Omodaka-Kameno-Imai Laboratory (Observational Astronomy)

1
Space Science cource, Department of Physics,
Faculty of Science, Kagoshima University

• Omodaka-Kameno-Imai Laboratory (Observational
  Astronomy)
• Kagiyama-Nakamura Laboratory (Particle
  Cosmology)
• Nishio Laboratory (Satellite Meteorology)
• Tateno Laboratory (Physiology)
• Nedachi Laboratory (Archaeology)

2
Research Fields in the Omodaka-Kameno-Imai Lab.

• Astrometry of the Milky Way Galaxy
• 3-D structure and Dynamics
• Annual parallaxes of stellar/interletellar masers
• Period-luminosity relation of AGB (Asymptotic
  Giant Branch) stars
• Evolution and Lifecycles of stars
• Mass-accretion and outflows of protostars
• Mass-loss from evolved stars
• High-energy Astrophysics
• Accretion disks in dwarf novae
• AGN (Active Galactic Nuclei)

3
Astrometry with the VERA and 1-m telescopes- 3-D
map of the Milky Way -

• Why 3-D mapping and Dynamics?
• The worlds first atlas of our galaxy
• Distribution of stars, gas, and dark matter
• How to measure distances to stars?
• Annual parallax triangulation with earths
  orbit as a baseline
• Challenging 10-µarcsec precision to measure
  whole the milky way
• Maser sources as trig points observations using
  VERA
• AGB variable stars as standard candles
  observations using 1-m telescope

Annual parallax of the maser source S Crt at 350
pc (Tsushima 2007)
4
Evolution and Lifecycles of Stars

• Protostars
• Mass accretion process How stars weigh?
• Molecular clouds building block of stars
• Accreting and rotating disks
• Outflows Disposer of angular momenta
• Evolved stars
• Pulsation and mass-loss processes at the end of
  star life
• Acceleration and collimation in AGB stars and
  pre-planetary nebulae
• Recycle of synthesized elements into interstellar
  space

Microjet in the protostar S106 FIR (Furuya et al.
1999)
Evolve
Water fountain of the evolved star W43A (Imai et
al. 2002)
Kirk Woellert/National Science Foundation
5
High-Energy Astrophysics

• Dwarf Novae
• Mass accretion in close-binary systems
• Mass supply form a companion star
• Accretion disk around a white dwarf
• Variability Outbursts, Superoutbursts, and
  Superhumps
• Lightcurve measurements to probe disk instability
• Active Galactic Nuclei
• Mass accretion onto supermassive black hole in
  the center of galaxies
• The most powerful engines in the univers, up to
  1041 W
• Relativistic jets v99 of the speed of light

Light curve of the dwarf nova V844 Her (Oizumi et
al. 2007)
Jets of the active galaxy NGC 1052 (Kameno et al.
2003)
6
Astronomy Telescopesoperated by us

• 1-m Optical / IR telescope (Iriki Observatory)
• VERA 20m radio telescope (Iriki Observatory)
• 6-m radio telescope (Kinkowan Park Observatory)
• VSOP-2 Space VLBI project(to be launched in
  2012)

1-m Opt/IR Telescope
VERA 20-m Radio Telescope
6-m Radio Telescope
Very-Long-Baseline Interferometry
ASTRO-G Satellite for VSOP-2(artists impression)
7
Membership

• Staffs (4)
• Professor/Executive OMODAKA, Toshihiro
• Associate Professor KAMENO, Seiji
• Assistant Professor IMAI, Hiroshi
• Research Fellow NAKAGAWA, Akiharu
• Students (26)
• Graduated (PhD) 1
• Graduated (Master) 14
• Undergraduate 11

8
Correspondence

• http//astro.sci.kagoshima-u.ac/
• Mail omodaka_at_sci.kagoshima-u.ac.jp kameno_at_sci.
  kagoshima-u.ac.jp
• Phone/FAX [phone]
• Address Omodaka-Kameno-Imai Lab. Department
  of Physics, Faculty of Science Kagoshima
  University 1-21-35 Korimoto, Kagoshima,
  890-0065
• JAPAN