• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.253-261
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• 2018

Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) has been developing the space optical and laser tracking (SOLT) system for space geodesy, space situational awareness, and Korean space missions. The SOLT system comprises satellite laser ranging (SLR), adaptive optics (AO), and debris laser tracking (DLT) systems, which share numerous subsystems, such as an optical telescope and tracking mount. It is designed to be capable of laser ranging up to geosynchronous Earth orbit satellites with a laser retro-reflector array, space objects imaging brighter than magnitude 10, and laser tracking low Earth orbit space debris of uncooperative targets. For the realization of multiple functions in a novel configuration, the SOLT system employs a switching mirror that is installed inside the telescope pedestal and feeds the beam path to each system. The SLR and AO systems have already been established at the Geochang station, whereas the DLT system is currently under development and the AO system is being prepared for testing. In this study, the design and development of the SOLT system are addressed and the SLR data quality is evaluated compared to the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) tracking stations in terms of single-shot ranging precision. The analysis results indicate that the SLR system has a good ranging performance, to a few millimeters precision. Therefore, it is expected that the SLR system will not only play an important role as a member of the ILRS tracking network, but also contribute to future Korean space missions.

• 천문학회보
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• 제40권1호
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• pp.71.3-71.3
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• 2015

Deep UBVI and $H{\alpha}$ photometry of the ${\eta}$ Carina nebula, one of the brightest nebulae on the sky, was obtained with the CTIO 4m telescope and MOSAIC II CCD Camera to determine the initial mass function down to low-mass (~1 M¤) stars. We modified the spatial variation coefficients in transformation relations of the MOSAIC II CCD. From the cross-identification of optical sources with previous surveys in X-ray, near-infrared, and mid-infrared, a clear PMS sequence is revealed in the optical color-magnitude diagrams down to V=23 mag. Our previous SSO 1m UBVI data for Trumpler 14 (Tr 14) and Trumpler 16 (Tr 16) region, and additional SSO 1m UBVI data for Trumpler 15 (Tr 15) region were combined with the CTIO 4m data to re-examine the reddening law and distance of the young open clusters in the ${\eta}$ Carina nebula. From the new photometric data for Tr 15 region, we report that RV[=AV/E(B-V)], the total-to-selective extinction ratio, decreases from southern part of the nebula (Tr 14 and Tr 16) to northern part (Tr 15) in our field of view.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.1-11
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• 2016

Over the last few years, the data obtained using the Large Area Telescope (LAT) aboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has provided new insights on high-energy processes in globular clusters, particularly those involving compact objects such as MilliSecond Pulsars (MSPs). Gamma-ray emission in the 100 MeV to 10 GeV range has been detected from more than a dozen globular clusters in our galaxy, including 47 Tucanae and Terzan 5. Based on a sample of known gammaray globular clusters, the empirical relations between gamma-ray luminosity and properties of globular clusters such as their stellar encounter rate, metallicity, and possible optical and infrared photon energy densities, have been derived. The measured gamma-ray spectra are generally described by a power law with a cut-off at a few gigaelectronvolts. Together with the detection of pulsed γ-rays from two MSPs in two different globular clusters, such spectral signature lends support to the hypothesis that γ-rays from globular clusters represent collective curvature emission from magnetospheres of MSPs in the clusters. Alternative models, involving Inverse-Compton (IC) emission of relativistic electrons that are accelerated close to MSPs or pulsar wind nebula shocks, have also been suggested. Observations at >100 GeV by using Fermi/LAT and atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes such as H.E.S.S.-II, MAGIC-II, VERITAS, and CTA will help to settle some questions unanswered by current data.

• 천문학회보
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.62.1-62.1
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• 2010

CQUEAN (Camera for QUasars in EArly uNiverse) is an optical CCD camera system that consists of a science CCD camera, a guide CCD camera, and seven filters. In addition, a focal reducer is installed in front of the science camera to secure a larger field of view for the system. Engineering run of the system was carried out from Aug. 10, 2010 to Aug. 17, 2010, with 2.1m Otto Struve telescope at McDonald Observatory, USA, from which we investigated the characteristics and performance of the system. Bias and dark images were taken under various temperature conditions to examine the system behavior, and both twilight and dome flat images were obtained to investigate the appropriate preprocessing procedures of the data. Crude initial estimate indicated one hour integration would reach limiting magnitude of 24.2 in i-band with S/N ratio of 5, with CQUEAN at 2.1m telescope. The detailed results of the engineering run will be presented.

• 천문학회보
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• 제43권1호
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• pp.66.2-66.2
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• 2018

The probability distribution function of column density (N-PDF) has been used for studying the characteristics of molecular clouds. In particular, the properties of N-PDF can reveal the nature of turbulence and gravity inside the molecular cloud. We use the dust continuum emission at $450{\mu}m$ and $850{\mu}m$ observed as part of the JCMT Gould Belt Survey (GBS) (Mairs et al. 2016), the 12CO J=1-0 line observed with the 45 m telescope at Nobeyama Radio Observatory (NRO) (Shimajiri et al. 2011), 13CO, C18O and HCO+ J=1-0 observed with the 13.7 m telescope at Taeduk Radio Astronomy Observatory (TRAO), as part of the TRAO key science project, "mapping Turbulent properties In star-forming MolEcular clouds down to the Sonic scale" (TIMES; PI: Jeong-Eun Lee). We here present the N-PDFs derived from the continuum and the molecular line emission toward the Orion A molecular cloud and compare their behaviors in order to investigate the chemical and optical depth effects on the N-PDF.

• 천문학회보
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.76.2-76.2
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• 2013

SPICA(SPace Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics) is an infrared space observatory with cooled telescope of 3 m aperture. Because of its large aperture, near- and mid-infrared instruments onboard SPICA require fine guidance with attitude accuracy less than 0.1 arcsecond. The FPC-G is a focal plane camera to achieve this high attitude accuracy and KASI is leading its development. The SPICA project is now under the Risk Mitigation Phase 2 (RMP2) and one of major risks is to satisfy the requirement of pointing and attitude control. To assess the impacts of disturbance sources on the attitude control and devise methods to mitigate possible risks, a software simulator of the FPC-G is under the development. In this presentation, we report the status of development of the simulator and the development plan during the RMP2.

• 천문학논총
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.1-6
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• 2013

Real-time data reduction pipeline for the Korea Microlensing Telescope Network (KMTNet) was developed by Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI). The main goal of the data reduction pipeline is to find variable objects and to record their light variation from the large amount of observation data of about 200 GB per night per site. To achieve the goal we adopt three strategic implementations: precision pointing of telescope using the cross correlation correction for target fields, realtime data transferring using kernel-level file handling and high speed network, and segment data processing architecture using the Sun-Grid engine. We tested performance of the pipeline using simulated data which represent the similar circumstance to CTIO (Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory), and we have found that it takes about eight hours for whole processing of one-night data. Therefore we conclude that the pipeline works without problem in real-time if the network speed is high enough, e.g., as high as in CTIO.

• 천문학회지
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.125-134
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• 2011

We present medium resolution (R = 5000 - 6000) spectra in the near-infrared band, 1.4 - 1.8 ${\mu}m$, for template stars in G, K, and M types observed by the echelle spectrometer, IRCS, at the SUBARU 8.2 m telescope. The identification of lines is based on the spectra of Arcturus (K2 III) in the literature. We measured the equivalent of widths and compared our results to those of Meyer et al. (1998). We conclude that our spectral resolution (R = 6000) data can investigate more accurately the properties of lines in stellar spectra. The library of the template stellar spectra in ASCII format are available for download on the World Wide Web.

• 천문학회보
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.221.1-221.1
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• 2012

The Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) is developing three 1.6m optical telescopes with $18k{\times}18k$ mosaic CCD cameras. These telescopes will be installed and operated at Chile, South Africa, and Australia for Korea Micro-lensing Telescope Network (KMTNet) project. The main scientific goal of the project is to discover earth-like extra-solar planets using the gravitational micro-lensing technique. To achieve the goal, each telescope at three sites will continuously monitor the specific region of Galactic bulge with 2.5 minute cadence for five years. Assuming 12 hour observation in maximum for a night, the amount of 200 GB file storage is required for one night observation at one observatory. If we consider the whole project period and the data processing procedure, a few PB class data storage, high-speed network, and high performance computers are essential. In this presentation, we introduce the KMTNet data management plan that handles gigantic data; raw image collecting, image processing, photometry pipeline, database archiving, and backup.

• 천문학회보
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.128.2-128.2
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• 2012

Spectro-polarimetry is the most powerful technique for deducing the magnetic structure of the Sun. Stokes vector allow us to infer the physical conditions in the solar atmosphere prevailing during the line formation. Inversion codes are the main tool to extract this information from the Stokes spectra. This study will focus on measurements of the chromospheric He I 1083.0 nm triplet and the photospheric Si I 1082.7 nm line. A spectropolarimetric data set of sunspots, obtained with the German Vacuum Tower Telescope (VTT) at the Teide observatory on Tenerife, is analyzed using an inversion technique. We will introduce the German Vacuum Tower Telescope and the inversion code HeLix, and will show data sets that are analyzed by HeLix. Finally I made variety plots and maps for understanding photospheric and chromospheric layers of sunspots.