• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.79-87
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• 2024

This study introduces a method for estimating Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) using Broadband Aerosol Optical Depth (BAOD) derived from direct normal irradiance and meteorological factors observed between 2016 and 2017. Through correlation analyses between BAOD and atmospheric components such as Rayleigh scattering, water vapor, and tropospheric nitrogen dioxide, significant relationships were identified, enabling accurate AOD estimation. The methodology demonstrated high correlation coefficients and low Root Mean Square Errors (RMSE) compared to actual AOD₅₀₀ measurements, indicating that the attenuation effects of water vapor and the direct impact of tropospheric nitrogen dioxide concentration are crucial for precise aerosol optical depth estimation. The application of BAOD for estimating AOD₅₀₀ across various time scales-hourly, daily, and monthly-showed the approach's robustness in understanding aerosol distributions and their optical properties, with a high coefficient of determination (0.96) for monthly average AOD₅₀₀ estimates. This study simplifies the aerosol monitoring process and enhances the accuracy and reliability of AOD estimations, offering valuable insights into aerosol research and its implications for climate modeling and air quality assessment. The findings underscore the viability of using BAOD as a surrogate for direct AOD₅₀₀ measurements, presenting a promising avenue for more accessible and accurate aerosol monitoring practices, crucial for improving our understanding of aerosol dynamics and their environmental impacts.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.235-253
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• 2014

Intensity interferometry, based on the Hanbury Brown-Twiss effect, is a simple and inexpensive method for optical interferometry at microarcsecond angular resolutions; its use in astronomy was abandoned in the 1970s because of low sensitivity. Motivated by recent technical developments, we argue that the sensitivity of large modern intensity interferometers can be improved by factors up to approximately 25 000, corresponding to 11 photometric magnitudes, compared to the pioneering Narrabri Stellar Interferometer. This is made possible by (i) using avalanche photodiodes (APD) as light detectors, (ii) distributing the light received from the source over multiple independent spectral channels, and (iii) use of arrays composed of multiple large light collectors. Our approach permits the construction of large (with baselines ranging from few kilometers to intercontinental distances) optical interferometers at the cost of (very) long-baseline radio interferometers. Realistic intensity interferometer designs are able to achieve limiting R-band magnitudes as good as $m_R{\approx}14$, sufficient for spatially resolved observations of main-sequence O-type stars in the Magellanic Clouds. Multi-channel intensity interferometers can address a wide variety of science cases: (i) linear radii, effective temperatures, and luminosities of stars, via direct measurements of stellar angular sizes; (ii) mass-radius relationships of compact stellar remnants, via direct measurements of the angular sizes of white dwarfs; (iii) stellar rotation, via observations of rotation flattening and surface gravity darkening; (iv) stellar convection and the interaction of stellar photospheres and magnetic fields, via observations of dark and bright starspots; (v) the structure and evolution of multiple stars, via mapping of the companion stars and of accretion flows in interacting binaries; (vi) direct measurements of interstellar distances, derived from angular diameters of stars or via the interferometric Baade-Wesselink method; (vii) the physics of gas accretion onto supermassive black holes, via resolved observations of the central engines of luminous active galactic nuclei; and (viii) calibration of amplitude interferometers by providing a sample of calibrator stars.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.159-171
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• 2012

Aerosol direct radiative forcing (ADRF) retrieval method was developed by combining data from passive and active satellite sensors. Aerosol optical thickness (AOT) retrieved form the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) as a passive visible sensor and aerosol vertical profile from to the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) as an active laser sensor were investigated an application possibility. Especially, space-born Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar) observation provides a specific knowledge of the optical properties of atmospheric aerosols with spatial, temporal, vertical, and spectral resolutions. On the basis of extensive radiative transfer modeling, it is demonstrated that the use of the aerosol vertical profiles is sensitive to the estimation of ADRF. Throughout the investigation of relationship between aerosol height and ADRF, mean change rates of ADRF per increasing of 1 km aerosol height are smaller at surface than top-of-atmosphere (TOA). As a case study, satellite data for the Asian dust day of March 31, 2007 were used to estimate ADRF. Resulting ADRF values were compared with those retrieved independently from MODIS only data. The absolute difference values are 1.27% at surface level and 4.73% at top of atmosphere (TOA).

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.95-104
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• 2010

We outline our GRB afterglow observation program using the 1-m telescope at Mt. Lemmon Optical Astronomy Observatory (LOAO), and report the first observations of the GRB afterglows. During the 2007B semester, we performed follow-up imaging obsrevations of 6 GRBs, and succeeded in detecting four GRB afterglows (GRB 071010B, GRB 071018, GRB 071020, and GRB 071025) while placing useful upper limits on the light curves of the other GRBs. Among the observed events, we find that three events are special and interesting. GRB 071010B has a light curve which has an unusually long jet break time of 11.8 days. For GRB 071025, its red R-I(~2) color suggests that it is likely to be at z~5. GRB 071020 has a light curve which shows a clear brightening at 0.3-1 days after the burst, where our LOAO data play a crucial role by providing an unambiguous evidence for the brightening. These are the first successful detections of GRB afterglows by a facility owned and operated by a Korean institution, demonstrating the usefulness of the 1-m telescope for transient phenomena such as GRBs up to very high redshift.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.65.3-66
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• 2018

We present the results of high-resolution optical (R ~ 30,000) and near-infrared (R ~ 45,000) spectroscopic monitoring observations of a new FU Orionis-like young stellar object, 2MASS J06593158-0405277. FU Orionis objects (FUors) are well-studied examples of episodic accretion because of their outburst phenomenon. Recently, 2MASS J06593158-0405277 exhibited an outburst and was identified as a FUor. It provides an important opportunity to investigate the whole FUors phenomenon from its pre-outburst to its post-outburst phase. We monitored 2MASS J06593158-0405277 with the BOES and the IGRINS since Dec 25, 2014 (UT). We detected several wind and disk features and present here our analysis for time variations of those spectral lines.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.34.2-34.2
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• 2019

Several observational results show a tighter pitch angle at wavelengths of optical and near-infrared than those that are associated with star formation, which is in agreement with the prediction of the density wave theory. In my recent numerical studies, the dependence of the shock positions relative to the potential minima is due to the tendency that stronger shocks form farther downstream. This causes a systematic variation of the perpendicular Mach number, with radius and makes the pitch angle of the gaseous arms smaller than that of the stellar arms, which supports the prediction of the density-wave theory, independently. However, some observations still give controversial results which show similar pitch angles at wavelengths, and there is no statistical study comparing observations and numerical models directly. By analyzing optical image of disk galaxies in the Carnegie-Irvine Galaxy Survey (CGS), I measured the physical values of stellar and gaseous arms such as their strength, length, and pitch angles. For direct comparison with numerical results, I analyzed more than 30 additional numerical models with varying the initial parameters in model galaxies. In this talk, I will present results both of observational and numerical samples and discuss the physical properties of spiral structures based on the density-wave theory.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.159-162
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• 2013

We report the detection of a quasi-sinusoidally modulated optical flux with a period of 4.6343 hour in the optical and infrared band of the Fermi source 2FGL J2339.7-0531. Comparing the multi-wavelength observations, we suggest that 2FGL J2339.7- 0531 is a ${\gamma}$-ray emitting millisecond pulsar (MSP) in a binary system with an optically visible late-type companion accreted by the pulsar, where the MSP is responsible for the ${\gamma}$-ray emission while the optical and infrared emission originate from the heated side of the companion. Based on the optical properties, the companion star is believed to be heated by the pulsar and reaches peak magnitude when the heated side faces the observer. We conclude that 2FGL J2339.7-0531 is a member of a subclass of ${\gamma}$-ray emitting pulsars -the 'black widows'- recently revealed to be evaporating their companions in the late-stage of recycling as a prominent group of these newly revealed Fermi sources.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.145-146
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• 2012

We present the results from B-, R-, I-, J- and H-band observations of the NEP-Wide survey field. The NEP-Wide survey is an AKARI survey of the North Ecliptic Pole covering ~ 5 square degrees area. Our optical/NIR imaging supports the AKARI IR imaging data by providing a crucial coverage in the optical/NIR. The optical data were obtained in 2007 using the 1.5 m telescope and SNUCAM at Maidanak Observatory, Uzbekistan. The NIR data were obtained in 2008 with FLAMINGOS on the KPNO 2.1 m telescope. We used IRAF, SExtractor, SCAMP, and SWarp for reducing the raw data, I-band fringe pattern removal, astrometry, standard photometry calibration, and source detection. Our optical-NIR data reach the depths of B ~ 23.4, R ~ 23.1, I ~ 22.3, J ~ 21.05, and H ~ 20.64 AB mag at 5-sigma. Here, we present the astrometric accuracy, galaxy number counts, completeness, and reliability, as well as redshift tracks of some normal galaxies and quasars on the B - R vs. R - I color-color diagram. The photometric data are being used for identifying optical counterparts of the IR data provided by AKARI, studying their SEDs, and selecting interesting objects for spectroscopic follow-up studies.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.353-356
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• 2012

We present new constraints on the cosmic optical background (COB) obtained from an analysis of the Pioneer 10/11 Imaging Photopolarimeter (IPP) data. After careful examination of the data quality, the usable measurements free from the zodiacal light are integrated into sky maps at the blue (${\sim}0.44{\mu}m$) and red (${\sim}0.64{\mu}m$) bands. Accurate starlight subtraction was achieved by referring to all-sky star catalogs and a Galactic stellar population synthesis model down to 32.0 mag. We find that the residual light is separated into two components: one component shows a clear correlation with the thermal $100{\mu}m$ brightness, whilst the other shows a constant level in the lowest $100{\mu}m$ brightness region. The presence of the second component is significant after all the uncertainties and possible residual light in the Galaxy are taken into account, thus it most likely has an extragalactic origin (i.e., the COB). The derived COB brightness is ($(1.8{\pm}0.9){\times}10^{-9}$ and $(1.2{\pm}0.9){\times}10^{-9}\;erg\;s^{-1}\;cm^{-2}\;sr^{-1}\;{\AA}^{-1}$ in the blue and red spectral regions, respectively, or $7.9{\pm}4.0$ and $7.7{\pm}5.8\;nW\;m^{-2}\;sr^{-1}$. Based on a comparison with the integrated brightness of galaxies, we conclude that the bulk of the COB is comprised of normal galaxies which have already been resolved by the current deepest observations. There seems to be little room for contributions from other populations including "first stars" at these wavelengths. On the other hand, the first component of the IPP residual light represents the diffuse Galactic light (DGL)-scattered starlight by the interstellar dust. We derive the mean DGL-to-$100{\mu}m$ brightness ratios of $2.1{\times}10^{-3}$ and $4.6{\times}10^{-3}$ at the two bands, which are roughly consistent with previous observations toward denser dust regions. Extended red emission in the diffuse interstellar medium is also confirmed.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.281-285
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• 2017

We present a summary of our spectroscopic redshift catalogue of 404 sources in the AKARI Deep Field South (ADF-S). We have used the AAOmega spectrograph to target mid-infrared and far-infrared sources selected primarily from AKARI observations in this field for which we were able to obtain optical counterparts. Our sources with identified redshifts include 316 with $H{\alpha}$ detections at $z{\leq}0.345$ and 15 sources at z > 1 with MgII or $Ly{\alpha}$ emission lines. About 13% of our $z{\leq}0.345$ sources are dominated by active galactic nuclei (AGN) emission, although many show emission from both star formation and AGNs. The median Balmer decrement is 5.9. Ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) were found only in the higher-redshift sources. Optical and near infrared data will be available shortly, enabling calibration of the line luminosities and spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting for these sources.