• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.34.2-35
• /
• 2018

Galaxy transition from star-forming to quiescent, accompanied with morphology transformation, is one of the key unresolved issues in extragalactic astronomy. Although several environmental mechanisms have been proposed, a deeper understanding of the impact of environment on galaxy transition still requires much exploration. My Ph.D. thesis focuses on which environmental mechanisms are primarily responsible for galaxy transition in different environments and looks at what happens during the transition phase using multi-wavelength photometric/spectroscopic data, from UV to mid-infrared (MIR), derived from several large surveys (GALEX, SDSS, and WISE) and our GMOS-North IFU observations. Our multi-wavelength approach provides new insights into the *late* stages of galaxy transition with a definition of the MIR green valley different from the optical green valley. I will present highlights from three areas in my thesis. First, through an in-depth study of environmental dependence of various properties of galaxies in a nearby supercluster A2199 (Lee et al. 2015), we found that the star formation of galaxies is quenched before the galaxies enter the MIR green valley, which is driven mainly by strangulation. Then, the morphological transformation from late- to early-type galaxies occurs in the MIR green valley. The main environmental mechanisms for the morphological transformation are galaxy-galaxy mergers and interactions that are likely to happen in high-density regions such as galaxy groups/clusters. After the transformation, early-type MIR green valley galaxies keep the memory of their last star formation for several Gyr until they move on to the next stage for completely quiescent galaxies. Second, compact groups (CGs) of galaxies are the most favorable environments for galaxy interactions. We studied MIR properties of galaxies in CGs and their environmental dependence (Lee et al. 2017), using a sample of 670 CGs identified using a friends-of-friends algorithms. We found that MIR [3.4]-[12] colors of CG galaxies are, on average, bluer than those of cluster galaxies. As CGs are located in denser regions, they tend to have larger early-type galaxy fractions and bluer MIR color galaxies. These trends can also be seen for neighboring galaxies around CGs. However, CG members always have larger early-type fractions and bluer MIR colors than their neighboring galaxies. These results suggest that galaxy evolution is faster in CGs than in other environments and that CGs are likely to be the best place for pre-processing. Third, post-starburst galaxies (PSBs) are an ideal laboratory to investigate the details of the transition phase. Their spectra reveal a phase of vigorous star formation activity, which is abruptly ended within the last 1 Gyr. Numerical simulations predict that the starburst, and thus the current A-type stellar population, should be localized within the galaxy's center (< kpc). Yet our GMOS IFU observations show otherwise; all five PSBs in our sample have Hdelta absorption line profiles that extend well beyond the central kpc. Most interestingly, we found a negative correlation between the Hdelta gradient slopes and the fractions of the stellar mass produced during the starburst, suggesting that stronger starbursts are more centrally-concentrated. I will discuss the results in relation with the origin of PSBs.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.33 no.4 s.92
• /
• pp.395-404
• /
• 2000

The gonadosomatic index (GSI), hepatosomatic Index (HSI), egg size distribution, gonad development and reproductive characteristics of venus fish, Aphyocypris chinensis, were examined during March 1997- March 1998 in agricultural waterways of the Sedo-myun, Puyo county, Chungnam Province, Korea. Annual reproductive cycle was classified into the following five successive phases by monthly changes in GSI and the characteristics of ovary: quiescent phase (January- February), secondary growing and mature phase (March-May), ripe and spawning phase (June-July), degenerating and resting phase (August-September) and primary growing phase (October-December). The hepatosomatic index (HSI) showed clear seasonal pattern with two separate peaks. However, it exhibited a negative correlation to changes of GSI values. The regression analysis suggested that fecundity showed a strong positive linear relationship ($r^2\;=\;0.91$, n = 34) with body weight. The sex ratio of female to male was 1.4 : 1 in the natural population during the study. The minimum reproductive size of female and male venus fish was 38 mm and 33 mm in fork length, respectively.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.323-335
• /
• 2002

Object: The present study was accomplished to obtain a gene expression profile of the luminal epithelium during embryo apposition in comparison of implantation (1M) and interimplantation (INTER) sites. Material and Method: The mouse uterine luminal epithelium from IM and INTER sites were sampled on day 4.5 (Day of vaginal plug = day 0.5) by Laser Captured Microdissection (LCM). RNA was extracted from LCM captured epithelium, amplified, labeled and hybridized to microarrays. Results from microarray hybridization were analyzed by Significance Analysis of Microarrays (SAM) method. Differential expression of some genes was confirmed by LCM followed by RT-PCR. Results: Comparison of IM and INTER sites by SAM identified 73 genes most highly ranked at IM, while 13 genes at the INTER sites, within the estimated false discovery rate (FDR) of 0.163. Among 73 genes at IM, 20 were EST/unknown function, and the remain 53 were categorized to the structural, cell cycle, gene/protein expression, immune reaction, invasion, metabolism, oxidative stress, and signal transduction. Of the 24 structural genes, 14 were related especially to extracellular matrix and tissue remodeling. Meanwhile, among 13 genes up-regulated at INTER, 8 genes were EST/unknown function, and the rest 5 were related to metabolism, signal transduction, and gene/protein expression. Among these 58 (53+5) genes with known functions, 13 genes (22.4%) were related with $Ca^{2+}$ for their function. Conclusions: Results of the present study suggest that 1) active tissue remodeling is occurring at the IM sites during embryo apposition, 2) the INTER sites are relatively quiescent than IM sites, and 3) the $Ca^{2+}$ may be a crucial for apposition. Search for human homologue of those genes expressed in the mouse luminal epithelium during apposition will help to understand the implantation process and/or implantation failure in humans.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.80.1-80.1
• /
• 2015

We present a study of outflows on 24 embedded young stellar objects selected from the source list of the Dust, Ice, and Gas in Time (DIGIT) Herschel key program. To study the relation between the CO outflows observed in low-J transitions and the properties of protostars more consistently with a homogeneous data set, we mapped the CO outflows of the selected targets in the J = 1-0 and J = 2-1 lines with two Korean telescopes (SRAO and TRAO). We compare CO outflow force ($F_{CO}$) with the bolometric luminosity, ($L_{bol}$) bolometric temperature, and the FIR molecular line luminosities of CO, $H_2O$, OH, and [O I] detected by the Herschel-PACS observations. We find that $F_{CO}$ of J = 1-0 is greater than that of 2-1 by a factor of ~ 2. The well known correlation between $F_{CO\;2-1}$ and $L_{bol}$ is not very evident in our sample as a whole, but they show a rather strong correlation when IRAM 04191+1522 is excluded. IRAM 04191+1522 has relatively high $F_{CO\;2-1}$ in spite of its low $L_{bol}$. This object is a well-known VeLLO, which is believed in the quiescent phase of the episodic mass accretion in the embedded stage. $L_{bol}$ traces a current accretion, but $F_{CO\;2-1}$ traces accretion happened long ago. Therefore, the low-$L_{bol}$ with the high-$F_{CO\;2-1}$ can be explained by the episodic accretion. $F_{CO\;2-1}$ shows little correlation with individual FIR line luminosities of CO, $H_2O$, OH, while [O I] and total FIR line luminosity seem to have correlations with $F_{CO\;2-1}$. This result is interpreted as the accretion energy deposits on species differently depending on shock properties, but the total FIR line luminosity sums the total accretion energy dispersed to different species.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.38.3-39
• /
• 2016

We present the results of a search for Very Low-Luminosity Objects (VeLLOs) in the Gould Belt (GB) clouds using infrared and sub-millimeter (sub-mm) data from 1.25 to $850{\mu}m$ and our N2H+ (J = 1-0) observations. We modified the criteria by Dunham et al. to select the VeLLOs in the GB clouds, finding 95 VeLLO candidates, 79 of which are newly identified in this study. Out of 95 sources, 44 were detected in both sub-mm continuum and N2H+ emission and were classified as Group A (the VeLLOs), and 51 sources detected in either sub-mm emission or N2H+ emission were classified with Group B as candidate VeLLOs. We find that these VeLLOs and the candidates are forming in environments different from those of the likely VeLLOs. Seventy-eight sources are embedded within their molecular clouds, and thus are likely VeLLOs forming in a dense environment. The remaining 17 sources are located in low-level extinction regions (Av < 1) connected to the clouds, and can be either background sources or candidate substellar objects forming in an isolated mode. The VeLLOs and the candidates are likely more luminous and their envelopes tend to be more massive in denser environments. The VeLLOs and the candidates are more populous in the clouds where more YSOs form, indicating that they form in a manner similar to that of normal YSOs. The bolometric luminosities and temperatures of the VeLLOs are compared to predictions of episodic accretion models, showing that the low luminosities for most VeLLOs can be well explained by their status in the quiescent phases of a cycle of episodic mass accretion.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.74.1-74.1
• /
• 2010

We have investigated the radial g-r color gradients of early-type galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR6 in the redshift range 0.00$H{\beta}$ absorption-line strengths and/or emission-line ratios that are indicative of the presence of young stellar populations. This implies that most of the residual star formation in early-type galaxies is centrally concentrated. Blue-cored galaxies are predominantly low-velocity dispersion systems. A simple model shows that the observed positive color gradients are visible only for a billion years after a star formation episode for the typical strength of recent star formation. The observed effective radius decreases and the mean surface brightness increases due to this centrally concentrated star formation episode. As a result, the majority of blue-cored galaxies may lie on different regions in the fundamental plane (FP) from red-cored ellipticals. However, the position of the blue-cored galaxies on the FP cannot be solely attributed to recent star formation but requires substantially lower velocity dispersion. We conclude that a low-level of residual star formation persists at the centers of most of low-mass early-type galaxies, whereas massive ones are mostly quiescent systems with metallicity-driven red cores.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.73.2-73.2
• /
• 2011

We present a new database of absorption and emission-line measurements based on the entire spectral atlas from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) 7th data release of galaxies within a redshift of 0.2. Our work makes use of the publicly available penalized pixel-fitting(pPXF) and gas and absorption line fitting (gandalf) IDL codes, aiming to improve the existing measurements for stellar kinematics, the strength of various absorption-line features, and the flux and width of the emissions from different species of ionized gas. Our fit to the stellar continuum uses both standard stellar population models and empirical templates obtained by combining a large number of stellar spectra in order to fit a subsample of high-quality SDSS spectra for quiescent galaxies. Furthermore, our fit to the nebular spectrum includes an exhaustive list of both recombination and forbidden lines. Foreground Galactic extinction is implicitly treated in our models, whereas reddening in the SDSS galaxies is included in the form of a simple dust screen component affecting the entire spectrum that is accompanied by a second reddening component affecting only the ionised gas emission. Most notable of our work is that, we provide quality of the fit to assess reliability of the measurements. The quality assessment can be highly effective for finding new classes of objects. For example, based on the quality assessment around the Ha and [NII] nebular lines, we found approximately 1% of the SDSS spectra which classified as "galaxies" by the SDSS pipeline are in fact type I Seyfert AGN.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.33.1-33.1
• /
• 2016

Dwarf elliptical galaxies (dEs), the most abundant galaxy type in clusters, were recently shown to exhibit a wide variety in their properties. Particularly, the presence of blue cores in some dEs, what we call dE(bc), supports the scenario of late-type galaxy infall and subsequent transformation into red, quiescent dEs. While several transformation mechanisms for these dE(bc)s within cluster environment have been proposed, all these processes are able to explain only some of the observational properties of dEs. In this context, internal kinematic properties of dE(bc)s provide the most crucial evidence to discriminate different processes for the formation of these galaxies. We present Gemini Multi Object Spectrograph (GMOS) long-slit spectroscopy of two dE(bc)s in the Virgo cluster. We obtained radial profiles of velocity and velocity dispersion out to ~1.3 effective radius. We found that two dE(bc)s exhibit kinematically decoupled components as well as distinct peculiar features in velocity profiles, supporting the scenario of mergers. We also found that these galaxies are structurally compatible with low surface brightness component of blue compact dwarf galaxies. We suggest that a part of dE(bc)s in the Virgo Cluster were formed through galaxy merger in low density environment such as galaxy group or outskirt of the cluster, and then were quenched by subsequent effects within cluster environment.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.49-57
• /
• 2000

This study was conducted to investigate the developmental potential of cloned embryos derived from bovine fetal fibroblast cells, and the effect of quiescent treatment, passage number and origin of donor cells on in vitro development of cloned embryos. Fetal skin and liver-derived fibroblast cells were transferred to enucleated oocytes after serum starvation or nontreatment (cycling). After electrofusion. reconstituted embryos were activated with $Ca^{＋＋}$-ionophore and cycloheximide, and cocultured for 7~9 days with BRL cells. Some blastocysts were transferred to recipient cows 7~8 days post estrus. The development rate to the blastocyst stage of serum starved cell-derived embryos was higher (25.3%) than that of actively dividing cells-derived embryos (15.9%), The rates of blastocyst formation were 23.1~25.0% after transfer of cell passaged 4 to 6 times, and 23.8 and 25.2% after transfer of fetal skin and liver cells, respectively. After embryo transfer, 34.4% and 15.6% of recipient cows were pregnant on Day 60 and 120, respectively, and one male calf was produced from skin-derived vitrified blastocyst. The result of this study showed that the development of cloned embryos. was enhanced by quiescent treatment, but did not different among the cells passaged 4 to 6 times, and between skin and liver cells. This result also confirms that offspring can be obtained from the vitrified clone embryo derived from fetal skin cell.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.79-82
• /
• 2015

The physical and chemical properties of prestellar cores, especially massive ones, are still far from being well understood due to the lack of a large sample. The low dust temperature (< 14 K) of Planck cold clumps makes them promising candidates for prestellar objects or for sources at the very initial stages of protostellar collapse. We have been conducting a series of observations toward Planck cold clumps (PCCs) with ground-based radio telescopes. In general, when compared with other star forming samples (e.g. infrared dark clouds), PCCs are more quiescent, suggesting that most of them may be in the earliest phase of star formation. However, some PCCs are associated with protostars and molecular outflows, indicating that not all PCCs are in a prestellar phase. We have identified hundreds of starless dense clumps from a mapping survey with the Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO) 13.7-m telescope. Follow-up observations suggest that these dense clumps are ideal targets to search for prestellar objects.