• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.89-96
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• 1992

Recent spectroscopic observations indicate concentration of dark masses in the nuclei of nearby galaxies. This has been usually interpreted as the presence of massive black holes in these nuclei. Alternative explanations such as the dark cluster composed of low mass stars (brown dwarfs) or dark stellar remnants are possible provided that these systems can be stably maintained for the age of galaxies. For the case of low mass star cluster, mass of individual stars can grow to that of conventional stars in collision time scale. The requirement of collision time scale being shorter than the Hubble time gives the minimum cluster size. For typical conditions of M31 or M32, the half-mass radii of dark clusters can be as small as 0.1 arcsecond. For the case of clusters composed of stellar remnants, core-collapse and post-collapse expansion are required to take place in longer than Hubble time. Simple estimates reveal that the size of these clusters also can be small enough that no contradiction with observational data exists for the clusters made of white dwarfs or neutron stars. We then considered the possible outcomes of interactions between the black hole and the surrounding stellar system. Under typical conditions of M31 or M32, tidal disruption will occur every $10^3$ to $10^4$ years. We present a simple scenario for the evolution of stellar debris based on basic principles. While the accretion of stellar material could produce large amount of radiation so that the mass-to-light ratio can become too small compared to observational values it is too early to rule out the black hole model because the black hole can consume most of the stellar debris in time scale much shorter than mean time between two successive tidal disruptions. Finally we outline recent effort to simulate the process of tidal disruption and subsequent evolution of the stellar debris numerically using Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics technique.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.103-123
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• 2013

Star clusters are superb astrophysical laboratories containing cospatial and coeval samples of stars with similar chemical composition. We initiate the Sejong Open cluster Survey (SOS) - a project dedicated to providing homogeneous photometry of a large number of open clusters in the SAAO Johnson-Cousins' UBV I system. To achieve our main goal, we pay much attention to the observation of standard stars in order to reproduce the SAAO standard system. Many of our targets are relatively small sparse clusters that escaped previous observations. As clusters are considered building blocks of the Galactic disk, their physical properties such as the initial mass function, the pattern of mass segregation, etc. give valuable information on the formation and evolution of the Galactic disk. The spatial distribution of young open clusters will be used to revise the local spiral arm structure of the Galaxy. In addition, the homogeneous data can also be used to test stellar evolutionary theory, especially concerning rare massive stars. In this paper we present the target selection criteria, the observational strategy for accurate photometry, and the adopted calibrations for data analysis such as color-color relations, zero-age main sequence relations, Sp - MV relations, Sp - $T_{eff}$ relations, Sp - color relations, and $T_{eff}$ - BC relations. Finally we provide some data analysis such as the determination of the reddening law, the membership selection criteria, and distance determination.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.39.1-39.1
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• 2014

We present the results of our analysis of the RR Lyrae (RRL) variable stars detected in two transition-type dwarf galaxies (dTrans), ESO294-G010 and ESO410-G005 in the Sculptor group, which is known to be one of the closest neighboring galaxy groups to our Local Group. Using deep archival images from the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) onboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), we have identified a sample of RR Lyrae candidates in both dTrans galaxies [219 RRab (RR0) and 13 RRc (RR1) variables in ESO294-G010; 225 RRab and 44 RRc stars in ESO410-G005]. The metallicities of the individual RRab stars are calculated via the period-amplitude-[Fe/H] relation derived by Alcock et al. This yields mean metallicities of <[Fe/H]>_{ESO294} = -1.77 +/- 0.03 and <[Fe/H]>_{ESO410} = -1.64+/- 0.03. The RRL metallicity distribution functions (MDFs) are investigated further via simple chemical evolution models; these reveal the relics of the early chemical enrichment processes for these two dTrans galaxies. In the case of both galaxies, the shapes of the RRL MDFs are well-described by pre-enrichment models. This suggests two possible channels for the early chemical evolution for these Sculptor group dTrans galaxies: 1) The ancient stellar populations of our target dwarf galaxies might have formed from the star forming gas which was already enriched through "prompt initial enrichment" or an "initial nucleosynthetic spike" from the very first massive stars, or 2) this pre-enrichment state might have been achieved by the end products from more evolved systems of their nearest neighbor, NGC 55.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.129-131
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• 2015

We have initiated single-dish monitoring observations of ~400 methanol maser sources at 6.7 GHz using the Hitachi 32-m radio telescope from December 2012 to systematically research periodic flux variations, which are observed in some methanol maser sources associated with high-mass (proto-)stars. In our monitoring, we have made daily monitoring, so that each source has been observed every nine days with an integration time of 5 min (typical $3{\sigma}$ detection sensitivities of 0.9 Jy). The monitoring observations help us statistically understand periodic flux variations with a period longer than 50 days. As an initial result, we present a new detection of periodic flux variations in the 6.7 GHz methanol maser source G 036.70+00.09. The period of the flux variations is ~53 days (~0.019 cycles $day^{-1}$), and seems to be stable over 9 cycles, at least until the middle of August 2014.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.61.2-61.2
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• 2011

Low-ionization nuclear emission-line regions (LINERs) have been generally regarded to be powered by active galactic nuclei (AGNs), yet still a number of alternative explanations on the origin of LINER emission are suggested; for example, planetary nebulae nuclei of massive stars, supernovae shocks from death of massive stars, and old stellar populations. Interestingly, a majority of recent star formation early-type galaxies (ETGs) in local universe presents such LINER emission lines. Given that situation, revealing the true nature of LINERs is a crucial step to constrain the evolution path to quiescent ETGs. To resolve the issue, we use Keck/LRIS to obtain spatially resolved spectra on a carefully selected ETG. The ETG SDSS J091628.05+420818.7 at redshift z ~ 0.024 shows modest LINER emission line features without any detection of 21 cm radio continuum nor X-ray emission. We perform a stellar continuum subtraction and measure emission line strengths and their uncertainties for each spectrum from five apertures along the slit with size of 1 arcsecond (~0.5 kpc). We find that extended spatial distributions of four emission lines $H{\alpha}$, $H{\beta}$, [OIII]${\lambda}5007$, and [NII]${\lambda}6583$, and they can be explained by central emission blurring effect. We conclude that the emissions seem to be centrally concentrated, indicating the AGN-nature of LINERs.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.39.3-40
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• 2017

Ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) are an unusual galaxy population. They are ghostlike galaxies with fainter surface brightness than normal dwarf galaxies, but they are as large as MW-like galaxies. The key question on UDGs is whether they are 'failed' giant galaxies or 'extended' dwarf galaxies. To answer this question, we study UDGs in massive galaxy clusters. We find an amount of UDGs in deep HST images of three Hubble Frontier Fields clusters, Abell 2744 (z=0.308), Abell S1063 (z=0.347), and Abell 370 (z=0.374). These clusters are the farthest and most massive galaxy clusters in which UDGs have been discovered until now. The color-magnitude relations show that most UDGs have old stellar population with red colors, while a few of them show bluer colors implying the existence of young stars. The stellar masses of UDGs show that they have less massive stellar components than the bright red sequence galaxies. The radial number density profiles of UDGs exhibit a drop in the central region of clusters, suggesting some of them were disrupted by strong gravitational potential. Their spatial distributions are not homogeneous, which implies UDGs are not virialized enough in the clusters. With virial masses of UDGs estimated from the fundamental manifold, most UDGs have M_200 = 10^10 - 10^11 M_Sun indicating that they are dwarf galaxies. However, a few of UDGs more massive than 10^11 M_Sun indicate that they are close to failed giant galaxies.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.89-89
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• 2014

While the current consensus view holds that galaxy mergers are commonplace, it is sometimes speculated that Globular Clusters (GCs) may also have undergone merging events, possibly resulting in massive objects with a strong metallicity spread such as Omega Centauri. Galaxies are mostly far, unresolved systems whose mergers are most likely wet, resulting in observational as well as modeling difficulties, but GCs are resolved into stars that can be used as discrete dynamical tracers, and their mergers might have been dry, therefore easily simulated with an N-body code. It is however difficult to determine the observational parameters best suited to reveal a history of merging based on the positions and kinematics of GC stars, if evidence of merging is at all observable. To overcome this difficulty, we investigate the applicability of supervised and unsupervised machine learning to the automatic reconstruction of the dynamical history of a stellar system. In particular we test whether statistical clustering methods can classify simulated systems into monolithic versus merger products. We run direct N-body simulations of two identical King-model clusters undergoing a head-on collision resulting in a merged system, and other simulations of isolated King models with the same total number of particles as the merged system. After several relaxation times elapse, we extract a sample of snapshots of the sky-projected positions of particles from each simulation at different dynamical times, and we run a variety of clustering and classification algorithms to classify the snapshots into two subsets in a relevant feature space.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.54.2-54.2
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• 2010

The most massive galactic globular cluster, $\omega$ Cen has been observed using recently mounted WFC3/UVIS cameras of Hubble Space Telescope at both near-UV and optical bands. We present the photometry of stars in the central region of $\omega$ Cen in F225W, F275W and F336W bands. The near-UV color-magnitude diagrams and color-color diagrams of stars in $\omega$ Cen show multiple red giant branches and main sequences as already discovered in both ground-based and HST/ACS observations in the optical bands. We modelled the stellar populations of $\omega$ Cen using Yonsei Isochrone, where $\alpha$-particles and helium enhancement processes have been included properly. We compare the best-fit stellar populations obtained from the current near-UV observations to the suggested stellar population models based on optical band data. We also discuss the methodological issues arising when dealing with the near-UV observations; red-leak in near-UV filters and the huge interstellar extinction in near-UV bands compared to the optical bands and its non-linear effect in color-magnitude diagrams.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.54.3-55
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• 2017

The nature and physical environments of SNRs are diverse, and for this reason, the understanding of the properties of nearby SNRs is useful in interpreting the emission from SNRs in remote galaxies where we cannot resolve them. In this regard, the LMC is a unique place to study SNRs due to its proximity, location, and composition compared with our galaxy. We carried out a multi-wavelength study of SNR N63A in the LMC, a young remnant of the SN explosion of one of the most massive (> 40 Msun) stars in a cluster. It is currently expanding within a large H II region formed by OB stars in the cluster and engulfing a molecular cloud (MC). As such, N63A is a prototypical SNR showing the impact of SN explosion on the cluster and its environment. Its morphology varies strongly across the wave bands, e.g. the size in X-ray is three times larger than in optical. However, the bright optical nebula would correspond to a MC swept up by the SNR, and consequently the interaction SNR-MC is limited to the central portion of the SNR. We aimed to study the overall structure of N63A, using near-IR imaging and spectroscopic observations to obtain the physical parameters of the atomic shocks, and also to understand how the SNR- MC interaction works and reveal the structure of the shocked cloud as well as the consequences of the impact of the SNR shock on the MC, comparing information obtained in different wavelengths.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.255-264
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• 1995

The HII region S140 and the associated molecular cloud L1204 have been observed with 10 molecular transitions, CO (1-0), $^{13}CO$ (1-0), $C^{18}O$ (1-0), CS (2-1), $HCO^+$ (1-0), HCN (1-0), SO (${2_2}-{1_1}$), $SO_2(2_{20}-3_{13})$, OCS (8-7), and $HNCO\;(4_{04}-3_{03})$ with ${\sim}50"$ angular resolutions. More than 7,000 spectra were obtained in total. The morphology of this region shows a massive fragment (the S140 core) and the extended envelope to the northeast. Several gas condensations have been identified in the envelope, having masses of ${\sim}10^{3}M_{\odot}$ and gas number densities of ${\lesssim}10^{4}cm^{-3}$ to $3{\times}10^{5}cm^{-3}$ in their cores. The column densities of the observed molecular species toward the S140 core appear to be the typical warm clouds' abundances. It seems to be that the S140 core and L1204 have been swept up by an expanding shell called the Cepheus bubble. The large value of $L_{IR}$(embedded\;stars)/$M_{cloud}\;{\sim}\;5\;L_{\odot}$/$M_{\odot}$ of the S140 core may suggest that the star formation has been stimulated by the HII region, but the shock velocity and the pressure of the region seem to give a hint of the spontaneous star formation by the self gravity.