• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.257-258
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• 2012

With AKARI, we carried out near-infrared spectroscopy of the nearby barred spiral galaxy, NGC 1097, categorized as Seyfert 1 with a circumnuclear starburst ring. Our observations mapped the galactic center region. As a result, we obtain the spatial distributions of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon $3.3{\mu}m$ and the aliphatic hydrocarbon $3.4-3.6{\mu}m$ emission. The former is detected from all the observed regions and the latter is enhanced near the bar connecting the ring with the nucleus. In addition, we detect absorption features due to $H_2O$ ice and CO/SiO at the ring and the galactic center, while we detect the hydrogen recombination line $Br{\alpha}$ only from the ring. Hence the observed spectra change dramatically within the central 1 kpc region.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.211-214
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• 2005

We performed a spatially resolved spectroscopic study of the thermal composite supernova remnant 3C 391 by the Chandra observation. Broad- and narrow-band X-ray images show a southeast-northwest elongated morphology and unveil a highly clumpy structure of the remnant. The spectral analysis for. the small-scale features indicates normal metal abundance and uniform temperature for the interior gas. The properties of the hot gas are largely in agreement with the cloudlet evaporation model as a main mechanism for the 'thermal composite' X-ray appearance, though radiative rim and thermal conduction may also be effective. An unresolved X-ray source, with a power-law spectrum, is observed on the northwest border. The equivalent width images reveal a faint finger-like protrusion in Si and S lines out of the southwest radio border.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.147-149
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• 2017

Since the launch of the Herschel Space Observatory, our understanding about the photo-dissociation regions (PDR) has taken a step forward. In the bandwidth of the Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) of the Spectral and Photometric Imaging REceiver (SPIRE) on board Herschel, ten CO rotational transitions, including J = 4 - 3 to J = 13 - 12, and three fine structure lines, including [$C{\small{I}}$] 609, [$C{\small{I}}$] 370, and [$N{\small{II}}$] $205{\mu}m$, are covered. I present our findings from the FTS observations at the nuclear region of M83, based on the spatially resolved physical parameters derived from the CO spectral line energy distribution (SLED) map and the comparisons with the dust properties and star-formation tracers. This article discusses (1) the potential of using [$N{\small{II}$] 205 and [$C{\small{I}}$] $370{\mu}m$ as star-formation tracers; (2) the excitation mechanisms of warm CO in the nuclear region of M83.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.273-279
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• 2004

Chemical compositions of planetary nebulae are of interest for a study of the late stage of stellar evolution and for elemental contributions to the interstellar medium of reprocessed elements since possibly a large fraction of stars in 0.8 - 8 $M_{\bigodot}$ range go through this stage. One of the methods for getting chemical composition is a construction of theoretical photoionization models, which involves geometrical complexities and a variety of physical processes. With modelling effort, one can analyze the high dispersion and find the elemental abundances for a number of planetary nebulae. The model also gives the physical parameter of planetary nebula and its central star physical parameter along with the knowledge of its evolutionary status. Two planetary nebulae, NGC 7026 and Hu 1-2, which could have evolved from about one solar mass progenitor stars, showed radically different chemical abundances: the former has high chemical abundances in most elements, while the latter has extremely low abundances. We discuss their significance in the light of the evolution of our Galaxy.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.163-167
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• 2015

We have carried out integral field unit (IFU) spectroscopy of $H{\alpha}$, [$N{\small{II}}$] and [$O{\small{III}}$] emission lines for a sample of Galactic planetary nebulae (PNe) with Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars and weak emission-line stars (wels). Comparing their spatially-resolved kinematic observations with morpho-kinematic models allowed us to disentangle their three-dimensional gaseous structures. Our results indicate that these PNe have axisymmetric morphologies, either bipolar or elliptical. In many cases the associated kinematic maps for the PNe around hot central stars also reveal the presence of so-called fast low-ionization emission regions.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.281-284
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• 2004

Optical imaging and spectroscopy of G353.2+0.9, the brightest part of the giant H II region NGC 6357, shows that this H II region is optically thin, contains ${\~}300\;M_{\bigodot}$ of ionized gas and is probably expanding into the surrounding medium. Its chemical composition is similar to that found in other H II regions at similar galactocentric distances if temperature fluctuations are significant. The inner regions are probably made of thin shells and filaments, whereas extended slabs of material, maybe shells seen edge-on, are found in the periphery. The radio continuum and H$\alpha$ emission maps are very similar, indicating that most of the optical nebula is not embedded in the denser regions traced by molecular gas and the presence of IR sources. About $10^{50}$ UV photons per second are required to produce the H$\beta$ flux from the 1l.3'${\times}$10' region surrounding the Pis 24 cluster that is south of G353.2+0.9. Most of the energy powering this region is produced by the 03-7 stars in Pis 24. Most of the 2MASS sources in the field with large infrared excesses are within G353.2+0.9, indicating that the most recent star forming process occured within it. The formation of Pis 24 preceded and caused the formation of this new generation of stars and may be responsible for the present-day morphology of the entire NGC 6357 region.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.285-288
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• 2004

Near-infrared imaging photometry supplemented by optical spectroscopy and narrow-band imaging of the H II region Sh 2-128 and its environment are presented. This region contains a developed H II region and the neighboring compact H II region S 128N associated with a pair of water maser sources. Midway between these, the core of a CO cloud is located. The principal ionizing source of Sh 2-128 is an 07 star close to its center. A new spectroscopic distance of 9.4 kpc is derived, very similar to the kinematic distance to the nebula. This implies a galactocentric distance of 13.5 kpc and z = 550 pc. The region is optically thin with abundances close to those predicted by galactocentric gradients. The $JHK_s$ images show that S 128N contains several infrared point sources and nebular emission knots with large near-infrared excesses. One of the three red Ks knots coincides with the compact H II region. A few of the infrared-excess objects are close to known mid- and far-infrared emission peaks. Star counts in J and $K_s$ show the presence of a small cluster of B-type stars, mainly associated with S 128N. The $JHK_s$ photometric properties together with the characteristics of the other objects in the vicinity suggest that Sh 2-128 and S 128N constitute a single complex formed from the same molecular cloud, with ages ${\~}10^6$ and < $3 {\times} 10^5$ years respectively. No molecular hydrogen emission was detected at 2.12 ${\mu}m$. The origin of this remote star forming region is an open problem.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.141-145
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• 2017

We study $CO_2/H_2O$ ice abundance ratios in nearby galaxies using AKARI near-infrared slit spectroscopy. Past studies of the ices intensively examined $CO_2/H_2O$ ratios mainly in our Galaxy, and found that there were considerable variations in the $CO_2/H_2O$ ratios from object to object. The cause of the variations is, however, still under debate. As a result of the analysis of our sample that includes 1031 regions in 158 galaxies, the $CO_2/H_2O$ ratios are in a range of 0.05-0.30. In the dataset, we find that the $CO_2/H_2O$ ratios positively correlate with the $Br{\alpha}/PAH$ $3.3{\mu}m$ ratios which reflect the massive star formation activity. Furthermore, we find that the $CO_2/H_2O$ ratios positively correlate with the specific star formation rates of the galaxies where the ices are detected, that reflect the evolutionary stage of a galaxy. These results suggest that the $CO_2/H_2O$ ratios are enhanced in active star-forming regions and young galaxies.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.299-300
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• 2012

We investigate the relation between star formation activity and PAH $3.3{\mu}m$ emission. Our targets are mid-infrared-excess galaxies selected from the AKARI all-sky survey point source catalog. We performed AKARI near-infrared spectroscopy for them. As a result, we obtained $2.5-5{\mu}m$spectra of 79 galaxies, and selected 35 star-forming galaxies out of them. Comparing the PAH $3.3{\mu}m$ luminosities with the infrared luminosities, we find a linear correlation between them. However, by adding the results from literatures for luminous infrared galaxies and ultra-luminous infrared galaxies that are more luminous than our sample, the ratio of the PAH to the infrared luminosity is found to decrease towards the luminous end.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.249-252
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• 2012

The absorption features due to interstellar ices, especially $H_2O$ and $CO_2$ ices, provide us with crucial information on present and past interstellar environments, and thus the evolutionary histories of galaxies. Before AKARI, however, few detections of ices were reported for nearby galaxies. The AKARI's unique capability of near-infrared spectroscopy with high sensitivity enables us to systematically study ices in nearby galaxies. Thus we have explored many near-infrared spectra ($2.5-5{\mu}m$) of the 211 pointed observations, searching for the absorption features of ices. As a result, out of 122 nearby galaxies, we have significantly detected $H_2O$ ice from 36 galaxies and $CO_2$ ice from 9 galaxies. It is notable that the ices are detected not only in late-type galaxies but also in early-type galaxies. We find that $CO_2$ ice is more compactly distributed near the galactic center than $H_2O$ ice. Finally, we suggest that the gas density of a molecular cloud and UV radiation may be important factors to determine the abundance of ices.