We report the performance of the 13.7-meter Taeduk Radio Astronomy Observatory (TRAO) radio telescope. The telescope has been equipped with a new receiver, SEQUOIA-TRAO, a new backend system, FFT2G, and a new VxWorks operating system. The receiver system features a 16-pixel focal plane array using high-performance MMIC preamplifiers; it shows very low system noise levels, with system noise temperatures from 150 K to 450 K at frequencies from 86 to 115 GHz. With the new backend system, we can simultaneously obtain 32 spectra, each with a velocity coverage of 163 km s−1 and a resolution of 0.04 km s−1 at 115 GHz. The new operating system, VxWorks, has successfully handled the LMTMC-TRAO observing software. The main observing method is the on-the-fly (OTF) mapping mode; a position-switching mode is available for small-area observations. Remote observing is provided. The antenna surface has been newly adjusted using digital photogrammetry, achieving a rms surface accuracy better than 130 µm. The pointing uncertainty is found to be less than 5'' over the entire sky. We tested the new receiver system with multi-frequency observations in OTF mode. The aperture efficiencies are 43±1%, 42±1%, 37±1%, and 33±1%, the beam efficiencies are 45±2%, 48±2%, 46±2%, and 41±2% at 86, 98, 110, and 115 GHz, respectively.

We map two molecular clouds located in the exact anticenter region emitting in the (J = 1-0) transition of 12CO and 13CO using the 3-mm SIS mixer receiver on the 14-m radio telescope at Taeduk Radio Astronomy Observatory. The target clouds with anomalous velocities of VLSR ~ - 20 km s-1 are distinguished from other clouds in this direction. In addition, they are located in the interarm region between the Orion Arm and the Perseus Arm. Sizes of the clouds are estimated to be about 8.6 and 10.8 pc, respectively. The total mass is estimated to be about 4 x 103 M⊙ using CO luminosity of the clouds. Several cores are detected, but no sign of star formation is found according to the IRAS point sources. Their larger linewidths, anomalous velocities, and their location at the interarm region make these clouds more distinguished, though their physical properties are similar to the dark clouds in the solar neighborhood in terms of mass and size.

We have estimated the fractal dimension of the molecular clouds in the Antigalactic Center based on the 12CO (J = 1- 0) and 13CO (J = 1- 0) database obtained using the 14m telescope at Taeduk Radio Astronomy Observatory. Using a developed code within IRAF, we were able to identify slice-clouds, and determined the dispersions of two spatial coordinates as well as perimeters and areas. The fractal dimension of the target region was estimated to be D = 1.34 for low resolution 12CO (J = 1 - 0) database, and D = 1.4 for higher resolution 12CO (J = 1 - 0) and 13CO (J = 1 - 0) database, where P ∝ AD/2. The sampling rate (spatial resolution) of observed data must be an important parameter when estimating fractal dimension. Our database with higher resolution of 1 arcminute, which is corresponding to 0.2 pc at a distance of 1.1 kpc, gives us the same estimate of fractal dimension to that of local dark clouds. Fractal dimension is apparently invariant when varying the threshold temperatures applied to cloud identification. According to the dispersion pattern of longitudes and latitudes of identified slice-clouds, there is no preference of elongation direction.

We present a fast reduction method of survey data obtained using a single-dish radio telescope. Along with a brief review of classical method, a new method of identification and elimination of negative and positive bad channels are introduced using cloud identification code and several IRAF (Image Reduction and Analysis Facility) tasks relating statistics. Removing of several ripple patterns using Fourier Transform is also discussed. It is found that BACKGROUND task within IRAF is very efficient for fitting and subtraction of base-line with varying functions. Cloud identification method along with the possibility of its application for analysis of cloud structure is described, and future data reduction method is discussed.

We have studied the star forming activities and dust properties of Lynds 1251, a dark cloud located at relatively high galactic latitude. Eleven IRAS point sources identified toward Lynds 1251 are discussed. Estimate of stellar masses, and far-infrared lumnosities of the young stars associated with two prominent IRAS point sources imply that these are T-Tauri stars with masses smaller than 0.3M⊙. The low dust temperature of 27 K and low ratio of FIR emission to hydrogen column density are probably due to the lack of internal heating sources. Presumably two low mass young stars do not have enough energy to heat up the dust and gas associated. The dust heating is dominated by the interstellar heating source, and the weaker interstellar radiation field can explain the exceptionally low dust temperatures found in Lynds 1251. The estimated dust mass of Lynds 1251 is just ~1 M⊙, or about 1/1000 of gas mass, which implies that there must be a substantial amount of colder dust. The infrared flux at 100μm is matching well with 13CO peak temperature, while the 12CO integrated intensity is matching with the boundary of dust emission. Overall, the dust properties of Lynds 1251 is similar to those of normal dark clouds even though it does have star forming activities.

We have mapped the whole extent of a dark cloud Lynds 1251 in the emission of the J=1-0 transitions of 12CO and 13CO using FCRAO's fifteen-beam array receiver in high angular resolution of 50'. We have derived physical parameters of L1251, discussed three different mass estimate techniques, and obtained a large range of mass, 600 to 6,000 M⊙, depending on the techniques. The factor of 10 discrepancy between the virial and LTE masses is much larger than expected based on the uncertainties residing in two methods. The large virial mass may reflect the fact that L1251 is not gravitationally bound system as in the case of dark clouds in solar neighborhood. Two outflows are affecting the dynamics of cloud significantly but not enough to reshape the whole extent of the cloud. The small cloud, 'Stripe', which is apparently connected with main cloud, is not likely to be associated with L1251. The velocity gradient composed on this small cloud may be driven by other unknown sources. It is found that L1251 cloud itself is very quiescent except the two bipolar outflow regions.

We have obtained high angular resolution maps toward a molecular cloud associated with an HII region S287 and studied mainly kinematics of the cloud. The mapped region is 1.5 square degrees of the cloud in the transitions of 12CO and 13CO J=1-0. We have obtained a large range of mass, 1.3×104⊙, to $7.2×104⊙ using three different techniques. The S287 molecular cloud shows a very disturbed feature: velocity field of the cloud is very complicated, and shows several arcs. It is likely that the southern part of cloud is being disrupted by the residing HII region S287 as well as external perturbing sources. In addition to an HII region, five bipolar outflows are also disturbing the molecular gas significantly. The large virial mass and the very disturbed morphology may reflect the fact that the cloud is not gravitationally bound system, as in the case of nearby giant molecular cloud (GMC) G216-2.5. The several arc structure and the filamentary features are possibly driven by external strong stellar winds, and these external perturbing sources may be driving the second generation of star-forming activities on the edges of the S287 molecular cloud.