• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.173-174
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• 2005

On behalf of the IRSF/SIRIUS group, I introduce some recent results from our deep near-infrared surveys (J, Hand Ks bands, limiting magnitude of Ks=17) toward star forming regions in the Milky Way Galaxy (MWG) and Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) with the near-infrared camera SIRIUS. We discovered a rich population of low-mass young stellar objects associated with the W3 and NGC 7538 regions in the MWG based on the near-infrared colors arid magnitudes. The high sensitivity of our survey enables us to detect intermediate-mass pre-main sequence stars, i.e. HAEBE stars, even in the LMC. We detected many HAEBE candidate stars in the N159/N160 complex star forming region in the LMC with the IRSF 1.4-m telescope. Spatial distributions of the young stellar objects indicate the sequential cluster formation in each star forming region in the complex and large scale (a few ${\times}$ 100 pc) sequential cluster formation over the entire complex.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.97-115
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• 2023

We present the deep homogeneous UBV RI photometric data of 135,071 stars down to V ~ 23 mag and I ~ 22 mag toward the Carina Nebula. These stars are cross-matched with those from the previous surveys in the X-ray, near-infrared, and mid-infrared wavelengths as well as the Gaia Early Data Release 3 (EDR3). This master catalog allows us to select reliable members and determine the fundamental parameters distance, size, stellar density of stellar clusters in this star-forming region. We revisit the reddening toward the nebula using the optical and the near-infrared colors of early-type stars. The foreground reddening [E(B-V)_fg] is determined to be 0.35 ± 0.02, and it seems to follow the standard reddening law. On the other hand, the total-to-selective extinction ratio of the intracluster medium (R_V,cl) decreases from the central region (Trumpler 14 and 16, R_V,cl ~ 4.5) to the northern region (Trumpler 15, R_V,cl ~ 3.4). It implies that the central region is more dusty than the northern region. We find that the distance modulus of the Carina Nebula to be 11.9 ± 0.3 mag (d = 2.4 ± 0.35 kpc) using a zero-age main-sequence fitting method, which is in good agreement with that derived from the Gaia EDR3 parallaxes. We also present the catalog of 3,331 pre-main-sequence (PMS) members and 14,974 PMS candidates down to V ~ 22 mag based on spectrophotometric properties of young stars at infrared, optical, and X-ray wavelengths. From the spatial distribution of PMS members and PMS candidates, we confirm that the member selection is very reliable down to faint stars. Our data will have a legacy value for follow-up studies with different scientific purposes.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.43.1-43.1
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• 2016

The duration of star formation activity is a key to understanding the formation process of star clusters. Although a number of astronomers have attempted to derive the underlying age spread in photometric diagrams with a variety of stellar evolutionary models, the resultant findings are subject to uncertainties due to intrinsic variability of pre-main sequence (PMS) stars, observational errors, difficulties in reddening correction, and systematic differences in adopted stellar evolutionary models. The distribution of Li abundance for PMS stars in a cluster could, on the other hand, provide an alternative way to estimate the age spread. In this study, a total of 134 PMS stars in NGC 2264 are observed with the high resolution multi-object spectrogragh Hectochelle attached to the 6.5m Multi Mirror Telescope. We have successfully detected Li ${\lambda}6708$ resonance doublet for 86 low-mass PMS stars. The Li abundance of the stars is derived from their equivalent width using a curves of growth method. After correction for non-LTE effects, the underlying age spread of 3 - 4 Myr is inferred from the Li abundance distribution of low-mass PMS stars. We suggest that NGC 2264 formed on a timescale shorter than 5 Myr given the presence of embedded populations.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.149-155
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• 2001

UBV RI and H$\alpha$ photometry has been performed for the open cluster NGC 6531. A total of 56 bright main sequence (MS) members were selected from their positions in photometric diagrams. We also classified 7 pre-main sequence (PMS) stars and 6 PMS candidates with Ha: emission from H$\alpha$ photometry. We determined a reddening of < E(B - V) >= 0.29 $\pm$ 0.03 and a distance modulus of Vo - Mv = 10.5 for the cluster. From the comparison of our photometric results to theoretical evolution models, we derived a MS turnoff age of 7.5 Myr and a PMS age spread of $\~$4 Myr. The IMF slope $\Gamma$, calculated in the mass range of 0.45 $\le$ log m $\le$ 1.35 is a steep value of $\Gamma$ = -1.8 $\pm$ 0.6.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.72.2-72.2
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• 2013

We present a UBVI and $H{\alpha}$ photometric study of the young open cluster NGC 1893 in the outer Galaxy as part of "Sejong Open cluster Survey (SOS)" project. Using the properties of early-type stars in the photometric diagrams 65 early-type members were selected. More than 120 $H{\alpha}$ emission stars and candidates were found by $H{\alpha}$ photometry. Together with the published young stellar object catalogue and X-ray source list for this cluster, a total of 837 pre-main sequence (PMS) stars were identified in our photometric data. We obtained the mean reddening of < E(B-V) > = $0.56{\pm}0.08$ mag from the (U-B, B-V) diagram and confirmed the normal reddening law ($R_V=3.1$) toward NGC 1893 based on color excess ratios from optical to mid-infrared wavelengths. The zero-age main sequence fitting to the reddening-corrected color-magnitude diagrams gives a distance modulus of $V_0-M_V=12.8{\pm}0.1$. The age of the cluster inferred from stellar evolution models is about 1-2 Myr. We also found the Salpeter/Kroupa type initial mass function for this cluster. Finally, the mass accretion rate of 80 PMS stars with UV excess emission was estimated for the stars with masses from $0.6M_{\odot}$ to $5M_{\odot}$.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.44.1-44.1
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• 2016

The Sagittarius-Carina spiral arm in the Galaxy contains several massive young open clusters. We present a deep optical photometric study on the massive young open clusters in the Sagittarius-Carina arm, Westerlund 2 and the young open clusters in the ${\eta}$ Carina nebula. Westerlund 2 is a less studied starburst-type cluster in the Galaxy. An abnormal reddening law for the intracluster medium of the young starburst-type cluster Westerlund 2 is determined to be $R_{V,cl}=4.14{\pm}0.08$. The distance modulus is determined from zero-age main-sequence fitting to the reddening-corrected color-magnitude diagrams of the early-type members to be $V_0-M_V=13.9{\pm}0.14mag$. The pre-main sequence (PMS) members of Westerlund 2 are selected by identifying the optical counterparts of X-ray emission sources from the Chandra X-ray observation and mid-infrared emission sources from the Spitzer/IRAC (the Infrared Array Camera) observation. The initial mass function (IMF) shows a slightly flat slope of ${\Gamma}=-1.1{\pm}0.1$ down to $5M_{\odot}$. The age of Westerlund 2 is estimated to be. 1.5 Myr from the main-sequence turn-on luminosity and the age distribution of PMS stars. The ${\eta}$ Carina nebula is the best laboratory for the investigation of the Galactic massive stars and low-mass star formation under the influence of numerous massive stars. We have performed deep wide-field CCD photometry of stars in the ${\eta}$ Carina nebula to determine the reddening law, distance, and the IMF of the clusters in the nebula. We present VRI and $H{\alpha}$ photometry of 130,571 stars from the images obtained with the 4m telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO). RV,cl in the η Carina nebula gradually decreases from the southern part (~4.5, around Trumpler 14 and Trumpler 16) to the northern part around Trumpler 15 (~3.5). Distance to the young open clusters in the ${\eta}$ Carina nebula is partly revised based on the zero-age main-sequence fitting to the reddening-corrected color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) and the (semi-) reddening-independent CMDs. We select the PMS members and candidates by identifying the optical counterparts of X-ray sources from the Chandra Carina Complex Survey and mid-infrared excess emission stars from the Spitzer Vela-Carina survey. From the evolutionary stage of massive stars and PMS stars, we obtain that the northern young open cluster Trumpler 15 is distinctively older than the southern young open clusters, Trumpler 14 (${\leq}2.5 Myr$) and Trumpler 16 (2.5-3.5 Myr). The slopes of the IMF of Trumpler 14, Trumpler 15, and Trumpler 16 are determined to be $-1.2{\pm}0.1$, $-1.5{\pm}0.3$, and $-1.1{\pm}0.1$, respectively. Based on the RV,cl of several young open clusters determined in this work and the previous studies of our group, We suggest that higher RV,cl values are commonly found for very young open clusters with the age of < 4 Myr. We also confirm the correlation between the slope of the IMF and the surface mass density of massive stars.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.127-129
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• 2017

We have observed ~60 Weak-line T Tauri stars (WTTSs) toward the Chamaeleon star forming region using the AKARI Far-Infrared Surveyor (FIS) All-Sky maps. We could not detect any significant emission from each source even at the most sensitive WIDE-S band. Then, we have performed stacking analysis of these WTTSs using the WIDE-S band images to improve the sensitivity. However, we could not detect any significant emission in the resultant image with a noise level of $0.05MJy\;sr^{-1}$, or 3 mJy for a point source. The three-sigma upper limit of 9 mJy leads to the disk dust mass of $0.01M_{\oplus}$. This result suggests that the disks around Chamaeleon WTTSs are already evolved to debris disks.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.253-262
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• 2023

This work presents four high-amplitude variable YSOs (≃3 mag at near- or mid-IR wavelengths) arising from the SPICY catalog. Three outbursts show a duration that is longer than 1 year, and are still ongoing. And additional YSO brightened over the last two epochs of NEOWISE observations and the duration of the outburst is thus unclear. Analysis of the spectra of the four sources confirms them as new members of the eruptive variable class. We find two YSOs that can be firmly classified as bona fide FUors and one object that falls in the V1647 Ori-like class. Given the uncertainty in the duration of its outburst, an additional YSO can only be classified as a candidate FUor. Continued monitoring and follow-up of these particular sources is important to better understand the accretion process of YSOs.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.142.1-142.1
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• 2011

UBVI and $H{\alpha}$ CCD photometry of IC 1848, one of active star-forming regions in Cas OB6, is carried out as a part of Sejong Open cluster Survey (SOS) project. An OB association is an ideal laboratory for studying the triggered star formation and star formation history. Our purposes are to provide deep photometric data up to 21 mag in V and physical parameters of IC 1848. We classify 79 early-type stars and 186 pre-main sequence (PMS) stars as being the members of the cluster using photometric criteria. The IR excess emission PMS stars by Koenig et al. (2008) are also included as members of IC 1848. Total number of members is 414. We derive the interstellar reddening (=$0.659{\pm}0.058$ mag), reddening law ($R_V=4.0{\pm}0.1$), distance modulus ($V_0-M_V=12.0{\pm}0.1$ mag) using the early-type members of IC 1848. We also determine the age of the cluster ($3.5{\pm}1.5$ Myr) by placing the theoretical isochrones on the HR diagram.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.343-355
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• 2015

There is much observational evidence that active star formation is taking place in the Hii regions Sh 2-255 – 257. We present a photometric study of this star forming region (SFR) using imaging data obtained in passbands from the optical to the mid-infrared, in order to study the star formation process. A total of 218 members were identified using various selection criteria based on their observational properties. The SFR is reddened by at least E(B −V ) = 0.8 mag, and the reddening law toward the region is normal (R_V = 3.1). From the zero-age main sequence fitting method it is confirmed that the SFR is 2.1 ± 0.3 kpc from the Sun. The median age of the identified members is estimated to be about 1.3 Myr from a comparison of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram (HRD) with stellar evolutionary models. The initial mass function (IMF) is derived from the HRD and the near-infrared (J, J −H) color-magnitude diagram. The slope of the IMF is about Γ = −1.6 ± 0.1, which is slightly steeper than that of the Salpeter/Kroupa IMF. It implies that low-mass star formation is dominant in the SFR. The sum of the masses of all the identified members provides the lower limit of the cluster mass (169M_⊙). We also analyzed the spectral energy distribution (SED) of pre-main sequence stars using the SED fitting tool of Robitaille et al., and confirm that there is a significant discrepancy between stellar mass and age obtained from two different methods based on the SED fitting tool and the HRD.