may show a similar spectral shape and apparent compactness but are a somewhat evolved form of AGNs. Therefore, we have been challenging to identify HFPs among the sample of 19 candidates using the Korean VLBI Network (KVN) which enables us to extend the radio spectrum baseline up to 22 and 43 GHz. These are higher than the frequencies used in most previous studies of HFPs, allowing us to select genuine HFPs. By long-term monitoring of 18 epochs, we have also inspected the variability of the sample to select out blazars which are highly variable yet with a similar radio spectrum. In this work, we present the light curves and spectral properties of the HFP candidates. We discuss the results of our re-identification of HFPs.

• 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.36 no.2
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• pp.62.2-62.2
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• 2011

The correlation between black hole mass and stellar velocity dispersion provides an important clue on the black hole growth and galaxy evolution. In the case of AGN, however, it is extremely difficult to measure stellar velocity dispersions in the optical since AGN continuum dilutes stellar absorption features. In contrast, stellar velocity dispersions of active galaxies can be measured in the near-IR, where AGN-to-star flux ratio is much smaller. Expecting that more stellar velocity dispersion measurements will be available using future near-IR facilities, it is crucial to test whether the stellar velocity dispersions measured from the near-IR spectra are consistent with those measured from the optical spectra. For a sample of 35 nearby galaxies, for which optical stellar velocity dispersion measurements and dynamical black hole masses are available, we obtained high quality H-band spectra, using the TripleSpec at the Palomar 5-m Telescope, in order to calibrate the stellar velocity dispersions and define the $M_{BH}-sigma_*$ relation in the near-IR. Based on the spatially resolved kinematics, we correct for the rotation component and determine the luminosity-weighted stellar velocity dispersion of the spheroid component in each galaxy. In this presentation, we will show the comparison between optical and near-IR stellar velocity dispersion measurements and define the $M_{BH}-sigma_*$ relation based on uniformly measured stellar velocity dispersion in the near-IR.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.629-631
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• 2015

In this proceedings, preliminary results of the KVN Source-Frequency Phase-Referencing (SFPR) observation of 3C 66A and 3C 66B are presented. The motivation of this work is to measure the core-shift of these 2 sources and study the temporal evolution of the jet opacity. Two more sources were observed as secondary reference calibrators and each source was observed at 22, 43, and 86 GHz simultaneously. Our preliminary results show that after using the observations at the lower frequency to calibrate those at the higher frequency of the same source, the residual visibility phases for each source at the higher frequencies became more aligned, and the coherence time became much longer; also, the residual phases for different sources, within 10 degrees angular separations, follow similar trends. After reference to the nearby calibrator, the SFPRed maps were obtained as well as the astrometric measurements, i.e. the combined coreshift. The measurements were found to be affected by structural blending effects because of the large beamsize of KVN, but this can be corrected with higher resolution maps (e.g. KAVA maps).

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.349-353
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• 2015

We use multi-wavelength observations of galaxy groups to probe the formation models for galaxy formation in cosmological simulations, statistically. The observations include Chandra and XMM-Newton X-ray observations, optical photometry and radio observations at 1.4 GHz and 610 MHz. Using a large sample of galaxy groups observed by the XMM-Newton X-ray telescope as part of the XMM-Large Scale Survey, we carried out a statistical study of the redshift evolution of the luminosity gap for a well defined mass-selected group sample and show the relative success of some of the semi-analytic models in reproducing the observed properties of galaxy groups up to redshift z ~ 1.2. The observed trend argues in favour of a stronger evolution of the feedback from active galactic nuclei at z < 1 compared to the models. The slope of the relation between the magnitude of the brightest cluster galaxy and the value of the luminosity gap does not evolve with redshift and is well reproduced by the models. We find that the radio power of giant elliptic galaxies residing in galaxy groups with a large luminosity gap are lower compared to giant ellipticals of the same stellar masses but in typical galaxy groups.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.159-168
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• 2023

The main goal of the Korean VLBI Network Calibrator Survey (KVNCS) is to expand the VLBI calibrators catalog for KVN, KaVA (KVN and VERA Array), EAVN (East-Asian VLBI Network), and other extended regions. The second KVNCS (KVNCS2) aimed to detect VLBI fringes of new candidates for calibrators in the K band. Out of the 1533 sources whose single-dish flux density in the K band was measured with KVN telescopes (Lee et al. 2017), 556 sources were observed with KVN in the K band. KVNCS2 confirmed the detection of VLBI fringes of 424 calibrator candidates over a single baseline. All detected sources had a high Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) of >25. Finally, KVNCS2 confirmed 347 new candidates as VLBI calibrators in the K band, resulting in a 5% increase in the sky coverage compared to previous studies. The spatial distribution was quasi-uniform across the observable region (Dec. > -32.5°). In addition, the possibility as calibrator candidates for the detected sources was checked, using an analysis of the flux-flux relationship. Ultimately, the KVNCS catalog will not only become the VLBI calibrator list but is also useful as a database of compact radio sources for astronomical studies.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.289-309
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• 2022

In recent years, astronomy has been snowballing: including Higgs particle discovery, black hole imaging, extraterrestrial exploration, and deep space observation. Students are also largely interested in astronomy. The purpose of this study is to discover what needs to be improved in the current astronomy curriculum in light of recent scientists' researches and discoveries. We collected keywords from all papers published from 2011 to 2020 in four selected journals-ApJ, ApJL, A&A, and MNRAS- by R package to examine research trends. The curriculum contents were extracted by synthesizing the in-service teachers' coding results in the 2015 revised curriculum document of six subjects (Science, Integrated Science, Earth Science I, Earth Science II, Physics II, Convergence Science). The research results are as follows: first, keywords that appear steadily in astronomy are 'galaxies: formation, galaxy: active, star: formation, accretion, method: numerical.' Second, astronomy curriculum includes all areas except the 'High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena' area within the common science curriculum learned by all students. Third, it is necessary to review the placement of content elements by subject and grade and to consider introducing new concepts based on astronomy research keywords. This is an exploratory study to compare curriculum and the field of scientific research that forms the basis of the subject. We expect to provide implications for a future revision of the astronomy curriculum as a primary ground investigation.