We present simulations of the optical-band images of high-redshift galaxies utilizing 845 near-ultraviolet (NUV) images of nearby galaxies obtained through the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX). We compute the concentration (C), asymmetry (A), Gini (G), and M20 parameters of the GALEX NUV/Sloan Digital Sky Survey r-band images at z ~ 0 and their artificially redshifted optical images at z = 0.9 and 1.6 in order to quantify the morphology of galaxies at local and high redshifts. The morphological properties of nearby galaxies in the NUV are presented using a combination of morphological parameters, in which early- type galaxies are well separated from late-type galaxies in the G–M20, C–M20, A–C, and A–M20 planes. Based on the distribution of galaxies in the A–C and G–M20 planes, we examine the morphological K-correction (i.e., cosmological distance effect and bandshift effect). The cosmological distance effect on the quantitative morphological parameters is found to be significant for early-type galaxies, while late-type galaxies are more greatly affected by the bandshift effect. Knowledge of the morphological K-correction will set the foundation for forthcoming studies on understanding the quantitative assessment of galaxy evolution.

• Bum-Suk Yeom(1Department of Astronomy, Space Science, and Geology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea 2Jeollabukdo Institute of Science Education, Iksan 54549, Korea)
• Soo-Chang Rey(Department of Astronomy, Space Science, and Geology, Chungnam National University) Corresponding author
• Youngkwang Kim(Department of Astronomy, Space Science, and Geology, Chungnam National University)
• Youngdae Lee(Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute)
• Jiwon Chung(Department of Astronomy, Space Science, and Geology, Chungnam National University)
• Suk Kim(Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute)
• Woong Lee(Department of Astronomy, Space Science, and Geology, Chungnam National University)